Gallery – Sterkfontein Caves – Sterkfontein Caves

The term stalactite comes from the Greek word stalaktos, which means “dripping”, because these other-worldly formations are produced by “drips” from the ceilings of limestone caves. Water reacts with chemical elements in the ground and rock, and seeps slowly through the roof of the cave, depositing calcium carbonate, which hardens and builds up over time to form a stalactite.