Declared a Unesco world heritage site in 1999, the Cradle of Humankind, north-west of Johannesburg has made great strides.
The Sterkfontein Caves used to take centre stage, especially in the light of the discovery of "Mrs Ples" in the late 1940s. The caves, with its poor facilities, were never really so hospitable to visitors. Times have changed, however, and the caves now have world-class facilities and, together with the Maropeng Centre - just minutes away - form part of the Cradle of Humankind experience.
It's a worthwhile day visit to escape the pressures of suburbia and you can teach your children that they are descended from monkeys or similar apes (depending on your mood).
As I left the fringes of the suburban sprawl behind, I entered crisp-green hills with vistas to the Magaliesberg.
This is an area in which to learn more about early hominids, our rich geological history and even the more recent Anglo Boer War. Despite studying anthropology and not really being a proponent of evolution, I was sceptical at first, but the displays at the caves and Maropeng left me in no doubt as to the existence of these early and extraordinary creatures.
Facts are facts ... there was an early type of man, an erect creature, but whether we evolved from them or they were a separate species is left for you to decide.
Sadly, the Sterkfontein Caves were mostly destroyed in the 1890s as its ancient formations were mined for their lime to supply the rapidly expanding building needs of Johannesburg during the gold rush.
But special attention has been paid to what remains - new paths and fantastic tourist guides that know their stuff. But take a step back, before entering the caves.
The outdoor facility boasts a relaxing coffee shop on an elevated wooden deck that looks out to the distant Magaliesberg range.
It's a place to unwind before the 45-minute underground tour. It's worth spending at least half an hour in the display area, where the intricacies of fossil finding is explained, as well as seeing fossils from local archaeological sites and, of course, a replica of the skull of the now-world famous Mrs Ples, who turned out to be a Mr after careful examination of the skull (not of the nether regions as these were never found).
There were theories as to how Mrs Ples found her way into the cavern, which included even an ominous tale of an encounter with a Sabre Tooth Tiger - apparently not the smallest and friendliest of the prehistoric mammals.
Mrs Ples was discovered in 1947 by Dr Robert Broom, a Scottish doctor-cum-midwife turned fossil-finder who came to South Africa to explore the "origin of mammals" and never left.
He preferred bones to screaming infants.
The hominid skull started a renewed study into these ancient creatures. This particular species was named Australopithicus africanus, but you can just call her Mrs Ples - it rolls off the tongue easier. It's also easy to roll off one of the paths, so comfortable shoes are a necessity.
The pathways up to the caves, dotted with fascinating geological information giving insight into how ancient this region actually is, are fascinating.
Also of interest, 2.8 billion years ago the area was the shore of a vast inland sea (sadly ,it dried up, making it necessary for us to drive to the coast each December).
From there it's down a relatively long staircase into the depths of the caves, where the rock dates back to 4 million years.
There is never a feeling of being closed in, but rather awe at the beauty of the enormous halls, complete with formations that, according to the guides, resemble all sorts of animals and famous people.
I failed to see them. Perhaps I should have opted for a gin and tonic in the midday sun rather than coffee, then I would have seen whatever they wanted me to.
There are still fossils and fossil dig sites in the cave, gated off but still active under the auspices of the University of the Witwatersrand archaeological faculty.
But there was one section where the slightly taller of us had to do a bit of Houdini-type movement to get through a section of the cave - though it's short-lived, it may just leave you with a dolomite-induced bump on your head.
The exit to the cave pays tribute to the discoverer of Mrs Ples in the form of a bronze bust of Broom inspecting Mrs Ples. Gone is the dusty return path and in its place is a scenic elevated pathway past the surface diggings, a walk that takes one through the indigenous surrounding flora back to the centre. Every nook and cranny has informative signage giving you a feeling of the area's importance - not just to our country but geologically and archaeologically to the world, thus its Unesco status.
Minutes down the road is the main Maropeng Centre, dominated by an unusual grass-covered dome known as the Tumulus. Look out for footprints left by modern-day leaders in the concrete. Including former president Thabo Mbeki's rather small feet. (He is not an Australopithicus africanus.)
The Tumulus resembles a low grass covered pyramid which is, in fact, a giant reincarnation of an ancient African burial mound.
On entering the building, I spiral to the bowels of the building for a boat ride, which is not just any aquatic adventure but rather a drift through the formation of the earth as it is explained in various sounds, landscapes and rumblings.
Be warned, take note of the storyboards, as it explains what you will endure on the boat ride.
In my rush I ignored these and didn't understand why I was bobbing through a tunnel in a tube having cold and hot air blasted on to me with loud sounds of thunder. Read the boards and it's a ride children and adults will enjoy.
On leaving the "Disney-esque" experience behind, a large 3D visual earth video gave me a quick narration of our planet's formation, how the continents were joined and that once upon a time we wouldn't have needed to fly 12 hours to emigrate to Perth.
The display hall is vast and fascinating for kids and adults (I see myself as both, so enjoyed the interactive learning games of human development).
As with the caves, evolution is a continuous theme. There are fossil examples, models of the early apes and a look at the races and their dispersion through the globe, citing Africa as the "cradle of humankind". Whether you agree to disagree or accept it as is, it's a fascinating experience.
Rounding off the exit is an exhibit of fossilised insects, such as our favourites, flies and mosquitoes, which I was glad to hear were around to pester the dinosaurs. There are remarkable examples of these, preserved in resin (tree sap) that enveloped the critters eons ago and left them in mid-bite, so to speak, for us to see now.
To round off the day in the rambling hills, I headed to a gem of a restaurant, Barton's Folly, at the base of a hill housing an Anglo Boer War British blockhouse, called... Barton's Folly.
Its name is another entire story but worth a walk up the hill to see the solid stone construction and view across the berg. With its good food, good wine and a child-friendly adjoining playground along a gurgling stream, I unwound and contemplated my thoughts on the day's excursion.
Am I really descended from ape-men? I realised my paternal grandmother bore a startling resemblance to Mrs Ples and she also couldn't really walk upright but would have beaten any tiger off with her stick.
Gautengers bemoan the fact that there is nothing to do in the area. Maropeng is a definite must. It's educational, it's interesting, it's slick and well run and less than an hour from the edge of the city boundaries. Beat the Sunday blues, head for the Cradle and let its theories rock your mind.
If you go...
- It's cheaper to buy a double entry ticket at either the caves or Maropeng Centre. The caves are, however, the best starting point
- The caves and Maropeng are open daily. www.maropeng. co.za has all the latest info, times and directions. Tel 014 577 9000
- www.bartonsfolly. co.za for an excellent meal in a magnificent setting. Call Joy (who lives up to her name) 082 901 1382
