The excursion will start from Johannesburg ORT Airport and will drive to the Wit Mfolozi, Pongola Supergroup (3.2-2.9 Ga) carbonate deposits with stromatolites, returning to Johannesburg for an onward flight to Kimberley. From Kimberley the trip will visit Neoarchean stromatolites in the Griqualand West region, including the Ventersdorp and Transvaal Supergroup stromatolites, returning to Kimberley airport where the excursion will end.

Archean stromatolites are archives of the earliest life on Earth. South Africa possesses the best examples of Archean stromatolites. These examples include the Wit Mfolozi carbonate platform of the Pongola Supergroup and the spectacular, world’s largest Neoarchean giant stromatolite platform of the Transvaal Supergroup, including the superlative outcrops of the Boetsap waterfalls. These famous outcrops will be visited during this excursion.

A visit to the world famous Kimberly Big Hole Diamond Mine and Museum will be possible on a private basis, as well as visits to the spectacular Galagadi (Kalahari) National Park, Augrabis Falls at Orange River, one of world’s largest waterfall, when in flood season.

Difficulty grade: moderate walking of no more than 5 km in an easy bush terrain but occasional farm fence climbing is required. Overnight accommodation in simple guesthouses, farms and hotels.

Field Trip Leader: Wlady Altermann and Ms. Vusani V Mathada (BSc Hons), Dept. of Geology University of Pretoria
Start: O R Tambo Johannesburg (flight included)
End: Kimberley Airport (flight included)
Departs: 12:00 PM
Dates: 8 days, Sunday 4th to Sunday 11th September 2016
Price: R 29 700 per person sharing with single supplement of R 3 200 per person

Info from Trip Leader

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