Sterkfontein Caves

This is an amazing tour taking you back in time to what life looked like millions of years ago. This is a popular tour and takes you west of Johannesburg, near the Magaliesberg mountains into the agricultural sector of the province so it is quite a scenic drive from Sandton and Johannesburg.

The Sterkfontein Caves lies in the Sterkfontein Valley, now known to be the very cradle of humankind. This is endorsed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

** Half day tour – can be combined with Maropeng for a full day tour

Itinerary

We will travel a mere 45 minute drive west of Johannesburg to reach the Sterkfontein Caves

The tours at the Sterkfontein Caves, which start above ground and then take visitors deep into the caves, an hour long guided tour of the caves take visitors on a journey deep under the earth about 60 meters with a staircase.

Before entering the caves, visitors are guided through an exhibition which details the story of the evolution of humankind and sheds light on what life was like in this part of the world millions of years ago. The exhibition also introduces visitors to the famous fossils which have been discovered in these caves, most notably Mrs Ples, a 2.1-million-year-old Australopithecus skull and Little Foot, an almost complete Australopithecus skeleton more than three million years old. The vital importance of these discoveries for our understanding of man’s evolution is also outlined in the exhibition.

After walking through the small exhibition, visitors then begin the tour of the caves. As the caves are deep and have some narrow pathways, visitors must wear comfortable shoes, and leave large handbags or luggage behind. People who suffer from claustrophobia, asthma or chest problems may find the visit too difficult. Highlights of the cave include the ‘bottomless’ lake and the small caverns where the most famous fossils were found.

After exiting the caves via stairway again, you can follow the footpath around to the excavation site where scientists from the University of the Witwatersrand are continuing to work on finding more fossils.