A beginner’s guide to Caving – Tips and Tricks

Humans are innately curious. One doesn’t have to teach them to wonder and question what lies beyond those hills or how it must feel deep under water. As such, we could say that humans are born adventurous. It’s how we develop that trait that decides if we like adventures later in life or not. Some of us love the adrenaline high, while others like to lie low and relax. Man has figured out different ways to satiate his hunger for adventure. We have sports like paragliding, parasailing, scuba diving, snorkelling, trekking, rappelling, rock climbing and so much more for the adventure seekers. Let’s take a look at one of the up and coming adventure activities most of us haven’t heard about. Spelunking or Caving is an adventure activity that involves discovering cave systems. Read on for a beginner’s guide to Caving!

History of Caving

Caving was introduced by Édouard-Alfred Martel who first explored the Gouffre de Padirac in France in 1889. He developed his own techniques based on ropes and metallic ladders, thus creating what is today one of the most fascinating adventure sports in the world. As caving became more popular, small exploration teams came into being to take the study and science of exploring caves forward.

Tips and Tricks

Caving in its simplest form is an enjoyable activity involving exploring caves, and one which doesn’t have to get dangerous if we follow instructions. However, what one must keep in mind are the rough surfaces, low ceilings, falling rocks and critters that live within the caves. The major risks involved in caving include falling, tripping, dehydration, exhaustion, threat of falling rocks and the risk of getting lost. Here are a few tips and tricks to remember before you start caving:

• It’s a good idea to go caving in groups of three or four. This is in case something untoward happens, there’s someone who can help you out
• Always carry a first aid kit and some dry food supplies
• Be appropriately dressed for the activity. The best attire for caving are overalls
• Carry back-up lights
• Make sure you’re well-versed in single-rope technique in order to negotiate tricky passages
• Don’t deviate from established trails

Equipment required for Caving

What’s a beginner’s guide to Caving if we don’t mention some Caving essentials? So, here goes. You will need –

• Nylon ropes
• Climbing harness
• Hard hat or helmet with a chin strap mounted with an LED light
• Back-up light
• Knife
• Whistle

Caving in India

There are tons of beautiful and worthy-of-exploring caves all over India. But Caving as a sport isn’t that established here yet. However, there are some cave sites in Meghalaya that see some curious cavers and it won’t be long before this intriguing sport catches up in India. The caving sites in Meghalaya are East Khasi Hills, South Garo Hills and Jaintia Hills. Check out some hotels in Meghalaya close to these cave sites so travelling becomes that much easier.

Click here for hotels in Meghalaya

Do you think you’re the kind of adventurer to ever go Caving? Share your thoughts on the beginner’s guide to Caving in the comments section!