In 2025, we’re celebrating a major milestone—25 years of geocaching! To mark this special anniversary, we’re introducing a new hiding theme per quarter to celebrate geocaches published in 2025. Every three months, we’ll feature geocaches from that quarter’s theme on the Geocaching Blog and social media.

For our third hiding theme, hidden gems, each nomination was ‘gem’credible’! We didn’t have to dig very deep; your nominations uncovered some of the brightest on-theme caches.

Take a look at some of the caches that we thought were polished to perfection:

1. GCB5MHW—Huisje – Boompje – Beestje
Cache owner: Aalvalcarsjo 🇳🇱

Video by Aalvalcarsjo.

This cache was created for the cache owner’s cat, Gappie, a definite hidden gem! The answer to crack the code to this cache can be found in the house number, the number of fruits in the tree, and the number of photos displayed of Gappie, the cat. Many geocachers have the pleasure of meeting Gappie, a real treat!

2. GCBAAHD—TOTT: Smartphone Required To Find This Gem
Cache owner: Kris32 🇺🇸

This is a definite gem for many reasons! Not only is it a mystery cache type, but the container is a ring box that belonged to the cache owner’s parents and is over 60 years old. The cache uses NFC technology to get the final coordinates, and the cache owner placed this geocache to help the community fulfill the Tools of the trade Treasure collection. A true state-of-the-art cache!

3. GC82N4X—Coming Home
Cache owner: Perez8 🇺🇸

When you’re on a vacation and find license plates in the woods, it calls for a CITO. The cache owner used Florida license plates, door hinges, gate latches, and a couple of drawer pulls to make a beautifully creative gadget cache, made completely out of recycled materials. A true definition of a hidden gem!

4. GCB9X5V—Pharaoh’s Treasure
Cache owner: Tin999 🇯🇵

The final coordinates to this Mystery Cache leads you to the Pharaoh’s hidden treasure – a golden petling container. It’s hard to be in ‘de’nile’ that this royal geocache definitely makes the list!

5. GCB6Y1D—TREASURE IN THE WOODS
Cache owner: guitardreaming 🇨🇦

Taking the theme literally, this amazing cache would make any geocacher feel like they found the jackpot! This beautifully manicured set-up is visually and creatively stunning. Need we say more?

6. GCA115M—Gemstone hunt
Cache owner: Bricoman 🇵🇰

This EarthCache is located in the corner of northwestern Pakistan that most international tourists never travel to. Fitting the theme literally, the bedrock has garnet gemstones encrusted. This geocache only has 5 logs—it’s truly hidden from most of the world.

7. GCBA71N—GEO CATCHER
Cache owner: _nokos_ 🇯🇵

Video by geocaching_radio.

Geocaching mega enthusiast _nokos_ decided to hide a unique hidden gem-inspired claw machine. If you look closely, you might even spot a frog disguised by gems. An engineering masterpiece!

8. GCBB9TC—🤩🌊 Seitan Limania : a paradise on Earth 🌊🤩 🏖️
Cache owner: NolFañch 🇫🇷

Nestled between steep cliffs in Seitan Limania, Crete, Greece, is a small hidden cove. From the road, this beach appears invisible. To reach the cove, one must follow a path that leads to the end of the road. The cache owner, NolFañch, created this EarthCache, showing visitors visual wonder and scientific discovery. Both discreet and spectacular, this EarthCache is a true hidden gem.

9. GCBA1JQ—El tesoro de Dave Ulmer
Cache owner: bertismoris 🇪🇸

This Multi-Cache is inspired by Dave Ulmer’s first cache, set in 2000. This cache is based on Tintin’s adventures: “The Secret of the Unicorn,” in which Tintin buys a model ship for his friend, Captain Haddock, and discovers it contains clues to a buried treasure.

10. GCBB2QP—Pet Sematary
Cache owner: MAR10nerd 🇺🇸

Calling all dog lovers! This cache is dog-themed and placed in a pet cemetery. A true hidden gem for all those who call their furry little ones family. We’re not crying; you’re crying! 🥹

11. GC9BBKM—Der Schatz von Zwingen
Cache owner: meury 🇨🇭

Imagine you find this on an unassuming cache outing. This aesthetically pleasing cache will leave you awestruck. Loaded with beautiful coins, SWAG, a charming Logbook, and located right by a castle, the cache is true to its German title, “The Treasure of Zwingen.”

12. GCA9ATB—Le circuit de Matea #4 Hôtel à TB/GC
Cache owner: Mattea22 🇫🇷

This Letterbox Hybrid is in the form of a tiny house made for kids (let’s be honest, parents would love this too). A safe, cozy space is created with green carpet, shelves for trackables, a writing desk, and toys to trade. It’s not every day you find a hidden gem like this!

13. GCB9KJZ—Gemma Bird and the sparkly gems
Cache owner: Kristysadventures 🇦🇺

Geocachers love birdhouses! What’s even better is a gem-covered birdhouse in a community garden. What a great way to connect the community with nature and nurture!

14. GCBAYCW—Shine On You Crazy Diamond Pt.1
Cache-eigenaar: CacheFam!ly 🇺🇸

Video by az_i_see_it.

The last place you would expect to find a diamond is in the desert in Arizona. Yet, this cache owner has found a way to make a custom 3D printed diamond-shaped cache container and hang it from a tree for unsuspecting geocachers to find. What a treat!

15. GCB6TVF—The Real Middle Sea Diamond
Cache owner: barefootjeff 🇦🇺

This Multi-Cache is the sequel to the cache owner’s prior cache. The storyline of this cache reveals that the archived cache’s diamond was fake, and one must now go on a mission to find the real diamond. There are two waypoint objects, marked with diamonds to guide the quest—perfectly on theme.

Wow, what a ‘gem’tastic’ adventure that was! All featured cache owners have contributed to making the game so much more brilliant!

A huge round of applause to the incredible cache owners who encourage geocachers to spend time in nature every day, and a big thank you to everyone who nominated a geocache for the hiding theme!

Visit #GeoHT25 on Instagram and the Hiding themes highlight on the @geocaching Instagram page to see more nominations from this quarter’s theme.

Our next theme is: Blast from the Past ⏳⏪

Check back to read the Blast from the past blog for more details and inspiration on hiding your own theme-inspired geocache.