What’s happening at Maropeng this December?
There’s plenty of fun to be had for the whole family at Maropeng this December. Be sure to book your tickets early via the Maropeng online shop.
6 December: Cooper’s Cave picnic and tour
Grab the kids (and the sunblock) and head to Maropeng this Saturday (6 December) for a fantastic educational adventure.
The Cooper’s Cave walking tour and picnic, which kicks off at Cooper’s Cave fossil site close to the Sterkfontein Caves, is a real life exploration of an active fossil site. It was on this exact spot some 1.8- to 1.4-million years ago that hunting hyena and sabre-toothed cats once stalked their prey while early man fought for survival.
“You can walk through the site and see literally hundreds of fossils in the rocks around you – it’s an incredible experience,” says Christine Steininger, tour leader and palaeoanthropologist associated with the Palaeosciences Centre at the University of the Witwatersrand.
The day’s activities include a walking tour of the fossil site, exploring a cave, searching for fossils in recently excavated deposits and learning how to make stone tools. A picnic rounds off an exciting day’s outdoor activities.
Age: All ages
Costs: R375 per adult and R150 for children (4 to 14 years), which includes the tour and a light picnic lunch
Time: 09h00
Venue: Meet at the Sterkfontein Caves
Please note prams are not recommended unless they are suitable for outdoor or uneven terrain. Guests are advised to wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a jersey, torch, hat, sunscreen and camera. An itinerary will be sent via SMS the day before the event.
Should you wish to combine your tour with a stay at the Maropeng Hotel, please contact Mmathabo Maine on +27 (0)14 577 9000 or mmathabom@maropeng.co.za to make a reservation.
13 December: Stargazing at Maropeng
Join us at Maropeng for an evening of stargazing on 13 December 2014.
The event kicks off with welcome drinks served in the reception nave of the Tumulus building, after which guests are invited to attend a 45- to 60-minute illustrated talk featuring exquisite Hubble Space Telescope images.
Dinner is then served in the Tumulus Restaurant, after which guests are invited to attend a laser-guided star tour and large-aperture telescopic stargazing on the balcony.
Guests are advised to bring a jacket (as the evenings can be chilly) and binoculars.
Age: All ages
Time: 17h30
Venue: Maropeng
Cost: R295 per adult
and R165 per child (four to 14 years), which includes dinner
25 December: Christmas Day buffet lunch at the Tumulus Restaurant
Take the angst out of cooking Christmas Day lunch: Maropeng’s Tumulus Restaurant is hosting a buffet meal that is sure to whet anyone’s appetite.
Head chef Peter Langa and his team have spent hours devising a special Christmas lunch buffet, which includes a carvery and a range of delicious salads, and for dessert a few South African favourites, including malva pudding and peppermint tart.
Guests will be greeted with a glass of sparkling wine and be seated at festively decorated tables, and the children will be given sheets to colour in.
Prepare yourself for a leisurely affair: the buffet will be served between 12h00 and 15h30. Click here to view to menu.
Age: All ages
Time: 12h00 to 15h30
Venue: Tumulus Restaurant
Cost: R200 (children five to 14 years)
, R300 (adults)
25 December: Christmas Day Lunch at the Maropeng Hotel
Fancy some fine dining on Christmas Day? Book now to enjoy Christmas lunch at the Maropeng Hotel.
Our chef, Peter Langa, and his team have devised a very special menu for the day. Langa says the menu has a distinctive, novel style about it: French with a definite South African feel. The menu includes a starter of salmon, prawns and hummus followed by a palate-cleansing sorbet. A choice of four mains will be on offer followed by an assortment of desserts, coffee, tea and handmade truffles to finish off the feast.
Age: All ages
Time: From 12h30
Venue: Hotel restaurant
Cost: R250 (children five to 14 years)
, R375 (adults)
Should you wish to combine any of the events above with a stay at the Maropeng Hotel, please contact Mmathabo Maine on +27 (0)14 577 9000 or mmathabom@maropeng.co.za to make a reservation.