Cradle of Humankind & Lion Safari Park tour from Johannesburg

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Free cancellation

1/2

Duration1d

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Underground fossil chambers and a 600-hectare safari in one day

A full-day guided tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria to the Cradle of Humankind UNESCO site, including a Sterkfontein Caves underground tour, the Maropeng visitor center, and a safari drive through the Lion and Safari Park. The tour covers 47,000 hectares of land where 40 percent of the world's human ancestor fossils have been found, then moves to a 600-hectare wilderness reserve to observe lions, cheetahs, wild dogs and other African wildlife. Hotel pickup, lunch and a local English-speaking guide are included.

The Experience

Your driver collects you from your hotel in Johannesburg, Pretoria or Sandton and heads first to the Lion and Safari Park in the Hartebeespoort area. You travel by safari vehicle through 600 hectares of wilderness to spot lions, cheetahs, wild dogs, brown hyenas, zebras, giraffes and gemsbok. This part of the day runs about four hours and gives you a close look at some of Africa's most recognizable animals without leaving a vehicle.

After the safari, you move on to the Cradle of Humankind, a UNESCO site covering 47,000 hectares where three million years of human activity left its mark. The Sterkfontein Caves underground tour takes you into the biggest and best-known cave system in the area, where over 500 hominid fossils and more than 9,000 stone tools have been found—including Mrs. Ples and Little Foot, two discoveries that reshaped modern paleontology. The caves show evidence of man's earliest mastery of fire and hold 40 percent of all known human ancestor fossils on earth.

After the caves, you visit the Maropeng visitor center, where interactive exhibits tell the story of human evolution and the origins of humankind using what the operator calls spectacular methods. Maropeng means "returning to the place of our origins" in Setswana, and the center frames the Cradle of Humankind as the ancestral home shared by all people. Lunch is included during the day, and your guide provides context and information throughout both the wildlife and archaeological sections.

What’s included

Hotel pickup and drop-off from Johannesburg, Pretoria or Sandton.
round-trip private transfer by air-conditioned minivan.
a local English-speaking guide.
the safari drive through the Lion and Safari Park.
the Sterkfontein Caves underground tour.
entry to the Maropeng visitor center.
and lunch.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessible

Operated by Bono Tours and Safaris

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're arriving in Johannesburg or Pretoria with a full day free and want to combine wildlife viewing with ancient human history in one trip. The fixed itinerary and included transport mean you don't arrange separate logistics for two very different sites—the safari and the caves stay connected by a single guide and vehicle.