People booked at an accommodation at Cradle of Humankind in Magaliesburg, South Africa, such as Maropeng Boutique Hotel, have only one agenda: to opportunely discover one of the world’s most important paleontological zones in the west of Johannesburg, South Africa.
Indeed, the 47,000 hectare area, made popular by the Sterkfontein hominid fossil fields, is something to behold. UNESCO wouldn't make it a World Heritage Site for nothing! What's more, seeing the best of the destination is easy. Most tour operators offer full-day and half-day tours that allow travelers to explore the area as much as they want. Some of the must-see places include:
Maropeng
This is the best-known attraction here. A popular boutique hotel off Route 563 in Hekpoort, it serves as an information center, visitor attraction, and entertainment complex rolled in one. It's pretty hard to miss as it is housed in a building resembling a huge grassy mound on one side and a shiny modern steel on the other. A trivia: its name in Tswana that means ‘returning to your origin’. It's a repeating theme of the place, from the structure reflecting the journey of man through the ages, to the exhibit inside, focused on how humans have progressed. Other attractions here include interactive exhibits, back-in-time boat ride, market stalls, active fossil sites, restaurants, a curio shop, and a 5,000-seat amphitheater for outdoor events.
Sterkfontein Caves
This place is a natural landmark, classified as one of the most significant archaeological sites in the world. Some of the things to see here include a permanent hominid exhibit and a walkway past the excavation site. Tours that go down into the caves are available and start every half hour.
Old Kromdraai Gold Mine
The first gold mine on the Witwatersrand, people go to this area in Kromdraai Road for guided tours on weekends. On Tuesdays to Fridays, the tours are by appointment. A guided tour leaves the converted shed every hour beginning at 9 am. The last tour for the day is scheduled at 4 pm.
Cradle Nature Reserve
What is South Africa without the wildlife experience? The Cradle Nature Reserve takes care of that seamlessly, albeit in a more upmarket way. It is located halfway between Pretoria and Johannesburg and it offers wildlife walks, drives, and paleontological tours. For foodies, the Cradle Restaurant can be found here, offering international cuisine, a cocktail bar, log fire in winter, and one of the best restaurant views in the country. If tourists can't get accommodation at the Maropeng Boutique Hotel or elsewhere, the thatched cottages at the Forest Camp here suffice.
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