Maropeng, situated in the Cradle of Humankind in Gauteng province, South Africa, it is a world-acclaimed tourist destination that is not only part of the South African national pride, but appeals to the world. Maropeng is located only 45 minutes from Johannesburg and Pretoria in the Cradle of Humankind, which has yielded some of the world's most valuable paleo-anthropological evidence and is a must-see heritage visit in South Africa.
Maropeng, which is a Setswana word meaning ‘returning to the place of our origins’, takes visitors on a fun and informative journey of discovery using spectacular methods to tell stories of the evolution of life and the origins of humankind. It denotes the universal relevance of the Cradle of Humankind as the ancestral home of all, no matter what colour, culture or creed. |
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Located, on 100 hectares, and within easy reach of Johannesburg and Pretoria , Maropeng overlooks the magnificent Magaliesberg and Witwatersberg mountain ranges and is en route to the popular resort of Sun City . Maropeng is a fascinating day visit for the whole family, and a superb location for conferences and events. The facilities at Maropeng include a 24-bedroom 4-star hotel, conference facilities for up to 500 delegates and a world-class underground visitor centre exhibiting the origins of mankind. Other attractions include Hominid House (budget accommodation) for students and tour groups, numerous eateries and a fabulous restaurant and bar, a Kiddies Cave and an underground boat ride. The world famous Sterkfontein Caves, that are 10 kilometres away from Maropeng, were declared a world heritage site in 1999 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
The awe-inspiring replica of an ancient underground burial mound, the Tumulus, is the highlight of Maropeng, showcasing a fascinating exhibition of our ancestry. The Cradle of Humankind covers an area of over 47 000 hectares of privately owned land, encompassing the Fossil Hominid sites of Sterkfontein (one of the most richest and productive paleo-anthropological sites in the world), Swartkrans, Kromdraai and Environs, Makapan and Taung. These sites have yielded some of the most valuable evidence of the origins of humankind ever found, including the renowned Mrs Ples, the first complete skull of the Australopithecus genus to be discovered, estimated to be over 2-million years old. The discovery was tremendously significant as it proved that the beginnings of humankind arose in Africa. The oldest hominid fossils from the Cradle are more than 3-million years old.
An hour’s drive from Jo’burg and Pretoria , are the Sterkfontein Caves , world famous for fossil finds and a well-known visitor destination. After an extensive face-lift, it now hosts new facilities including a top restaurant, conferencing facilities, improved access into the caves, new walkways and a boardwalk past the excavation site where world-acclaimed fossils have been discovered. |
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The Maropeng Hotel with breathtaking views of the Witwatersberg and Magaliesberg ranges opened its doors to the public on 1 June 2006. ‘Maropeng’, is a Setswana word meaning ‘returning to the place of origin’ and this was kept in mind when the interiors of the hotel were designed. The four elemental forces of nature, earth, fire, water and ice that kick-started our planet some 3 billion years ago feature prominently in the overall look. The 24-bed four star boutique hotel is the epitome of true luxury and is a five minute walk from South Africa ’s premiere tourist destination, the Tumulus visitor attraction and 10 kilomteres from the Sterkfontein Caves .
Hominid House is ideal for larger groups and for the budget conscious. 200 meters from the Tumulus building surrounded by undulating savanna grassland is Hominid House. Hominid House is group budget accommodation, with 120 beds in dormitory style and is ideal for school, sporting and tour groups. Each of the four rooms sleeps 30 in bunk beds, with luxurious duvet and linen, lockers are also provided. The separate guide, teacher or leader rooms, have single beds with a lockable cupboard and the same luxurious bedding. The bathrooms have been designed around privacy of individuals, which is often difficult to attain when traveling in a group. Dinner and breakfast are served within the communal dinning area and packed lunches can be ordered for day excursions. Alternatively there is nothing like a braai under the African sky.
Various activities at Hominid House are available on request and these include, star gazing and various ball and water games. TV and DVD facilities are also available on request. A 100 meters from Hominid House is the neighbouring game farm, with a bit of luck game can be seen grazing in the early mornings. Alternatively watch the sun set, from the terrace, on another glorious day in Africa. |
Bring the family to Maropeng, for a fabulous fun outing. The visitor attraction is open to the public from 09h00 to 17h00 everyday, the last boat ride departs at 16h00. The visitor attraction and the restaurants are wheel chair friendly.Tickets can be bought from the ticket office in the Market Place as well as a number of curios and souvenirs at the Maropeng shop. The market place restaurant serves delicious breakfasts and light meals. Enjoy a tasty snack before embarking on your journey of discovery.
Along the pathway to the Tumulus building stop to have a look at an excavation site. The Stone Age site has been excavated since October 2005 by scientists from the University of the Witwatersrand. The tools found in this excavation belong to the Acheulean period and include handaxes and cleavers. Early humans came to the Maropeng area to use the local rocks for tool-making as they pursued a hunter-gatherer way of life. The technology of these tools suggests they were made sometime between 1.0 and 0.5 million years ago during the Earlier Stone Age, prior to the appearance of modern Homo sapiens. These stone tools are periodically on display in the Maropeng Original Fossil Zone. Please ask a guide about this display area as the original fossils on display change regularly. |
Once inside the Tumulus take a moment to appreciate the architecture and décor. Notice how the elements, earth, fire, water and air are reflected in the various aspects of the building. These elements are important in the formation of our planet and you will experience and learn more about them throughout the exhibition.
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| The underground boat ride takes visitors through a sensory immersion of the four elemental forces of nature: earth, fire, water and ice. After having sailed past icebergs, volcanoes and braved curtains of water, molten lava, sheets of lightning and fire walls, you land on the other side, billions of years back, to the very birth of our planet - in time for an expedition of discovery. |
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The exhibition is a self guided one and can take anything from 1.5 to 3 hours, it is highly interactive, the children have a wonderful time. There is also in depth information for those wanting to grapple with the topic of hominids. At the end of the exhibition is the original fossil display. This display area houses original fossils on loan to Maropeng from various institutions across the country. |
Tour Operators - Maropeng is the ideal destination for tour groups, as it is not the run of the mill activity and is suitable for groups with a tight itinerary or have little time on their hands. We will arrange a unique and exciting schedule for you dependent on your time limits. Whether it is a tour by night, dinner under the stars in the bush or picnicing in hominid country, we can do it for you.
School Tours - School visits will never be the same, as Maropeng, the birthplace of humanity, offers one of South Africa ’s most unique educational facilities. Teachers and learners alike, will just love what is in store for them. With the help of a curriculum-linked resource pack, brim full of fascinating educational material, teachers will be able to, page by page, walk their scholars through the Tumulus, a long underground chamber in which the breathtaking exhibition is housed. But first they will have to take the underground boat ride that will whisk them back three billion years to the very birth of our planet.
The voyage continues as they dial a Dodo and listen to the sad tales of the extinct Woolly Mammoth, Quagga and the Black Rhino. Then it’s on to the DNA ball patterns, and by pulling the lever, they learn a fascinating lesson. As the journey continues through the themes of diversity, common ancestors, sustainability, evolution and development, teachers are guided by pertinent questions along the route, that will demand learners’ attention and encourage interaction – all designed to make the visit more meaningful.
The Teachers Resource Pack has sections for learners of all ages from Grade R to Matric. The learning areas range from social sciences to mathematics and are filled with activities to do during and after their visit that can be used as informal assessments or a formal portfolio. Whilst the staff at Maropeng have been trained in the use of the material and are able to assist when necessary, the resource pack has been specifically designed for teachers to structure their own educational excursion in order to gain the most fun-filled educational value. The resource pack has been endorsed by the Minister of Education Naledi Pandor. |
Tumulus Restaurant - The Tumulus restaurant is open on a Sunday to the public and is ideal to bring the family for our famous Sunday buffet lunch. The restaurant is situated on the 1st floor of the Tumulus building and boasts the best views in Gauteng. Book a table on the deck and soak up the breathtaking vista of the Witwaterberg and Magaliesberg mountain ranges. Sit and enjoy a drink before lunch or sunset, you might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the game roaming the property next door. The food and beverage team prepare a fabulous buffet lunch on a Sunday. Booking is essential. All the restaurant staff have been sourced from the local community and trained on the premises. |
Maropeng Conference Centre -
The magnificent Maropeng conference centre nestles in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, a mere hour’s drive from Pretoria or Johannesburg - yet far enough away to keep the conference contained.
During or after the conference the adventure starts and delegates will be ferried on an underground boat that takes them back four billion years in geological time, through the most basic of elements that make up our world: water, air, fire and earth. But the journey doesn’t stop there. Still to come is the birth of the Cradle, the path to humanity, the science zone and much much more. At the end of a hectic day, there’s lots of time to sip cool cocktails and enjoy scrummy meals prepared by executive chef Berrick Tshabalala, on the deck that overlooks the purple-tinged Witwaterberg and Magaliesberg mountains.
Our dedicated and creative Events Team can assist in turning your conference into a memorable experience, just tell them what you would like to achieve. If you require additional equipment that we do not keep on site we will source it for you and save you the hassle.
Conference Venue Seating Capacity:
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Combined Conference Rooms (1, 2 & 3):
280 - for corporate events, weddings etc.
320 - schoolroom style
500 - cinema style
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Conference Room 2:
70 – banquet style
220 - schoolroom style
300 - cinema style
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Conference Room 1 or 3:
40 – banquet style
60 - schoolroom style
95 – cinema style
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Standard equipment included in the conference room hire:
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In-house PA system available in conference room 2 and
combined conference rooms.
- Flipcharts
- White Board & Markers
- Lectern
- Dance Floor
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- Portable Stage
- Hanging bars for draping and suspending banners (Tumulus venues only)
- Ample power points
- Built in Screens
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Additional equipment available on request:
- LCD data projectors
- Television Monitors
- VCR
- Portable Overhead Projector
- Laser pointer |
Sterkfontein Caves -
The Sterkfontein Caves are one of the richest and most productive palaeo-anthropological sites in the world. Amongst the most remarkable findings to have been made by numerous world famous scientists within the COH WHS is the famous Mrs. Ples, the first complete Australopithecus skull to be discovered and more recently, “Little Foot”, a 4.17 million-year-old almost complete ape-man skeleton was also discovered in the same caves. More than 500 hominid fossils, thousands of animal fossils, over 300 fragments of fossil wood, and over 9000 stone tools - some of them the oldest in Southern Africa - have been found in the 13 explored sites and many more (over 250) are known to be in existence.
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Coupled with this, the area contains archaeological sites dating to the Early, Middle, and Late Stone Age, the Early and Late Iron Age, and recent history such as Boer War relics. It also has significant ecological value containing many plant communities, some of which are rare, with associated diverse animal communities.
The new scientific exhibition centre show-cases a reconstruction of a mined versus a pristine cave, cave formations and geologies, early-life forms, mammals and homo-fossils, specific finds such as Mrs Ples, the Taung child and Little Foot as well as details of fossilisation, paleobotany and landscapes. World-acclaimed and award winning artist, John Gurche, whose exhibits can be seen at the Smithsonian Institute, the Field Museum and the American Museum of Natural History in New York and who worked on the film ‘Jurassic Park’, has produced all the lifelike hominid illustrations, from the Toumai through to modern humans. |
Prior to the detail design of the exhibition content of the Sterkfontein Caves exhibition , an expert committee of scientists from the University of Witwatersrand, copy writers and exhibition and attraction designers spent gruelling months reaching consensus on the most widely accepted theories and facts on human development. This well researched storyline forms the basis of the Sterkfontein Caves experience.
The Sterkfontein Caves are owned by the University of the Witwatersrand whose scientists have been responsible for the main excavations of the World Heritage Site. They are credited with many of the famous discoveries including the world famous Mrs Ples and Little Foot, an almost complete ape-man skeleton dating back some 4.1 million years, to the birth of humanity. The tours at the Sterkfontein Caves run every half hour, seven days a week.
Within the caves, scientists have discovered literally thousands of hominid and other animal fossils, dating back more than 4-million years, to the birth of humanity. The most important and most famous of these fossils are Mrs Ples, a 2.5-million-year-old australopithecine skull, and Little Foot, an almost complete australopithecine skeleton that is around 4.17-million years old. These fossils, both found in the Sterkfontein Caves in the Cradle of Humankind, tell us much about how and in what circumstances modern humans, homo sapiens, evolved.
Archaeological finds within the Cradle of Humankind also include 2-million-year-old stone tools. The oldest recorded, at Swartkrans, near the Sterkfontein Caves, is a collection of 270 burnt bones that reveals how our ancestors learned to master fire more than 1-million years ago - a significant development and an early technological innovation. The ability to do this has taken us from the basic skills needed to keep ourselves warm and to cook our food, to being able to control and harness the power of fire to the extent that we can now create and burn rocket fuel to reach space and beyond.
The Sterkfontein restaurant is the ideal spot to relax after one of the guided tours. Sit back and chill whilst revelling in the panoramic views. There’s something on the menu to satisfy most tastes. The restaurant is open daily from 09h00 - 17h00. |
Sterkfontein Conference Facilities - The fully equipped Sterkfontein Caves conference centre, an hour away from Joburg and Pretoria , offers budget friendly packages to suit all occasions. It is a great out-of-town venue and an ideal place for delegates to explore and have fun during or after the conference. In addition, there’s more to discover a mere 10 kilometres away, at Maropeng.
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Conference venue Seating Capacity:
U-Shape 36 delegates
U-Shape–Double 54 delegates
School Room Style 96 delegates
Cinema Style 128 delegates
Herringbone Style 105 delegates
Banquet 100 delegates
Conference Room Configuation
• Exhibition Space 134 m²
• Length 10 Meters
• Width 13 Meters
• Ceiling Height 2,775 mm
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Conference Equipment:
LCD – Data projector
Television monitors
VCR
Fixed Audio Equipment in ceiling including:
microphones,
speakers,
OHP
Portable Overhead Projector
Slide Projector
Laser Pointer
Flipcharts
White Boards & Markers
Lectern
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Things to do in the area -
The Cradle of Humankind covers an area of over 47 000 hectares of privately owned land in the north western corner of Gauteng, South Africa, and is home to over 17 000 residents.
There are numerous activites to enjoy. The two most common activities are the Magalies Meander and Hot Air Ballooning.
 Fact Sheet |
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Maropeng is situated on the R 400 off just the R 563 Hekpoort road. Sterkfontein Caves is situated on the Sterkfontein Caves Road off the R563 approximately 10km from Maropeng.
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Reservations and Enquiries |
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