Cradle of Humankind

Wow! What an incredible experience. This hidden gem needs more exposure. I found it by accident on maps and visiting here was a great decision. My kids are 12 & 17 and the interactive museum really intrigued them. We did the guided tour and I advise everyone to. The guide explained everything in detail and provided insight and information that we never had before. Maropeng - return home and experience it for yourself.

I have only been to Cradle of Humankind twice, and both times were amazing. It is a great historical site that I feel everyone should experience at least once in their life. It truly brings an amazing experience to the unavoidable reality we live in.

We had been to museum only, the cave was not allowing visitors after 4pm if I remember correctly. The staff were friendly and cordial. There is also a water slide at the end of the museum tour that takes us right to the exit. I would not recommend driving all the way from Johannesburg just to visit the museum.

Mind Blowing experience. Our tour guide Waza was the best tour guide I have ever had....A must see, hard to put in words how amazing this experience was

We made a day of it and I’m glad we did: started at Maropeng for the big-picture story, then drove over to Sterkfontein Caves for the underground bit. Maropeng’s exhibition is easy to follow (there’s even a short underground “boat ride” at the start), so you ease into the science without feeling lectured. The building itself—the grassy “tumulus” mound—looks great in photos, and the upstairs restaurant is a handy spot if you want a sit-down with views. The caves were the highlight for us. Tours are guided and run through tight, low sections—totally doable, just wear grippy shoes and be ready to duck. This is where the famous “Mrs Ples” and “Little Foot” fossils come from (the originals are not in the cave, but seeing the chambers adds real context). As of April 2025, Sterkfontein is open Tues–Sun, 09:00–16:00 (last tour at 16:00); booking a time slot online made the day better.

It was fun. I enjoyed the cave walk/crawl (at one point) 😄 the guid was fabulous, entertaining and informative.

It was delightful to know where civilization came from. I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants to know more about the origins of human life.

Awesome place the views are amazing lots to see and do didnt expect to spend half the day there cause of what you can see and do