Weekend Getaway to the Cradle of Humankind
For my birthday weekend, Wilhelm surprised me with a gorgeous getaway in the Cradle of Humankind, just 40 minutes outside of Joburg. Although we’ve been awfully close to the cradle on several occasions (around Casalinga Farm mainly) this was the first weekend we properly explored this nearby gem.
I loved our weekend so much that I want you to have our same itinerary. It’s perfect because you’ll get a full nature experience driving just 40 minutes out of town, there is hiking but not too much, a history lesson, and (of course) a pool.
We spend the weekend with Wilhelm’s parents who just arrived in South Africa from Sweden! We spent two nights to get a full, relaxing experience.
Cradle of Humankind Itinerary
Friday
Arrival
Leave right after work, or in the afternoon if you can. You’ll be spending the night at Forum Homini, a boutique hotel nestled into the hills. The hotel is set in a private reserve filled with antelope species and two hippos!
The rooms are comfortable and spacious. Ours had a private jacuzzi as well.
If you arrive in the afternoon, take a walk up to the picnic viewpoint past the pool. We saw Elands in the distance! At first, I thought they were just huge cows…. Haha. These are the largest of the antelope species.
Wilhelm had organized for there to be a delicious Brut Rose in the room for me so we had fun popping that. Be sure to request this if you’re organizing something special.
Dinner
Prepare for a gorgeous 5-course dinner at the famous Roots restaurant. This gourmet experience will leave you amazed and full! It was the perfect way to spend my birthday night. We opted for the pescatarian menu. We began with bread and some dips. My favorite was the green pea dip; there was something so fresh and creamy about it that is hard to describe.
Our first three dishes were different kinds of fish: barramundi, salmon, and kingklip. Although all were excellent, I think the barramundi was my favorite. It was served with onion puree, onion shells, asparagus, pea puree, and parmesan foam.
We had two desserts to end the evening. Both were not too sweet and prepared main ingredients different ways. For example, our pineapple dish had a pineapple panacotta (I LOVED this!), pineapple snow, candied pineapple, and a pineapple+ orange+ white chocolate ganache. WOW.
Saturday
Breakfast
Breakfast is served between 8-10am and is also a multi-course affair. We had fruit, porridge, eggs, and then a sweet treat!
Walk around the property
The hiking trails on the property are short but you can combo some of them together to do a larger walk around. We started off walking to see the hippos. There are two that live in the dam. I was worried we weren’t going to be able to see them, but they proved me wrong!
Next, we continued the walk through the fields, up to the gate, and then across back to the hotel. The main guides for our walk were the animals. We saw elands and zebras in the distance as we were hiking and decided to try to follow them for as long as they let us. Our walk ended up being just about 5km. It was amazing. We also saw a duiker (fleetingly) and springbok.
There is also a cute turtle that lives in the pond by the dining room that we spotted on our way back.
The walk felt like a proper walking safari! You can also go on the trails that go past the pool.
Maropeng
At 12:30pm, leave the hotel and drive to Maropeng, the Cradle of Humankind visitors center. Tickets are R100 per person and can be booked online. Be sure to arrive on the hour to join the initial guided tour, which will also take you through a cool water ride!
I learned a lot about the area that I didn’t know (more on that below).
Pool time
By 3pm we were back at Forum Homini and I spent 2 hours lounging and reading by the pool.
Dinner at Bellgables
Rather than do another 5-course dinner, Wilhelm booked a fantastic restaurant in the Cradle Boutique Hotel reserve area. Bellgables Country restaurant is an absolute hidden gem. (you could even come here just for the evening from Joburg). Check out all the details in the blog post (because it deserves its own!)
On the way to dinner, we were stopped by several zebras and elands. We got much closer now than when we were hiking.
Sunday
Breakfast + Check out
Have another great breakfast and then check out by 10am. We saw a waterbuck as we were leaving!
Nirox +Casalinga
Forum Homini is just 5 minutes from the famous sculpture park, Nirox (also home to And then There was Fire Restaurant). In November 2023 when we visited, there was a huge sewer issue that affected all the ponds across the property, leaving a horrid stench. I don’t recommend going if you’re reading this at the time of posting. However, in a couple of months, this issue may be fixed. Call ahead as this information is not shared on the website currently.
For now, skip Nirox altogether and stop at Casalinga Farm on your way back to Joburg for lunch. There are three eateries on site. The main restaurant, the Leafy Greens veg restaurant, and a new waffle place.
After wandering the farm area, we had fresh juices and a summer roll at Leafy Greens.
Back to Joburg
Head home around 2pm so you have time to rest before starting a new week!
What is the Cradle of Humankind?
What even is the cradle of humankind? That’s what I thought the first time I heard about this historical area. When I first think of human’s ancient ancestors, I think of Lucy in Ethiopia, not a place just 40 minutes outside of Joburg. However, fossils of our distant mammal-like ancestors, which lived more than 200 million years ago, have been found in South Africa.
“Mrs. Ples” and “Little Foot” are famous ancient human relatives found in South Africa. Mrs. Ples is a nickname for the most complete skull of Australopithecus africanus, while Little Foot, a 15-year-old boy, belongs to the same species. The Australopithecus genus, with various species, is thought to be a likely ancestor of the Homo genus, to which all humans belong. These remains are estimated to be around 2.2 to 3.5 million years old.
Sterkfontein Caves
The Sterkfontein Caves are a fantastic geological site. When I visited, the caves were closed. Check the website for the latest information and double-check by calling ahead.
Many hominids (like Mrs Ples and Little Foot) and other animal fossils have been found in the caves. Additionally, near the Sterkfontein Caves, a collection of burnt bones was found that revealed how our ancestors learned to master fire more than 1 million years ago!
A disclaimer for the caves from the website that is important to note: Please wear comfortable shoes when going to the caves and leave your handbags and other luggage behind. There are a number of tight spots and pathways to negotiate in the caves and it is not advisable to do the tour if you are claustrophobic. It is also not advisable for people who suffer from acute asthma or chest problems to do the tour as there are a lot of stairs.