Cradle of Mankind (Sterkfontein & Maropeng) (excluding lunch)

The Cradle of Humankind incorporating Sterkfontein Caves and Maropeng is one of eight World Heritage Sites in South Africa and the only one in Gauteng. It is widely recognized as the place from which all of humankind originated. The 47,000-hectare site has unearthed the best evidence of the complex journey which our species has taken to make us what we are – a place of pilgrimage for all humankind. The exhibit at Maropeng not only shows the ongoing scientific discovery into our origins but is also a place of contemplation – a place that allows us to reflect on who we are, where we come from, and where we are going to. 

The Sterkfontein Caves were discovered in 1896 by an Italian gold prospector and are now regarded as one of the world’s most important archeological sites. The caves lie in the Sterkfontein valley which, together with the nearby sites of Swartkrans, Drimolen and Kromdraai, make up the recently proclaimed World Heritage Site known as the “Cradle of Mankind”. Dr Robert Broom of the Transvaal Museum (now the Museum of Natural History) began excavations at the cave in 1936 and in 1947 discovered a well-preserved skull of a species of early man known as Plesianthropus Transvaalensis. This later became known as the famous “Mrs. Ples”.