Covid-19: "Maropeng - The Cradle of Humankind" closes for 14 days! [update]

update (27 Juli 2021): Maropeng, the official visitor's centre for the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, has announced that the Sterkfontein Caves and the Visitor's Centre itself will reopen to visitors from 30 July 2021! It will be open on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and on public holidays. The Maropeng Boutique Hotel, however, remains closed.  
Please note: online booking to the Maropeng Visitor Centre and the Sterkfontein Caves is essential.

update (12 July 2021): Maropeng, the official visitor's centre for the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, has announced that the Sterkfontein Caves, the Maropeng Boutique Hotel as well as the Visitor's Centre itself will be closed for another 14 days (from today) due to the extension of the adjusted Level 4 lockdown to contain the impact of the third wave of Covid-19 infections nationally and with particular regulations for Gauteng.

Maropeng, the official visitor's centre for the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, has announced that the Sterkfontein Caves, the Maropeng Boutique Hotel as well as the Visitor's Centre itself will close for the next 14 days (from 28 June 2021). According to a facebook posting by Maropeng, the closure follows President Ramaphosa's announcement that South Africa goes into an adjusted Level 4 lockdown to contain the impact of the third wave of Covid-19 infections nationally and with particular regulations for Gauteng. Tickets that have already been booked will be refunded.
Maropeng is the official visitor's centre for the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site. It is located about 50 km northwest of Johannesburg in Gauteng, South Africa. The site currently occupies 47,000 ha and contains a complex of limestone caves.

Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site (Gauteng): The Sterkfontein Caves Road gets an upgrade!

The Sterkfontein Caves Road (D1701) in the precinct of the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site in Krugersdorp has been closed from the intersection with R540 (Kromdraai Road) as well as at the intersection with P74/1 (R563 – Hekpoort Road) due to the development of sinkholes that urgently need attention. The rehabilitation process started on 09 September 2019 and is expected to be completed around mid-October 2019. Motorists are advised that only residents are allowed access during the period of rehabilitation. We'll keep you posted!

South Africa: Maropeng Visitor Centre gets Fair Trade Tourism-certification

Fair Trade Tourism (FTT), a South African NGO that encourages and monitors fair and responsible practises in tourism establishments and activities, just announced that Maropeng has joined the list of FTT-certified businesses. Maropeng is the official visitor centre of the Cradle of Humankind, one of only eight World Heritage Sites in South Africa– and the only one in Gauteng. Maropeng and the Cradle of Humankind are located about 50km northwest of Johannesburg.

As part of its greening initiatives, Maropeng has constructed an ozone waste-water purification system at the Sterkfontein Caves, which uses ozone from the atmosphere to accelerate the breaking down of solids by bacteria; as well as to sterilise water.
Another water management initiative is an artificial wetland system, called a Subsurface Flow Constructed Wetland System (SSF CWS) at Maropeng's Visitor Centre. The wetland has been specially designed to naturally assist in the filtering and cleansing of the site’s grey and black water.
Other green projects close to Maropeng's eco-friendly heart include biodegradable packaging and eating utensils, the rechargeable torch batteries used by Maropeng's tour guides, conference notepads and pencils made using recycled paper, low-energy lighting and a variety of preservation efforts to protect indigenous fauna and flora in the area. (via Fair Trade Tourism)

Fair Trade Tourism's (FTT) certification programme, which was recently outsourced to FLO-Cert, is based on adherence to specific criteria including fair wages and working conditions, fair distribution of benefits, ethical business practice, and respect for human rights, culture and the environment.

South Africa: The Sediba fossils on display at Maropeng in April 2010

The recently found "Sediba Fossils", which were discovered at the site of the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site and dated to over two million years old, will be on display at the Maropeng Visitor’s Centre from 9 April till 18 April 2010. The fossils are on display in the Iziko South African Museum in Cape Town since 21 April 2010.



Maropeng is situated in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site and means “returning to the place of origin” in Setswana, the main indigenous language in this area of South Africa.

The Cradle Of Humankind Tour + Sterkfontein Caves >>
The Cradle of Humankind + Carnivore Restaurant >>
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The Cradle of Humankind is turning 10

The Sterkfontein Caves, situated in Gauteng province, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999 and the area is called the Cradle of Humankind because it is believed to be the place where man originated millions of years ago. Among the stunning discoveries made at these Caves are the oldest human fossil and a skull of pre-historic female, which anthropologists have dubbed Mrs Ples.

Maropeng at the cradle of humankind from murray ralfe on Vimeo.

Maropeng Visitor Centre nearby is a world-acclaimed tourist destination and an area of spectacular beauty. A visit to the state-of-the-art Maropeng Museum, spread over a 47,000 hectare valley, takes you on an incredible journey back in time, literally millions of years in evolution.

The Cradle Of Humankind Tour + Sterkfontein Caves >>
The Cradle of Humankind + Carnivore Restaurant >>
Johannesburg & Pretoria city guide >>
more tours in & around Johannesburg >>
more info about Sterkfontein >>