A trip to the Sterkfontein Caves will unlock the secrets of the Cradle

Barely 15 minutes from the Maropeng Visitor Centre are the famous Sterkfontein Caves, home of “Mrs Ples” and “Little Foot”, our ancient Australopithecus ancestors. The caves are the perfect complement to a visit to Maropeng, as they take you deep into the ancient past that is spoken about in the exhibition.

The guides at the Sterkfontein Caves know how to set the scene as they have a solid understanding of the history and significance of the caves. As you walk to the caves’ entrance you will be told how the ancient fossils were initially found here. The story dates back to the late 19th Century, when Italian miners used dynamite to blast limestone out of the caves. Lime from the limestone was crucial to the chemical process of extracting gold found close by, in the young city of Johannesburg and surrounds.

As you continue walking, you will be warned that at certain points the caves become very narrow, and you may have to crouch or crawl to get through. This is not for the claustrophobic, say the guides. (In the end, it really isn’t that difficult to handle – even for those of us who hate to be cornered.)

As you walk down the stairs, the air becomes stiffer and colder. You become aware that you are walking in caves that were formed millions of years ago, and have remained relatively unchanged since then.

Inside the caves, neon lights illuminate the interior, which would otherwise be dark. The only natural light would come through the few entrances that appear overhead randomly as you progress. Not long after making your way down, you will pass the excavation site where “Little Foot” is located. Or, to be more accurate, where part of “Little Foot” is located, since most of the 3- to 4-million-year-old Australopithecus skeleton has now been removed.

As the guides lead you on your underground journey, they discuss the formation of the caves, the fossilisation process, and share historical facts about the area. There’s even a distressing tale about venturing into the deep lake in the cave – but you’ll have to wait for the guide to tell you more about that!

The caves have many entrances, exits and excavation sites. As you leave the main caves you will see a bust of Professor Robert Broom, discoverer of “Mrs Ples”. You can also walk in the open air and peek into the places where some of the most famous palaeoanthropological discoveries have been made.

While these caves have stood strong over the past 20-million years, the world above and around them has changed. Species have come and gone, evolved and changed. Incredibly, evidence of some of these changes has been fossilised in the rock of the caves, and that’s why scientists take their time to carefully explore any potential fossil finds throughout the dark corridors of Sterkfontein.

But don’t take their word for it; go to the caves and find out for yourself! If you’d like to make it extra special and stay overnight, check out the winter special currently on offer, and combine a visit to Maropeng and the Sterkfontein Caves with a night at the luxurious Maropeng Hotel.