Paleo Tours
Maropeng Visitors Centre
Maropeng Visitors Centre
What You Will Experience
A multiple award-winning world class exhibition,
Maropeng is the official visitor centre for the
Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site. Enjoy
a tour that will transport you through time, from
the formation of the planet, all the way through
the many fossil discoveries that date back millions
of years ago. It’s an interactive edu-taining
experience that includes and underground boat
tour! Open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, be
sure to make your bookings online as tickets are
not sold on-site.
Sterkfontein Caves
Sterkfontein Caves
What You Will Experience
Sterkfontein Caves is one of the most significant palaeoanthropological sites in the world, being the location where Mrs.Ples, Littlefoot and a host of other significant hominin fossils have been found. The site features a small interpretation facility which has excellent graphic explanations of the formation of caves, how fossils are formed and how humans have evolved and started to produce stone tools which led to the dawn of modernity. The highlight of the site for many people is the cave tour which includes explanations of cave formation and features, an underground lake and a crouch or crawl through some narrow sections. The cave tour ends in a small ampitheatre which has busts of Professor Phillip Tobias who was in charge of what remains the longest standing palaeoanthropological dig in the world for more than half his life and Dr. Robert Broom, who together with his assistant John Robinson blasted Mrs. Ples out of the cave wall in 1947. The site also has ample safe parking, a small meeting facility and a restaurant. Please note that tickets must be booked in advance of your visit. For prices and booking details go to:
Wonder Caves
Wonder Caves
What You Will Experience
The Wonder Cave was discovered in 1898 and immediately exploited by lime miners, destroying about 15% of the cave. Lime was needed urgently because it was used in the extraction process of gold. The main reef at Langlaagte had been located in 1886.cave was discovered by Italian miners in 1898. The Wonder Caves is the 3rd largest known cave chamber is South Africa, behind the Cango Caves and the Sudwala Caves. Despite this history, parts of this cave are in near pristine condition.
The cave is reached down 87 stairs and then a further ride in a vintage lift. The cave features some dramatic stalactites, stalagmites, columns, a rimstone pool and “cave pearls”. For bookings, phone (011) 957 0106 or (011) 957 0109, or e-mail info@rhinolion.co.za.
The Cradle Nature Reserve
The Cradle Nature Reserve
What You Will Experience
The Cradle Nature Reserve is a 3000ha private reserve made up of pristine dolomite grasslands. The reserve offers wildlife walks and drives, that includes a pit-stop at their restaurant that serves drool-worthy world-class cuisine!
Askari Game Lodge
Askari Game Lodge
What You Will Experience
Ja, it’s a Game Reserve that is home to
a variety of stone and iron-age artefacts,
and wait for it, one of the largest private
collections of ox wagons that may have
you thinking you woke up in the Wild Wild
West! While you’re at Askari, don’t miss the
San Bushmen rock carvings which tell the
history of the area, most notably, the Battle
of Nooitgedacht. Visit the museum or book
a guided bush walk to see art that rocks,
literally! Those clever science and stone
experts call them petroglyphs.
Nature That Nurtures
Nature that Nurtures
What You Will Experience
Wholly owned by a trust that supports conservation and education, the Cradle Nature Reserve boasts a proud social enterprise model that sees both the Cradle Boutique Hotel and Restaurant’s reinvesting 100% of its revenues back into conservation and
education. The hotel and reserve support the funding
of the African Digital Education Trust (ADET) which runs a number of training programmes, from primary school learners to pensioners. These programmes include English literacy, Grade 12 Life Science Teacher Training, Lego Robotics and Matific, maths training for GradeR-7 learners.
Tshuku Tours
Tshuku Tours
What You Will Experience
Want to spend a day or a weekend in The Cradle but don’t want to do all the driving? Need help with finding LIT locations that will build your selfie collection? Tshuku Tours offers a variety of options for getting around, doing your thing with your Squad while you’re in the Cradle. Tshuku Tours’ Head Honcho, the Big Cahuna, the Ngamla (big boss) is Mpho Mache. As Chairman of The Cradle Tourism Company, he knows his stuff. He’s got the happiest smile, he knows how to find the coolest foodie spots,
and he enjoys every tour, every time, as if it’s
his first time!
