Come home to humanity

The Maropeng Visitor Centre and the Sterkfontein Caves can both be found in the Cradle of Humankind and both teacher and learner alike will never forget a visit to the Cradle.

Declared a World Heritage Site in 1999, the Cradle of Humankind boasts more hominid (human ancestor) fossils than anywhere else on Earth. This wealth of artefacts has contributed significantly to the understanding of humanity’s history over more than 3-million years.

All together, there are 15 major fossil sites in the Cradle of Humankind, of which Sterkfontein Caves is the most famous.

The fossils “Mrs Ples” and “Little Foot” were both discovered at the Sterkfontein Caves, as well as thousands more hominid fossils, and those of plants and animals.

The main visitor centre, the Maropeng Visitor Centre, features an exciting, interactive, world-class exhibition, developed using the information gleaned from fossils found at the site, and that focuses on the development of humans and our ancestors over the past few million years.

The second, smaller visitor centre, the Sterkfontein Caves, holds fascinating secrets to our past, and provides an entertaining workout as you follow your guide through the caverns.

Admission to Maropeng is:

• R59 per learner;
• One teacher per 10 learners is free of charge.

Admission to the Sterkfontein Caves is:

• R59 per learner;
• One teacher per 10 learners is free of charge.

Combination tickets to Maropeng and the Sterkfontein Caves are R93 per learner.

Tailor-made learning

Educators, have you got a specific curriculum requirement? Do you want something more from your visit? Perhaps a one-on-one session with a palaeontologist for your class?

In addition to the insightful Maropeng tours with one of our accredited guides, Maropeng can tailor-make a package to suit your class’ needs. By getting in touch with our education specialist, Magel van de Venter, or with our curator, Lindsay Marshall, we can create something that will leave your class informed and inspired.

Hominid House also provides the perfect setting for your class to work on projects or revise work and our curator can be on standby to answer any questions, or even deliver lectures on specific topics.

Plus, any money raised, as a result of schools paying to have a tour with Lindsay, Magel or a scientist, will go directly into the Cradle Education Trust to assist disadvantaged schools visit Maropeng.

If you are interested in a unique package, please give us a call on 014 577 9000 or email us on info@maropeng.co.za and we will get back to you with more information.

Teacher-friendly edutainment pack

Maropeng has designed a curriculum-linked educators’ resource pack, crammed with practical educational material such as worksheets and learner activities.

The pack aims to help teachers to prepare learners before they visit the Cradle of Humankind, and to give them follow-up assignments afterwards.

The Maropeng Teachers’ Pack is fully integrated with the South African education curriculum, and has been endorsed by the National Department of Education, with a foreword from former minister of education, Naledi Pandor.

Learners at any level, studying any learning area and field, will be able to engage with appropriate content in the exhibitions.

The resource pack has been specifically designed for teachers to structure educational excursions for learners to gain the most from their experience, but Maropeng guides have been trained to use the material and are able to assist when necessary.

Educators can request a free copy of the pack by sending an email to: info@maropeng.co.za, with their postal address attached.

Stay at Hominid House

A single day is just too short to experience the vivid vistas, and insights into humanity’s past, that Maropeng has to offer.

To make the most of your visit or school tour to the Cradle of Humankind, why not book an overnight stay at Hominid House?

Hominid House offers group accommodation for up to 120 learners or adults, with separate rooms for teachers or group leaders.

Hominid House Rates:

• Learners’ accommodation in Hominid House, dinner, bed and breakfast, per learner per night is R210
• Teacher and driver, per person per night is R155
• Lunch pack, per person is R45

Please call us on +27 (0) 14 577 9000, or e-mail info@maropeng.co.za for rates, availability or more information.

Need a venue for your matric farewell? Try Maropeng!

The matric farewell will probably be the biggest formal event on your school’s social calendar; therefore you need to consider its venue carefully.

Does the venue offer spectacular photo opportunities, accommodation for learners to spend the night after a heady farewell, and exquisite décor and dining? The Maropeng Visitor Centre meets these needs and more, and just an hour’s drive from Johannesburg and Pretoria, its remote yet secure location ensures your event’s privacy.

The sophisticated Tumulus building at Maropeng, boasting an attractive and photogenic modern architectural structure and interior, can accommodate a Grade 12 group with ease, offering both sit-down dining and a dance–floor; essential to a memorable matric farewell.

All event essentials (glasses, linen, chairs, etc) are included in our packages, which cater for a range of budgets, and you can expect professional and friendly assistance from our experienced events management team, who will endeavour to meet any special requests you have.

For those learners who require pre- and post-farewell accommodation, Hominid House offers group accommodation for up to 120 learners or adults, with separate rooms for teachers or group leaders.

At Maropeng you can assure your exiting learners of a true school-leaving ball, whether it’s a simple and classy affair, or an extravagant and over-the-top function.

Please call us on +27 (0) 14 577 9000, or e-mail info@maropeng.co.za for bookings or more information.

Fast Facts

What does “Maropeng” mean?

“Maropeng” means “returning to the place of origin” in Setswana. Maropeng is the official visitor centre of the South African World Heritage Site, the Cradle of Humankind.

When did South Africa’s first braai take place?

South Africa’s first braai happened right here in the Cradle more than 1-million years ago! At Swartkrans in the Cradle of Humankind, scientists have found a collection of about 300 bones, which have been burnt at a consistent temperature, which is higher than the temperature of the average bushfire. These have been dated to more than 1-million years old. This is the oldest evidence for controlled use of fire in Southern Africa so far, though there is even slightly older evidence of it in East Africa.

What endangered insect species makes its home in the Cradle of Humankind?

The Roodepoort Copper butterfly, which is unique to the area.

Australo-what?

The Cradle of Humankind is renowned for its Australopithecus africanus specimens, which lived between 3-million and 2-million years ago. Dr Robert Broom found the first adult fossil of this hominid (TM 1511) at Sterkfontein in 1936. A well-known example is the fossil of “Mrs Ples” (Sts 5), a hominid discovered by Broom and John Robinson in 1947.

Which was South Africa’s first World Heritage Site?

The Cradle of Humankind is one of eight World Heritage Sites in South Africa, and the only one in Gauteng. It was declared along with Robben Island and the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, on the same day in December 1991.

Where is the world’s oldest palaeontological dig?

The world-renowned Sterkfontein Caves is home to the oldest and most continuous palaeontological dig in the world. It is also the site of discovery of the famous pre-human skull affectionately known as “Mrs Ples”, and an almost complete hominid skeleton called “Little Foot”. No-one knows what still lies hidden in the rocks of the Sterkfontein Caves and other sites.

How old is “Mrs Ples”?

2.3-million years old.

How old is the Earth?

4.6-billion years.

When did life first appear in the oceans?

3.5-billion years ago.

Which hominid had the biggest brain capacity?

Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis) had a slightly bigger brain capacity than modern humans. They lived from about 200000 years ago until about 20000 years ago in Europe.

Are apes and humans related?

Humans and apes probably had common ancestry relatively recently, in the Miocene period – perhaps about 8-million years ago. Our closest living relatives are chimpanzees and orangutans.