Cradle of Humankind, Lesedi & Lion's Park tour from Johannesburg

Underground boat through human evolution, then five traditional villages and a working safari park

Full-day tour from Johannesburg to three sites: the Cradle of Humankind at Maropeng, where you ride through an underground exhibition on mankind's origins; Lesedi Cultural Village, where you watch traditional dance and visit five working villages; and Lion's Park for a one-hour guided safari among lions, giraffes and cheetahs. Live guide in English or French. Hotel pickup included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Cradle, Lesedi Village, Lion Park

• Depart Johannesburg/Pretoria at 07:45
• Travel to Cradle of Humankind/Maropeng
• Explore Maropeng Visitor Centre
• Take underground boat ride
• Arrive at Lesedi Cultural Village
• Attend 11:30 cultural dance performance
• Tour five traditional villages
• Enjoy traditional music and stories
• Have lunch at Nyama Choma restaurant
• Travel to Lion and Safari Park
• Enjoy 1-hour guided safari drive
• Feed giraffes (optional)
• Return to accommodation by 15:30

What’s included

• Hotel pickup from Johannesburg or Pretoria with 15-minute early arrival.
• air-conditioned vehicle for the full day.
• professional guide in English or French.
• entry to Maropeng Visitor Centre with site guide.
• one-hour guided safari at Lion's Park.
• all entry fees and taxes.

Times

• Monday to Saturday 07:30
• Sunday 08:00

Another time? ›

Before you book

Group Up to 30 2 private ›

Live guide English and French

Meeting point and pickup No hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point. 5 with pickup ›

Book up to 4h before

Ages Adult (18 to 64 years) · Senior (65 to 90 years) · Youth (15 to 17 years) · Child (12 to 14 years) · Infant (1 to 11 years)

Cancellation and refunds Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Good to know

Moderate physical effort Stroller-friendly Infant seats available Public transport nearby Not recommended during pregnancy Not recommended with heart problems Not recommended with back problems

Operated by VBS TOURS AND TRAVEL

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

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Traveler reviews

5.00 ★★★★★ Exceptional 4 verified traveler reviews

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The experience

The day starts with a 60-minute drive from your Johannesburg or Pretoria hotel, where your guide meets you 15 minutes early with a nameplate. On the way, the guide walks you through South Africa's history, from its earliest settlement through apartheid to today. You arrive at Maropeng Visitor Centre around 9 a.m., where a site guide takes over and leads you through a prehistoric mound into the main exhibition. The self-guided interactive tour lets you move at your own pace through fossils, stone tools up to one million years old, and displays on human evolution. The centerpiece is an underground boat ride that carries you through a narrative of life's creation and mankind's emergence, exiting into a 21st-century gallery.

By 10:15 a.m. you're heading to Lesedi Cultural Village to catch the 11:30 a.m. welcome session. A traditional dance and song performance. After that, you walk through five working villages representing Xhosa, Zulu, Pedi, Basotho and Ndebele peoples, listening to traditional music and stories from residents. A cultural performance follows, then lunch at Nyama Choma restaurant, which means "Great African Feast." The menu spans three regional zones (North Africa, East Africa and South Africa) with dishes including crocodile and ostrich alongside more familiar options.

At 1:30 p.m. you leave for Lion and Safari Park. A one-hour guided safari drive takes you through enclosures where over 80 lions (including rare white lions) live alongside cheetahs, giraffes, Cape wild dogs, hyenas and antelope roaming freely. The guide narrates the animals' behavior and interactions. You have the option to buy giraffe food and hand-feed them. The tour ends around 3:30 p.m. with the return drive to your accommodation.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (15 to 17 years); Child (12 to 14 years); Infant (1 to 11 years).

What happens at the Cradle of Humankind Maropeng Visitor Centre?

Maropeng is an interactive museum built around human origins and evolution. You enter via a prehistoric mound, see fossils and stone tools up to a million years old, then board an underground boat that carries you through exhibits on the creation of life and mankind's emergence, exiting into a modern 21st-century gallery. The tour is self-guided so you set your own pace.

Does the tour include lunch?

Lunch is not included in the tour price. However, you eat at Nyama Choma restaurant at Lesedi Cultural Village after the cultural performances, and you pay for your meal separately there.

What animals will I see at Lion's Park?

Lion's Park is home to over 80 lions, including rare white lions, plus South African cheetahs, Cape wild dogs, giraffes, brown and spotted hyenas, black-backed jackals and various antelope species. All roam in open enclosures that you drive through on the guided safari.

Can I feed the giraffes at Lion's Park?

Yes, giraffe feeding is optional. You can buy giraffe food on-site and hand-feed them during the safari drive, but it is not included in the tour price.