Maropeng celebrates Heritage Month
(September 1 - 30)
September 24 is Heritage Day in South Africa. Maropeng is dedicating September to the celebration of our heritage. Maropeng, meaning “returning to the place of our origins” in Setswana, is located in the Cradle of Humankind, one of South Africa’s first World Heritage Sites.
Maropeng’s world-class visitor centre takes visitors on a journey of discovery of the origins of humankind, and showcases the wealth of palaeo-anthropological evidence found in this area.
Come and visit Maropeng and the Sterkfontein Caves during the month of September to celebrate humanity and how our past has shaped who we are today. The Maropeng Visitor Centre will be a hive of activity on Heritage Day as Maropeng will be hosting the official celebrations organised by the national government. For those who do not enjoy enthusiastic crowds, the Sterkfontein Caves are open as usual.
Click to see our website, or a map to Maropeng.
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Maropeng / Pink Boudoir girls’ weekend
(September 13 - 14)
The idyllic setting of the four-star Maropeng Hotel is ideal for a girls’ weekend.
In response to the enthusiastic feedback of the previous pamper weekends,
Maropeng, together with The Pink Boudoir, will be hosting another weekend of utter indulgence, exclusively for ladies, on September 13 and 14.
Set aside your roles ofmother, wife and career woman and rediscover your fun and feminine side. Pamper treatments will be supplied by Just Haven.
The package includes all meals, one night luxury accommodation at the Maropeng Hotel, pamper treatments, a variety of sensual workshops and presentations, surprise gifts and bubbly withmeals.
The cost is R1950 per person. Ladies will be able to check in to the hotel from 2pmonwards on SaturdaySeptember 13.
Contact info@maropeng.co.za or 014 577 9000.
Click here to see our Events Calendar.
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Stargazing evening: Galileo – mysterious moons and gas giants (September 20)
Join Maropeng’s resident astronomer, Vincent Nettmann, on September 20 for a fascinating journey through time and space, as he pays tribute to the life and legacy of Galileo Galilei, the first person to point a telescope at the night skies.
Galileo Galilei is known today as the “father of modern observational astronomy”. Born in 1564 in Italy, Galileo was a rebel of science – championing the idea that the sun was the centre of our universe rather than the Earth, as was the accepted opinion at the time.
He is credited with dramatically improving the telescope, discovering the four “Galilean moons” of Jupiter, and observing and analysing sunspots, among other achievements.
The stargazing presentation includes a three-course dinner at the four-star Maropeng Hotel and costs R285 per person. For those wishing to spend the evening, the overnight stay will cost R620 per person sharing (R400 single supplement) including luxury accommodation and a full English breakfast.
Contact info@maropeng.co.za or 014 577 9000
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The Magaliesberg Classic Country Festival (September 24)
Launching on September 24 2008 in the Magaliesberg, the Magaliesberg Classic Country Festival is set to reposition the Magalies Meander as a noteworthy excursion for discerning day-trippers or overnighters looking to escape the urban confines of Johannesburg and Pretoria.
The festival will take place in the grounds of Bekker School (off the R563 on the way to Hekpoort) on September 24.
Maropeng will be hosting the launch of an unique and African chocolate brand, so for a magical day of chocolates and champagne tasting, make the trip to the school and be apart of the launch of something special.
Tickets will be available at Computicket.
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Preserving our land and history
The fossil sites of Sterkfontein Caves, Swartkrans, Kromdraai and Environs in the Cradle of Humankind were declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1999. The Sterkfontein Caves have also been declared a National Heritage Site by the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA).
Both organisations aim to preserve areas of exceptional value, and ask sites to adopt international conservation principles, to protect conservation-worthy places including archaeological and palaeontological sites that provide an understanding of the history of the Earth, life on Earth and humankind.
In accordance to the guidelines set out by SAHRA, visitor numbers to the Sterkfontein Caves are being limited to reduce the impact. As such, it is advisable to book in advance to ensure entry as ad hoc admission will be phased out over the following months. Sterkfontein Caves reserves the right to refuse entry should the daily visitor limit be exceeded.
Click here to see our heritage policy, or contact info@maropeng.co.za or 014 577 9000 for more information.
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Download our screensaver and enjoy the stunning visuals of Maropeng from your desk
Return to your desk after a few minutes away, and see a stunning image of Maropeng’s picturesque setting, overlooking the Witwatersberg and Magaliesberg mountains.
Our new site offers visitors the opportunity to download a free Maropeng screensaver, available in formats suitable for both Mac and PC users.
The screensaver offers a range of images of Maropeng and Sterkfontein Caves, showing the Tumulus building, the magnificent vistas of the area, and the boutique hotel, as well as images of the exhibitions themselves. |
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Browse through our gallery
The new Maropeng website now has a comprehensive gallery section, covering many of the stimulating visuals in the Maropeng Visitor Centre and at Sterkfontein Caves.
Grab a glimpse of what the exhibitions offer before you experience them first hand, peek into the bedrooms of the luxurious boutique hotel, see what a memorable event a wedding at Maropeng can be …
There is so much to see at Maropeng and the online gallery delivers the highlights in an accessible way to previous, future or online visitors.
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| Our Exhibition Guide is packed with information about the Maropeng Exhibition and its contents, ranging from an introduction to DNA, to descriptions of hominids such as Homo and Australopithecus
and some of the characteristics of modern humanity such as bipedalism and our ability to use tools. |
At Maropeng, we pride ourselves on our educational focus. We cater for school groups to Maropeng itself, as well as to Sterkfontein Caves, our sister site. Read about why the Cradle of Humankind is an important part of anyone’s education, no matter their age, in our Education section.
Contact Sylvia on info@maropeng.co.za or
014 577 9000 for bookings, menus and further information. Booking is essential for presentations and special events as space is limited. Directions are available on www.maropeng.co.za. |
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