Take a full-day tour to the Cradle of Humankind, situated just outside Johannesburg and Pretoria. Visit the Lion Park, the Sterkfontein Caves, and Maropeng.

About this activity

Free cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance to receive a full refund
Covid-19 precautions: Special health and safety measures apply. Learn more
Reserve now & pay later: Reserve now & pay later to book your spot without any charges today. Learn more
Duration 9 hours: Check availability to see starting times.
Live tour guide: English, Afrikaans
Pickup included: Pick-up is provided at your location in Johannesburg or Pretoria.
Small group: Limited to 13 participants

Highlights

Visit the Cradle of Humankind, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
See the Sterkfontein Caves, where some of the world’s oldest hominin fossils have been found
Learn the secrets of human ancestry at the Maropeng Visitor Center
Visit The Lion Park, Sterkfontein Caves and Maropeng on the same tour

Full description

Visit the world-renowned Cradle of Mankind on a popular full-day tour from Johannesburg. Transfers from your accommodation in Johannesburg or Pretoria are provided. The Cradle of Humankind is about 47,000 hectares in size and is located just 50 kilometers from Johannesburg. It is one of 8 places in South Africa listed as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1999. You’ll find a complex of limestone caves, including the Sterkfontein Caves, where the 2.3-million-year-old fossil Australopithecus africanus which was unearthed in 1947. In fact, more than a third of all hominid fossils ever found have come from this area. At the Maropeng Visitor Center you’ll take in the world-class exhibition, opened in 2005, that focuses on the development of humans and hominins over the last few million years. At the entrance, you’ll see a massive burial mound called the Tumulus, which is also your gateway to learning the secrets of human ancestry. At the Sterkfontein Caves you’ll see evidence of the discovery of many hominid and other animal fossils, dating back more than 4 million years, to the birth of humanity. The Lion Park, which you’ll also visit on this tour, is a prime example of the grassland biome typical of the highveld.

Includes

Pick-up from your hotel or guest house in Johannesburg, Sandton or Pretoria
Driver/guide
1-hour open safari
1-hour underground cave tour
Visit to Maropeng Exhibition Center
Drinks in the vehicle
Lunch

Extra activities not mentioned in the description

Not suitable for

People with back problems
People with mobility impairments
People with claustrophobia

Covid-19 precautions

Safety measures in place

All areas that customers touch are frequently cleaned
You must keep social distance while in vehicles
The number of visitors is limited to reduce crowds

Traveler requirements

You are required to bring and wear a mask
You must fill out a travel information form

Important information

Know before you go

You should wear closed shoes for walking in the cave.
The tour into the cave is not suitable for people with back problems, but they can walk through the museum.

Customer reviews

Overall rating

5 /5

based on 22 reviews

Review summary

Guide
5/5
Transportation
4/5
Value for money
4.8/5
Safety
4.9/5

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We had an amazing time on our tour! Jason was so knowledgeable and ensured that we got the most out of our day. Lion's Park was gorgeous and we were able to safely get up close to lions, cheetahs, and African wild dogs. The Sterkfontein caves were really cool and Jason organized the tour well, so that we followed the caves with Maropeng and got more history/background on the amazing fossils and humanoids that have been found there. We would highly recommend both this tour and Jason!

May 9, 2022

Great experience

It was a great opportunity to see a lion cub and visit a fantastic cave. The cradle of humankind is a incredible tour. Everybody must visit this at least once. It's difficult to put words in the emotion that we felt inside that huge cave and imagine our ancestors there. Despite love the experience, we felt awkward after that. Those cubs will never have a regular lion life after been touch by us. Adults lions live in a very restrict area and when they have more animals than that small space can support, they sell them. In summary, the tour was great, Jason, our guide, is also great, but we think we don't want to pet wild animals anymore. They deserve a regular wild life.

February 16, 2017

A great day at the Lion Park, the caves & at the safari!

It was a beautiful day. Jason was very prompt in picking us up. He informed us of what to expect & was a wonderful driver & guide for us. We were thrilled he encouraged us to visit the lion cubs early...the cubs were very cute & playful. Jason also helped us to visit the cheetahs. If you get a chance, this is a winner of a tour!

October 19, 2016

From Jo'burg: Lion Park & Cradle of Humankind with Lunch

From Jo'burg: Lion Park & Cradle of Humankind with Lunch

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Great experience

A great day at the Lion Park, the caves & at the safari!