After nearly three years of silence, one of South Africa’s most treasured historical sites has come back to life.
The Sterkfontein Caves—part of the famous Cradle of Humankind UNESCO World Heritage Site—have reopened to the public, offering visitors a chance to witness the wonder of archaeology in real time. Closed since 2022 due to severe flooding that damaged the entrance, the caves are once again welcoming curious minds eager to explore the roots of humanity.
Nestled just 50 kilometers from Johannesburg, these caves are home to some of the oldest and most important hominin fossils ever discovered. Fossil technician Itumeleng Molefe, whose father helped unearth the famous Little Foot skeleton, now carefully brushes ancient soil in search of new secrets from the past.
“My aim is to find important bones here,” said Molefe, who joined the excavation team in 2013. One of his proudest finds? A fossilized human hand bone—an intimate connection to a life lived millions of years ago.
The reopening comes with a new twist: visitors can now experience archaeology up close. With hard hats on and flashlights in hand, they walk through 2.5 kilometers of softly lit caverns, watching live excavations and learning about early humans who once roamed the region.
“It’s not just a tour anymore. It’s an invitation to witness history unfolding,” said Professor Nithaya Chetty of the University of the Witwatersrand, which manages the site.
Before the pandemic, the caves drew up to 100,000 visitors a year. Their closure left a void in South Africa’s cultural and educational landscape. “Everyone felt like we were missing something,” reflected Professor Dominic Stratford, recalling the joyful chatter of schoolchildren who once filled the site.
To keep that spirit alive, a temporary fossil exhibit has been set up nearby, including a chance to view the iconic “Mrs Ples” skull—an astonishingly complete Australopithecus africanus fossil discovered in 1947.
As visitors now wander through the chambers, guide Trevor Buthelezi shines his torch across shimmering rock formations and toward a shadowy tunnel that leads to an underground lake. “It’s a beautiful space,” he says, his voice bouncing gently off the ancient walls. “Africa gave rise to humanity. That’s not a small thing.”
For those hoping to see Little Foot—the most complete hominin skeleton ever found—that chance will come in September, during South Africa’s Heritage Month. Until then, the caves themselves continue to whisper the stories of our ancestors to those who listen.