Elands Bay Cave

About Elands Bay Cave

Elands Bay Cave is a critically important archaeological site and Provincial Heritage Site located on Baboon Point (Cape Deseada) in Elands Bay along the Atlantic coast of South Africa's Western Cape Province. Nestled in rugged sandstone cliffs overlooking the ocean, the cave provides a remarkably preserved record of human adaptation, climate evolution, and ancient creative expression stretching back more than 80,000 years. The cave's expansive walls feature a striking gallery of ochre-hued paintings left behind by San hunter-gatherers and later Khoe pastoralists. Handprints: The site is famous for its numerous small handprints, many of which are believed by archaeologists to belong to children and young teenagers. Sacred Fauna: Bold images depict the eland—the largest antelope in the region, which held profound spiritual significance for the San—alongside other smaller animals and human figures. Layered History: The artwork overlaps in sequences, offering clear visual evidence of successive generations returning to use this sacred shelter over millennia. Getting There: Drive past the Elands Bay crayfish factory and navigate around Baboon Point. Pass the three abandoned World War II radar station ruins, and follow the designated gravel road to its end. The Hike: A short, steep uphill walk along a clearly demarcated path leads directly into the mouth of the cave, offering panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Verlorenvlei estuary mouth.