When to go
Best time to visit Sterkfontein Caves
Which hour, which day and which season suit a visit to the caves, and the days when there are no tours at all.
Book the cave and Maropeng tour ↗Quick answer
Go on a weekday morning in term time, on one of the first tours of the day. The caves run tours on the hour from 09:00 to 15:00, Tuesday to Sunday (read on 6 November 2026), with up to 30 people each. An early tour leaves time for the museum and laboratory afterwards. The cave stays at about 20°C all year, so the season only changes the surface half of the day.
The best hour
Take the 09:00 or 10:00 tour if you can. An early start leaves the rest of the day for the museum, the laboratory and the exhibition, which you can see at your own pace after the cave. A late tour works too, but the 15:00 tour runs until about 16:00 or later, when the site closes, so anything you have not seen by then you miss. Older guides mention a 16:00 tour. On 6 November 2026 the last tour on the caves' own website and on the booking calendar was 15:00.
The best day
Tuesday to Thursday is usually the easiest choice. Mondays have no tours at all, which catches people out on a long weekend. Saturdays and Sundays bring day-trippers from Johannesburg and Pretoria, and school groups fill some weekday slots in term, so check before you assume a tour has room. Each tour takes 30 people and there are seven tours on a normal day, which is not many for a site this well known. Book ahead if you have only one day.
Days the caves are closed
Wits lists the caves as closed on Mondays, on 25 December and on 31 December. Other pages give different holiday closures, such as Good Friday and New Year's Day, so check the caves' own website around any public holiday. Wits itself advises phoning on the day to confirm tours are running, particularly during holidays. The Maropeng visitor centre, a short drive away, opens every day.
Which season
The cave has no season. The weather above is another matter. The Highveld summer, from about October to March, is green and warm, with thunderstorms that tend to build in the afternoon, which is one more reason to go in the morning. Winter, from about May to August, is dry and clear with cold early mornings and bleached grass. April, May, August and September often give you mild, dry days. Inside the cave, it can be wet underfoot at any time of year.
School holidays
South African school holidays bring families from across the country, and the long summer break starts in December. If your dates fall inside a school holiday, book your tour hour ahead rather than planning to walk in. Outside those weeks, a midweek morning is about as calm as the site gets.
How long to allow
Two to three hours on site is about right. The cave takes 1 to 1.5 hours, and the rest goes on the laboratory, the exhibition, the museum and the walk above the excavation. The Curious Café on site does quick food if you want a break. If you are adding Maropeng, its exhibition takes about 45 minutes to an hour, so an early cave tour leaves time for both.
Read next: How to get to Sterkfontein Caves from Johannesburg
Frequently asked questions
What is the best time of day to visit?
A morning tour at 09:00 or 10:00. It leaves time for the museum and laboratory before the site closes at 16:00.
Are the Sterkfontein Caves open on Mondays?
No. Wits lists Tuesday to Sunday only. Maropeng, the separate visitor centre, opens every day.
What time is the last tour?
15:00, on the caves' website and the booking calendar as read on 6 November 2026. Older pages may still say 16:00.
Does the season change the cave?
Not the temperature, which holds at about 20°C. Season only changes the surface: summer brings afternoon storms, and winter brings dry, cold mornings.
Do I need to book ahead?
It is wise at weekends and in school holidays. Each tour takes 30 people. Wits sells on its own website and on site, and it advises phoning on the day.
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