Tourism Minister, Derek Hanekom, and Mayor of Mogale City, Patrick Lipudi, were present on the day to cut the ribbon across the giant granite stones which serve as an entrance to Stone Park and are designed as stone tools to symbolise human endeavor and industry.  Managing Director of Maropeng, Michael Worsnip, introduced the special occasion, as well as Minister Hanekom, Mayor Lipudi, and CEO of the Cradle of Humankind and Dinokeng Project, MakhukhuMampuru.

Heritage Day encourages South Africans across the spectrum to celebrate their cultural heritage and the diversity of their beliefs and traditions. After years of Apartheid the Heritage Day public holiday is an attempt by the government to bring South Africans together in mutual understanding of each others’ respective cultures.

The Stone Park was designed and com­plet­ed by award-win­ning land­scap­ing firm FSG late last year. A rolling green land­scape punc­tu­at­ed by strik­ing gran­ite pieces make the space con­tem­pla­tive and artis­tic. It was the ide­al set­ting for the Cra­dle Colour Fest, due to the event being held at the begin­ning of spring, one of the most beau­ti­ful times of year in the Cra­dle of Humankind.

The site is an important World Heritage Site as it represents the story of human development and how humans craft their environment to suit their needs. The park can be used for a variety of events such as picnics, concerts, weddings, gatherings or festivals. After the unveiling of the Human Impact picnic site, Maropeng hosted its first-ever festival event called the Cradle Colour Fest, inviting visitors to celebrate their shared history and heritage, or experience the local cultural history and celebrate the diverse cultures of the South African nation.

The colourful festival was a fun event for all ages to celebrate and hosted appearances and performances by a number of South African artists, musicians, fashion designers and dancers such as DJ Dino Bra­vo and The Fos­sils. The festival was a collaboration with a number of South African organisations including the SA Department of Arts and Culture, Gauteng Tourism and Go West!

The Cradle of Humankind is globally recognised as the world’s richest hominin site, home to around 40% of the world’s human ancestor fossils. It is also where the discovery of Homo naledi took place, fossils that scientists date from between 335 000 and 236 000 years ago.

The Maropeng Visitor Centre and Sterkfontein Caves give tourists the opportunity to explore the history of humanity, captured in preserved fossils in the museum, or explore the caves where many of the fossils were found.

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Guests of The Blue Train, which usually travels between Cape Town and Pretoria,  can expect 19 hours of pampering on board, as the train departs Pretoria at 15h00, arriving in Hoedspruit at 10h00 the next morning, or vice versa.

This is also an ideal option for those with a tighter itinerary wanting to experience The Blue Train, compared with the longer Cape Town journey.

The upcoming Blue Train Safari departures from Pretoria to Hoedpsruit:

• October 19, 2018.
• December 14, 2018.
• July 19, 2019.
• September 27, 2019.

The Blue Train Safari departures from Hoedspruit to Pretoria:

• October 20, 2018.
• December 15, 2018.
• July 10, 2019.
• September 28, 2019.

Contact us for more information at info@southernafrica360.com adding this experience to our holiday package.

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