Sleeping Pool, Chinhoyi Caves
The deep blue pool at the foot of the Chinhoyi Caves sinkhole, inside a ZimParks recreational park. Diving is a booked park activity and must be done with a Zimbabwe-registered club or centre.
The Sleeping Pool lies at the foot of the sinkhole in Chinhoyi Caves Recreational Park. Published figures for the drop from the rim to the water vary from about 20 m to about 46 m.
The pool is very clear and stays at a steady temperature all year. The main section is described as 80-91 m deep and the full depth is unknown; ZimParks cites a scuba depth of 103 m. Tunnels lead off the pool. Divers book the activity through ZimParks and must go with a Zimbabwe-registered dive club or centre.
The environment
Fresh water at about 22-24 C year-round, with no thermocline and visibility often 50 m or more. A deep shaft with walls dropping well below recreational depths, and side tunnels.
Conditions
Stable temperature with no thermocline; visibility often 50 m or more.
Typical ranges from published sources, not current conditions.
For orientation, not navigation. Hollow dots are approximate.
Every fact on this page, with its source (9)
| Fact | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|
| The drop from the rim to the water is given as about 20 m (PADI) or 150 feet (Zimbabwe Tourism Authority). | Sources conflict | [1] [2] |
| The main section of the Sleeping Pool is described as 80-91 m deep. | Reported | [3] |
| ZimParks cites a scuba depth of 103 m reached by one group and estimates of well over 171 m for the full depth.An unverified 135 m figure is repeated in a 2016 guide. | Sources conflict | [4] |
| About 22-24 C with no thermocline; visibility often 50 m or more. | Reported | [1] |
| ZimParks' booking system lists 'Diving' as a 30-minute activity at USD 30 (VAT and a levy are added at checkout).Undated booking page, viewed 2026-10-14. | Verified | [5] |
| The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority lists opening hours of 09:00-18:00, Monday to Sunday.Listing footer dated 2024. | Reported | [2] |
| Diving is allowed only with a Zimbabwean registered dive club or centre. | Reported | [1] [3] |
| The park is managed by ZimParks. | Verified | [4] |
| Area-level coordinates for the public park beside the Harare-Chirundu road. | Reported | [6] [4] |
Verified: stated by an official or primary source we opened. Reported: from a secondary source only. Sources conflict: the note gives both versions. May be out of date: the newest source we found is old.
Written in our own words from the sources above. Report a correction