Likolongomba
-8.472500,38.820889
Location
Following the Minubi gorge downstream from Ngunde’s lower entrance one will reach the entrance of Likołongomba at 8°28'21,0’’ S - 038°49'15,2'' E on the right hand side of the gorge at an elevation of about 270 m a.s.l. The 6 m wide and 2 m high entrance of Likolongomba is situated a few metres above the Mnubi river valley. It is a resurgence and the cave appears to emerge a huge amount of water during the rain season,
Description
Right behind the entrance the north tending passage is filled with knee-deep water but continues with two pools and some dry sections to reach a long lake with deep water after about 80 m. Unfortunately the water is heavily polluted by the droppings of an enormous bat colony. The water temperature reaches nearly 30°C due to decomposing processes. 93 m from the entrance it is necessary to swim in the putrid water and we quit survey for health reasons in the wide open passage. Progress can be best made with a boat in order to stay outside the Wäfer. It is quite likely that Likolongomba is identical with , Nangomba” shown on the surface sketch map of Thurmann (1911). However, this name is not used by the locals any more. Likolongomba may be the last unexplored major cave of the Matumbi Hills. Its entrance is in about 440 m distance as the crow flies from the Nakijango sinkhole that takes a whole 10 m wide riverbed, which is entirely dry except in the wet season.
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.4 | Nakilango Cave | 268 | |
| 0.7 | Ngunde Cave | 681 | |
| 0.7 | Nawanja Cave | 13 | |
| 1.5 | Mampombo | 1250 | |
| 1.6 | Maji-Maji Cave | 259 | |
| 6.8 | Mtumbukiae Cave | 13 | |
| 6.8 | Miumbukiae Cave | 13 | 3 |
| 7.0 | Mpatawa | 1160 | |
| 7.8 | Kilindima | 36 |