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Johannesburg Cave tours

Our most recommended Johannesburg Cave tours

From Johannesburg: Cradle of Humankind Tour

1. From Johannesburg: Cradle of Humankind Tour

Discover the birthplace of humanity and see the place where our collective umbilical cord lies buried on a day tour to the Cradle of Humankind. Start your morning with a convenient hotel pickup and head to the UNESCO World Heritage Site located just outside of Johannesburg, the Cradle of Humankind. Begin your sightseeing adventure with a tour of the Sterkfontein Exhibition Center and Caves. Follow your guide as you explore the exhibition above ground before heading deep into the caves. Learn about the fascinating history behind this archeological site and the discoveries that have been made here, some dating back more than four million years. Next, head to the Maropeng Visitor Center to see the award-winning, world-class exhibition focused on the development of humans and our ancestors. Take a journey through time and learn about the evolutionary processes that worked together to create the world as we know it today.

Johannesburg: Day Trip to Cradle of Humankind and Game Drive

2. Johannesburg: Day Trip to Cradle of Humankind and Game Drive

Discover the Bothongo Rhino & Lion Safari, an established tourist destination. The park offers a wealth of exciting activities including a 4x4 game drive for 2.5 hours. With over 600 game, this is the perfect setting for admiring nature on your doorstep. More than thirty species of game, including three of the big five, can be viewed from open vehicles in the presence of an experienced registered local guide. These include Kruger Lion, White Rhino and Buffalo. Endangered species, such as wild dog have been reintroduced into the area. Cheetah, hippo, crocodile and more than 20 species of antelope will also be part of this experience. From a vulture hide, the visitor has the opportunity to view and photograph the rare Cape Vulture. After visiting the Bothongo Rhino & Lion Park, continue to the Cradle of Humankind Sterkfontein Caves (Subject to availability), here you can see the oldest hominid fossils from the cradle which are more than 3 million years old. Visit the exhibition center, which showcases geological concepts such as cave formations and fossils of early life form. It is highly interactive and enjoyable, and will engage visitors off all ages.

From Johannesburg: Rhino & Lion Safari and Wonder Cave Tour

3. From Johannesburg: Rhino & Lion Safari and Wonder Cave Tour

Get a taste of the African bush just a short drive from Johannesburg. Enjoy the convenience of a hotel pickup and head to the heart of the Cradle of Humankind where the Bothongo Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve is located. Your first stop on arrival in the park is the Wonder Cave. This natural limestone cave is estimated to be around 2.2 billion years old and is the third-largest cave chamber in the country. Climb down 87 stairs to access the cave before taking an elevator another 18 meters below the ground. Spend some time exploring this fascinating natural site and learn about the stalactite and stalagmite formations, some of which are up to 15 meters high. Emerge from your caving experience and head to the reserve's Wildlife Center to begin your safari. Learn about the amazing conversation work that this park is doing. Meet the animals serving as ambassadors for their species, many of which were rescued and hand-reared and some of which are being rehabilitated. See four of Africa's Big Five as well as African wild dogs, cheetah, tigers, zebras, roan antelope, sable antelope, and more. Following your safari experience, choose one of the three restaurants located in the reserve for lunch. Dine at the Thatch Café for a family-friendly experience or enjoy your lunch on the deck of the Boma Restaurant to admire fantastic views of the park while you eat. For foodies, the Neck and Deck Restaurant offers a fantastic selection of Afro-Fusion dishes. After a laid-back lunch, make your way back to your tour bus and end your day with a return transfer to your hotel.

Johannesburg: Cradle of Humankind & Sterkfontein Caves Tour

4. Johannesburg: Cradle of Humankind & Sterkfontein Caves Tour

The Cradle of Humankind is a paleoanthropological site and is located about 50 km (31 mi) northwest of Johannesburg, South Africa, in the Gauteng province. Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999, the site is home to the largest concentration of human ancestral remains anywhere in the world. The site currently occupies 47,000 hectares (180 sq mi)[6] and contains a complex system of limestone caves. The registered name of the site in the list of World Heritage Sites is fossil human hominid sites South africa The Sterkfontein Caves were the site of the discovery of a 2.3-million-year-old fossil Australopithecus africanus (nicknamed "Mrs. Ples"), found in 1947 by Robert Broom and John T. Robinson. The find helped corroborate the 1924 discovery of the juvenile Australopithecus africanus skull known as the "Taung Child", by Raymond Dart, at Taung in the North West Province of South Africa, where excavations still continue. The Maropeng Visitor Centre is an award-winning, world-class exhibition, focusing on the development of humans and our ancestors over the past few million years. Take a journey through time, starting with the formation of the planet and moving all the way through the evolutionary processes that culminated in the world as we know it today.

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Frequently asked questions about Johannesburg

What are the best day trips and excursions from Johannesburg?

The best day trips and excursions from Johannesburg are:

Apartheid Museum

Other Sightseeing Options in Johannesburg

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What people are saying about Johannesburg

Overall rating

4.7 / 5

based on 20 reviews

Michael was kind, enthusiastic and helpful. Sterkfontein Caves is worth experiencing, they are still natural. Some of the tunnels I crawled through on all fours! The hard hats were essential. Maropeng is a must visit.

Arthur was our guide and he was absolutely amazing!