The Gilf Kebir, also known as the Gilf al-Kebir, is a massive 300 meters (980 feet) high, gigantic plateau equivalent to the size of Switzerland. While today the Gilf Kebir is one of the most inhospitable places on Earth, a few thousand years back it thrived with life, green fields, zigzagging rivers, and a bounty of game. Early hunter-gatherers who lived here left us their mesmerizing rock art depicting their daily lives. The best-preserved paintings are found in the Cave of Swimmers and the Cave of Beasts (also known as Mestikawi-Foggini Cave or Foggini Cave).