Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site
5
Full view
Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site
By Stephenson Adventures
Escape the hustle and bustle of Johannesburg and Pretoria to explore one of the world’s richest concentration of hominid fossils with a tour of The Cradle of Humankind.
Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, the region of Sterkfontein, Swartkrans and Kromdraai, the fossil sites cover an area 53,000 hectares, split across the border of Gauteng and North West provinces. Trapped in a bed of dolomite rock that was deposited 2.5 billion years ago, over 950 hominid fossil specimens have been discovered to date.
Rediscover your ancestral roots with Stephenson Adventures on this combination tour of Sterkfontein Caves and award-winning Maropeng.
from per adult (price varies by group size)
$85.27
from per adult (price varies by group size)
$85.27
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 13-65
Duration: 4–5 hours
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
English
- Snacks
- Bottled water
- * Pickup & Drop offs from any Hotel around Jhb or Pretoria
- * Escorted with a Qualified Guide throughout the whole trip
What's not included- Coffee and/or Tea
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Soda/Pop
- Departure details
- Traveler pickup is offered.
- Pickup and Drop offs from any Hotel around Johannesburg area, Pretoria area, O.R Tambo airport and other areas in Gauteng
- Airports:
- Johannesburg Intl Airport, Johannesburg South Africa
- Lanseria Airport, Lanseria South Africa
- Hotel pickup is offered. View the hotel list on our checkout page to see if yours is included among the pickup points.
Return details- Returns to original departure point
- Not wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 195597P7- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- How much is Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site?
- Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site price starts from $84.18. Discover and book Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site on Tripadvisor
- What is the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site cancellation policy?
- Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site cancellation policy: For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience. Discover and book Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site on Tripadvisor
- Which company provides Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site?
- Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site is hosted by Stephenson Adventures. Read reviews, discover additonal experiences or contact Stephenson Adventures on Tripadvisor. Discover and book Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site on Tripadvisor
- How much time do I need for Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site?
- On average, this experience will take approximately 4h. Discover and book Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site on Tripadvisor
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 195597P7
Itinerary
- StartOr, you can also get picked upSee departure details
- 1Sterkfontein CaveStop: 4 hoursThe combination of Sterkfontein Caves and Maropeng is an ideal tour outside the city if you are keen on learning about the history and origins of humankind from millions of years ago to present. Maropeng is a Setswana word meaning “returning to the place of origin”. It is an archaeological treasure house of Mrs. Ples (the oldest skull in the world aged 2.5million years), Taung Child and “little foot”. Evolution of humankind is shown through fun and interactive displays of scientist discoveries of many hominid and other animal fossils dating back to more than 4 million years ago to the birth of humanity. Visiting this place is like traveling through time to the place of origin and rediscovering your roots.Read more
- You'll return to the starting point
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About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator.
jimdD6825BH
00Don’t Miss the Stephenson Adventures Ultimate Jo’Burg Tour
We can give Stephenson Adventures our possible rating. Our guide and driver Mo was a wealth of information and his …
Departure56919271294
00Awesome Pilanesburg and Sun City!
This trip was great! Pilanesburg was a successful 1/2 day. Good Guide. Good viewings. Sun City is a must. Aweso…
karenbV5943OJ
00Informative exciting tour
Such an informative evening tour of the key suburbs and nightlife in Soweto and Johannesburg. Stephen was a wonderf…
Explorer588504
00Well worth the trip
Excellent trip to the apartheid museum. The museum itself is very thoughtfully curated and engages the audience. Mo…
yvertd
00Great guide, great tour, great company
The Ultimate Johannesburg Tour was a real education with a really amazing guide. Tsolo, our guide for the whole day…
H7S7
00Professional driver and good cross-border transportation
Can highly recommend stevensons adventures. We travelled as a family of 9 with Mr Stevenson himself on a cross-bord…
drmywhys
00#Professional/expertise/heartwarming/lifechanging
When people say Joberg is not worth visiting-don't believe them! It is a historically, culturally and economicall…
W3438FCyvonner
00Eye opening and emotion filled experience that was well done.
The museum is full of history and shares the apartheid experience and struggles through videos, pictures, and artif…
greeny22400
00ABSOLUTE MUST!
The entire day was fantastic. Nesipho was wonderful, so knowledgeable and really thoughtful and insightful when an…
Mirlene G
00Highly recommended tour .. tour guide truly exceptional.. knowledgeable, safe, caring and engaging
Truly an exceptional travel experience. If you appreciate individualized guided tour this is truly the tour for you…
HazSim
00Informative Day Tour
Great day tour. A safe way to visit the many different parts of Johannesburg, whilst also learning about the people…
susansK6747WF
00An interesteinf day
Despite some mix up which resulted in Stephenson being late, we had a fabulous day in Jo'burg. Visiting Soweto with…
000202
00Two Unforgettable Days In Joburg!
We highly recommend Stevenson Adventures to explore and experience the best hidden gems of Africa. Thank you, Steve…
Bothodivine
00Beautiful Day
We had an amazingly beautiful experience. The tour guides were passionate about their work and ensured that we enjo…
Dana O
00Great tours in Johannesburg
Steve, Mo and Nosipho were all very friendly, and extremely knowledgeable. We actually had multiple tours with Step…
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
7 reviews
Excellent
7
Very good
0
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0
calliedull
Los Angeles, CA5 contributions
We had two wonderful days of tours with Steve and Necibo (spelling?). It was our first time in Johannesburg, so we weren’t sure about safety, but both days we felt completely safe and comfortable and learned so much about the city. We booked the Ultimate Johannesburg Day Tour and the Cradle of Humankind Tour with our hotel, the Safari Club. The day tour with Necibo was super informative, and she shared the history in a fun way that made us (even my teenaged son) want to learn more. She even let us take a side detour to a local whiskey shop my husband wanted to explore.
The cradle of humankind tour was worth the trip out of the city to explore the caves where the discoveries happened. The museum down the street was a little bit geared to school children, but we still had fun going through the exhibits.
The best part of the trip was at the end of the day Steve took us to the Kliptown Youth Project where we were inspired by the work being done to provide Hope for hundreds of students in the township. We thank Steve for sharing a part of where he grew up. We highly recommend his company and tours!
The cradle of humankind tour was worth the trip out of the city to explore the caves where the discoveries happened. The museum down the street was a little bit geared to school children, but we still had fun going through the exhibits.
The best part of the trip was at the end of the day Steve took us to the Kliptown Youth Project where we were inspired by the work being done to provide Hope for hundreds of students in the township. We thank Steve for sharing a part of where he grew up. We highly recommend his company and tours!
Written September 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Seaside14984151994
Thank you for the review. We are happy to hear that you liked both our tours and also that you had a safe, educative experience with both our Guides. Her name is Nosipho:(
Thanks for the recommendations
Written November 18, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
tigermomma2017
Los Altos, CA154 contributions
Jun 2022 • Family
Steve was a great tour guide for our trip to the Cradle of Mankind. Though the site itself was a bit underwhelming (see separate review for Cradle of Mankind) Steve and Stephenson Adventures was great. We had originally planned this excursion for the end of our trip but due to some problems with our return flight to the US we had to leave a day early. Stephenson was very accommodating in being able and willing to schedule this tour for us. He picked us up at jnb in the arrivals area and then our family of four boarded his minivan. He has a trailer that he towed that is lockable and we stored our four rollaboards there and backpacks in the minivan. Stephenson is fully vaccinated and he kept his mask on the whole time as did we. As we drove he provided lots of information about the history of Johannesburg and South Africa. His tour price includes the tickets at the the cave as well as at Maropeng. While we toured the sites he stayed with the car to keep an eye on our luggage. Overall it was a good introduction to South Africa. In hindsight, we probably would have chosen to do a tour of Joburgh and Soweto instead given how good Stephenson was as a guide. Highly recommend him and his company if you are looking for a private tour in Joburgh.
Written June 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Seaside14984151994
Grateful that you enjoyed your trip. It was a pleasure hosting you!
Thank you for your time rating us.
Written November 18, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Nenagh B
2 contributions
May 2022
Stephenson was amazing and made our one day around Johannesburg a wonderful start to our first experience of South Africa. We were just off the plane, and by the end of the day we had had a great experience in the caves and the museum of the Cradle of Mankind. He is incredibly knowledgeable, with several degrees behind him and one more he wants to complete, and he made sure we had everything we wanted and needed to make it a great day. But I am most grateful to him for also gently teaching us so much about how to appreciate and enjoy South Africa as well. From this first day we loved the places and the peoples of the country - much due to Stephenson's welcome.
Written June 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Seaside14984151994
We are glad to hear that you had a wonderful first experience and also loved our country and lovely people. Thank you for rating our services!!
Written November 18, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Peter
4 contributions
Nov 2022 • Friends
Wow! To start off, Steve picked us up from our hotel and provided us snacks and a drink. Despite our constant requests, he was very accommodable to us and made it an unreal experience. He provided us with information about the location beforehand so we knew what we were getting into but saved the best for the actual experience. The cave experience is quite slippery and at times you'll have to crouch so be careful. Other than that the guide was very knowledgeable and made it a fun memory for all.
Written November 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Seaside14984151994
Thank you for the excellent review and also thank you for highlighting on the cave tour, comment will be of much help to those interested in experiencing the same tour. Apart from that we are glad that you enjoyed! We hope to hear from you again
Written November 17, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Tammy M
4 contributions
Sep 2022 • Friends
This is a must do excursion for South Africa. Located approximately 45 minutes from Johannesburg the knowledge gained here is good for all age levels. Stephenson and his friendly staff provided exemplary customer service and made the trip momentous!
Written September 19, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Seaside14984151994
Thank you for this lovely review. We are glad that you liked our Cradle of Humankind Heritage tour. We also appreciate the good comments regarding our staff Team,
Written November 18, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
JDJDJDJD
Sydney, Australia5 contributions
Nov 2022 • Friends
We were introduced to Steve by another tour guide earlier in the week and it was by far the best connection we made in JBurg!
We are a group of 3 and advised Steve we are on a time crunch with 3 places of interest to complete before heading to the airport by 2:30pm.
Steve took on the challenge and made happen:
Cradle of Humankind
We were running a few minutes late due to a police check on the highway. Steve notified the tour group to ensure we were not left behind.
Lion Safari Park
Steve connected us with Princess (our tour guide) at Lion Park. Just like Steve, Princess is warm and lovely, providing a wealth of information with each animal encounter.
Princess has been a long standing employee at Lion Park and spent a lot of time raising hyenas and lions. With her experience, we were able to touch these wild dogs and cats and she took awesome photos for us :D
Lion Cub Interaction
Because we were on a time crunch, Steve was able to get us priority access to interact with lion cubs! He took our photos and also did a time check to ensure we were out of there on time to head to the airport.
In summary, Steve and his team is responsive, efficient and punctual - all the qualities that allowed us to complete our itinerary with exceptional service !
Thank you for ending our time in South Africa on a high!
100% recommend! :D
We are a group of 3 and advised Steve we are on a time crunch with 3 places of interest to complete before heading to the airport by 2:30pm.
Steve took on the challenge and made happen:
Cradle of Humankind
We were running a few minutes late due to a police check on the highway. Steve notified the tour group to ensure we were not left behind.
Lion Safari Park
Steve connected us with Princess (our tour guide) at Lion Park. Just like Steve, Princess is warm and lovely, providing a wealth of information with each animal encounter.
Princess has been a long standing employee at Lion Park and spent a lot of time raising hyenas and lions. With her experience, we were able to touch these wild dogs and cats and she took awesome photos for us :D
Lion Cub Interaction
Because we were on a time crunch, Steve was able to get us priority access to interact with lion cubs! He took our photos and also did a time check to ensure we were out of there on time to head to the airport.
In summary, Steve and his team is responsive, efficient and punctual - all the qualities that allowed us to complete our itinerary with exceptional service !
Thank you for ending our time in South Africa on a high!
100% recommend! :D
Written November 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Seaside14984151994
Hello Jenny
Thank you for taking your time and writing us this wonderful review, we are very glad to hear that you had a wonderful time with Steve and colleagues and to hear that all went well.
We at Stephenson Adventures value our clients happiness! We also hope you had safe flights back home:-(
Written November 16, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Robert R
2 contributions
Perfectly wonderful experience. Stephenson was fantastic. His knowledge was impressive, and his enthusiasm was infectious. He was punctual, maintained good communication, took care of every detail to make the experience one I will not forget. I highly recommend Stephenson and the Cradle of Humanity tour.
Written October 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
