P
Cradle of Humankind
The tour was amazing. I would warn people that the cave tour involved a lot of steps and some crawling. This may not be suitable for people with mobility issues.
Cradle of Humankind Guided Tour
+5 photos
At a glance
- Duration
- 5 hours
- Price from
- $122 / person
- Location
- Pretoria, South Africa
- Rating
- 4.9 / 5 · 15 reviews
- Languages
- EN
- Group
- Private
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
- Hotel pickup
- Available
- Confirmation
- Instant
- Ticket
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operator
- Thiya Tours and Safaris
Description
The Cradle of Humankind is one of the most interesting archeological tours one can do near Johannesburg. It is home to one of the most significant archaeological sites in the world and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 1947 Dr. Rorbert Broom and John Robinson discovered “Mrs Ples” a skull of a fully grown adult Australopithecus Africanus and in 1998 Professor Ron Clarke discovered fossil fragments here which led to the location of “Little Foot” a nearly complete remains of Australopithecus Africanus. In 2008 Professor Lee Berger announced the discovery of “Sediba” also at the Cradle area. The Sterkfontein Caves located in the heart of the Cradle of Humankind is described as the ‘anthropological treasure house of the world. It is the World's oldest and continuous paleontological diggings, having been worked on for more than 60 years, and contains one-third of the World's hominid fossils.
Schedule & prices
- Runs
- Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, and Sun
- Start times
- 7:30 AM, 8:30 AM, 9:30 AM, 10:30 AM, and 11:30 AM
- Next available
- Sat, Oct 10
- Adult
- $122
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 9.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Johannesburg
Pick up at your hotel. A general introduction and overview of the area and the guide will brief you about the program of the day. As you arrive, enjoy a scenic view of the Cradle area situated about 1 hour drive from the city of Johannesburg.
Sterkfontein Cave
Explore the Sterkfontein Caves on an educational Guided tour of the underground cave. The Sterkfontein Caves located in the heart of the Cradle of Humankind is described as the ‘anthropological treasure house of the world. It is the World's oldest and continuous paleontological diggings, having been worked on for more than 60 and holds about one-third of the World's ever-discovered hominid fossils.
Maropeng Visitor Centre
After about 10 10-minute drive to Maropeng, We arrive at the Visitors Centre where you will be highlighted by a Guide then proceed on a magical boat road through an artificial underground cave that leads you to a Museum. The Tumulus at Maropeng is the main visitor and interpretation center for the Cradle. It is designed to resemble a grass-covered ancient burial mound from the outside. The museum comprises of exhibitions on the formation of fossils and the evolution of Humankind. The tour is both educational and great fun with interactive displays and magical underground boat cruises. After a 10 minutes drive we visit Maropeng Visitors Centre where you will be highlighted by a Guide then proceed on a magical boat road through an artificial underground cave that leads you to a Museum. We will enjoy a mouth-watering Buffet Lunch at Maropeng, the Tumulus restaurant that offers the best views of the Cradle area.
Johannesburg
After this wonderful and fascinating experience, the guide will drive you back to Johannesburg or Pretoria where you will be dropped back at your hotel or starting point
What's included
Included
Private transportation
Bottled water
English speaking guide
Air-conditioned vehicle
Not included
Personal Purchases
Pickup Locations & Times
Meet the guide at the hotel concierge or communicate through what's app to specify pick up point
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
4.9
15 reviews
How it compares in Pretoria
- Starting price $122 is close to the typical $117 for tours of similar length in Pretoria
Excurgo comparison of 372 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
1+ days before100% refund
0–1 days before0% refund
Frequently asked questions
How long does Cradle of Humankind Guided Tour take?
Cradle of Humankind Guided Tour lasts about 5 hours. The itinerary has 4 stops.
How much does Cradle of Humankind Guided Tour cost?
Prices start at $122 per person for this Pretoria experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
What days does Cradle of Humankind Guided Tour run?
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, starting at 7:30 AM, 8:30 AM, 9:30 AM, 10:30 AM, and 11:30 AM.
Can I cancel Cradle of Humankind Guided Tour for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Is hotel pickup included?
Yes, pickup is offered. Meet the guide at the hotel concierge or communicate through what's app to specify pick up point Pickup points include The Regency Aparthotel, Melodie Guest House.
What languages is Cradle of Humankind Guided Tour offered in?
The experience is available in EN.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a private experience: only your party takes part. Up to 13 travellers can book together.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Is the tour wheelchair accessible?
Wheelchair accessible Transportation options are wheelchair accessible All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Is Cradle of Humankind Guided Tour worth it?
Travellers rate it 4.9 out of 5 across 15 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Thiya Tours and Safaris.
Reviews(15)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
I
Interesting trip to a world heritage site
We were picked up late due to traffic and the 10 am tour we were to be on left early due to an influx of school kids. Not a problem except one of our group had a 5:50 pm international flight. Guide Wisdom problem solved along the way and we got in both cave tour and museum. He was super knowledgeable and friendly and we enjoyed his company. Cave tour was cool but only a replica of Mrs Ples skull to see. Still interesting. Museum is very good. Another World Heritage site, check!
J
Half day Johannesburg: Cradle of Humankind & Sterkfontein Caves Tour
Tour was as expected, and as described. Our guide, Witness, was thorough and knowledgeable. It was a good day.
R
Constitution hill and cradle of human kind
Thiya tours and Nhlanhla Ndlovu have us a whole day of interesting story of South Africa. The apartheid museum was closed so we were at the constitution hill with the prison and the constitution of human rights and we learnt about human evil during apartheid. The grave was also very interesting. Thanks for the good organized tour and the knowledgeable guiding during the trip!
1 people found this helpful
B
Must do Tour While in Johannesburg
We would highly recommend this tour! We enjoyed our time with professional guide, Witness. Witness provided a brief historical lesson on South Africa, the impacts of the Dutch and British and also the discovery of the area now known as The Cradle of Humankind. The cave and museum tours were worth doing.
M
We drove to the caves and walked thru. The archeology was fascinating.
Witness is a great guide. He is informed and helpful and made sure we enjoyed the caves and museum and gave us insight into African culture.
5
Amazing experience in Cradle of Humankind
Sterkfontein cave was amazing. Our guide was Witniss. Everything was on time. The guide told us many Interesting facts about South Africa and Johannesburg.
J
Good company
Friendly guide, plenty of time. During the ride, an open conversation on very diverse topics creates a pleasant atmosphere. Also tells some background to the activity we were going to do, and the country and the people.
H
Definitely amazing
It was an wonderful experience, the guide was very knowledgeable and helpful for getting us around and getting us set up for each tour, definitely worth seeing the caves and the cradle of human kind
Y
Great Experience!
Fantastic easy experience. We booked online and was picked up the next day at our hotel. Lots of great information about Johannesburg on the drive to the caves. Our guide made everything streamlined and we were able to just sit back and relax. I 100% recommend this service and excursion!
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| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cradle of Humankind Guided Tour | 5 hours | 4.9 (15) | $122 | |
 Cradle of Humankind Tour:Sterkfontein Caves & Maropeng Experience | 7 hours | 4.6 (156) | $114 | View |
 Lesedi Cultural Village & cradle of Humankind Guided Tour | 8 hours | 4.3 (50) | $151 | View |
 Cradle of humankind & Maropeng/sterkfontein caves tour | 5 hours | 4.8 (40) | $114 | View |
 Lesedi Cultural Village & Cradle of Humankind + Lunch | 7 hours | — | $141 | View |
 Johannesburg and Soweto tour | 5 hours | 4.9 (458) | $83 | View |
 Soweto Cultural Walking Tour with Lunch | 4 hours | 4.9 (328) | $40 | View |
from$122
4.9(15) Free cancellation