Holqa Sof Omar is one of the most spectacular and extensive underground

caverns in the world. The Sof Omar cave system formed by the the Weib River as it changed its course in the distant past and carved a new channel through limestone foothills, the Sof Omar cave system is an extraordinary natural phenomenon of breathtaking beauty.

Here the Weib River vanishes into this giant underground world with its arched portals, high eroded ceilings, and deep, vaunted echoing chambers. These caves, now an important Islamic shrine named after the saintly Shiek Sof Omar Ahmed, who took refuge here many centuries ago (around early 11th century AD), have a religious history that predates the arrival of the Muslims in Bale – a history that calibrated in thousands, not hundreds, of years. The traditional belief of this part of Africa revolved around spirit worship and ghost cults in which the most powerful supernatural beings were believed to attach themselves to age-old trees, boulders rocks, and inhabit caves which became place of veneration where prayers were offered up and sacrifices made. Even today, in this Sof Omar cave system and catacombs there are so many signs of the persistence of such African traditional belifs and practices. Ever since the coming of the saintly Shiek Sof Omar Ahmed and through its long period of existence the religion Islam is now indigenized into this African traditional belief. For this part of Africa Islam has now become a culture in a unique way and not only a religion.

The total length of the Sof Omar cave system is about 16 km and all along the cave system there are more than 40 main entrances and exits.

Source: Authority for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage