Cradle of Human Kind

Maropeng/Sterkfontein Caves & Aerial Cableway: Departure 09h00 to 17h00

HAPPY METER .

Maropeng - which means "retuning to the place of origin" in Setswana - is the official Visitors' Centre of the "Cradle of Humankind". Our ancestors have lived in this area for more than 3-million years; it is the birthplace of humanity. Welcome home!

Maropeng reflects on the earth's history, taking you back 4 billion years to the beginning of time, the birth of our Earth. It then places in context the history of humankind, which is very, very young when measured against the past. During this excursion, you will take a boat ride on a underground lake which will show you the impact of the four elements (water, air, earth and fire) on the formation of our planet. This epic journey tells the storey of evolution and the beginning of humankind.

From here, armed with a newfound knowledge of humankind's history, we take you to the Sterkfontein Caves; a set of limestone caves which are of special interest to paleo-anthropologists. It is here that the world’s largest fossil collection of hominids - meaning primates of the family Hominidae, of which Homo sapiens, present day man, is the only remaining species - has been found. You will learn about the famous hominid skull of Mrs Ples, as well as the latest and most significant find “Little Foot", the nickname given to an extraordinarily complete fossil hominine skeleton found in 1994–1998 in the cave system of Sterkfontein.

Professional guides conduct a guided tour 60meters below the earth surface through numerous chambers and passages during which you will see a host of formations such as stalactites, stalagmites and an underground lake.

After a mind blowing tour of information we set off for Chameleon Village in the Hartbeespoort Dam area which comprises of over 140 African Curio stalls. Here you can find gifts for your loved ones. Once the shopping is done we proceed to the Aerial Cableway which takes us to the peak of the Magaliesberg Mountain where you will get a bird’s eye view of the surrounding countryside, stretching from Pretoria to Johannesburg and maybe even the distant Pilanesberg Nature Reserve.

Price Structure per Party: 1 Person @ R2650: 2 to 4 Persons @ R1790: 5 Persons & up @ R1550

Requirements:

Dress code: Comfortable walking shoes & clothing.

Camera

The tour will comprise of the following:

Shuttling to and from the Hotel.

Tour of Maropeng & Sterkfontein Caves

Trip to the top of Magaliesberg Mountain by Aerial Cableway

Cooler box with ice cold water.

During tour photos will be taken and placed into a dropbox for you.