Wieg van de Mensheid

Your trained tour guide will take you to the Cradle of Humankind, a World Heritage Site that has been nominated for the rich diversity of fossils found in the area. This site gives insight on human ancestors, their relatives and the environments that they lived in. Most of the site is rich in dolomite, a rock type that is slightly soluble in water. This has two major consequences- the formation of caves and the formation of fossils. Maropeng, the new visitor centre for the Cradle of Humankind, has 2500m² of exhibits with an underground boat ride. See fossils, learn about how humankind was born, view stone tools up to 1-million years old, and much, much more.

This internationally acclaimed tourist attraction highlights, by means of interactive, visually stunning exhibits, the universal relevance of the Cradle of Humankind as our ancestral home. An exciting boat ride takes you back 3-billion years through the elements that kick-started life on the planet and your journey continues through a 150m interactive ‘virtual cave’! The day trip also visits the Sterkfontein Caves, world famous for their fossil finds. It is home to a top restaurant, access into the caves, new walkways and a boardwalk past the excavation site where world-acclaimed fossils have been discovered.

The new scientific exhibition centre showcases a reconstruction of a mined cave – versus a pristine cave – cave formations and geology, early life forms, mammals and hominid fossils, among other topics. It describes in detail important finds such as “Mrs Ples”, the “Taung Child” and “Little Foot”, as well as providing information about fossilisation, palaeobotany and landscapes. Please wear comfortable shoes when going to the caves and leave your handbags and other luggage behind. There are a number of tight spots and pathways to negotiate in the caves and it is not advisable to do the tour if you are claustrophobic. It is also not advisable for people who suffer from acute asthma or chest problems to do the tour as there are a lot of stairs.