Join us for these exciting events in February

It's a new year and another opportunity to host some exciting events for our visitors.

Our February schedule showcases the best of what Maropeng has to offer – education, celebration and above all, fun. Come and join us!

Swartkrans walking tour: 7 February

Swartkrans is an archaeological cave site, part of the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, situated near Sterkfontein. The landscape hides secrets, millions of years old, about humanity’s beginnings and has proved rich in hominid fossils, especially Australopithecus robustus. Excavations at Swartkrans continue and have helped to provide valuable information about our hominid ancestors.

This is your chance to walk through an active archaeological dig site. You'll be led by one of the experts currently working at the site, Dr Morris Sutton, a researcher at the University of the Witwatersrand. Listen to him describe what's in store on this walking tour:

Swartkrans is closed to the public, so this walking tour is your only way to experience this rare glimpse of science in action.

The walk takes place on Saturday, 7 February, and details will be available shortly via our online shop.

Valentine's Day special: 14 February

Treat that special someone to a night at our luxury Boutique Hotel. The package (R1140 per person sharing) features a champagne tasting before a decadent 6 course dinner and a romantic turndown. You'll also get breakfast and tickets for Maropeng and Sterkfontein Caves. Find out about bookings here.

Note: this special only applies to the night of 14 February 2015.

Stargazing evening: 21 February

Get lost in the wonders of the cosmos during our monthly stargazing evenings. Resident astronomer Vincent Nettman will take you on a journey through time and space as he introduces you to the night sky and leads a discussion about the evolution of astronomy as a science.

The stars have always been important to our ancestors. Once we were standing on two feet, our eyes were no longer fixated on the ground. Early hominids must have looked up into the night skies and wondered what the stars were, and possibly what lay beyond them.

The evening will cover this history and look ahead to the future. The event ticket includes a welcome drink and a gourmet dinner, and you can even extend your stay by booking a night at the Maropeng Hotel.

Details for this event will be available on our online shop shortly.

We look forward to seeing you in February!