Ancient Voices: Exploring Human Origins & Wildlife in South Africa with Dr. Don Johanson

October 2010

Recipient of the Explorer’s Club Medal, 2010

Join world renowned paleoanthropologist Dr. Don Johanson, Founding Director of the Institute of Human Origins (IHO), in an exploration of South Africa’s most beautiful coastal scenery and famed wildlife reserves. Click here for more details. Your private journey, led by Dr. Johanson and limited to a small group of like-minded sophisticated travelers, will immerse you in the best South Africa has to offer while learning about your ancient ancestors and African wildlife. Visit IHO’s active archaeological dig on the famed Garden Route where early Homo sapiens once dined on fine shell fish in the chilly ‘comfort’ of their primitive cave dwellings. This long-range project (awarded the largest National Science Foundation grant ever given in archaeology) focuses on a series of caves along the magnificent Garden Route which contains one of the world’s most dense concentrations of archaeological remains ever unearthed, yielding a fascinating documentation of the origins of humankind.

Continue along the coastline towards Cape Town and the Grootbos Nature Reserve, located in the heart of the Cape’s Unique Floral Kingdom. One of the world’s richest and smallest bio-spheres, the fynbos reserves are home to the greatest number of endemic plants on earth. Enjoy the best of the Cape’s superb cuisine and exclusive wineries in Franschhoek, a picturesque village in the heart of the lovely Cape Winelands. Here distinctive Cape Dutch architecture and spectacular scenery serve as a wonderful backdrop to your experience of the exceptional wines and cuisine of the area.

No trip to South Africa is complete without a visit to Africa’s most exclusive private game reserves, ideally located adjacent to Kruger National Park’ 5 million acres. View African wildlife from open safari vehicles or on walks guided by top professional guides. Return each evening to experience more of South Africa’s unparalleled service, exquisite gastronomy and the luxury of your private 5 star villa.

DR. DON JOHANSON

…is famed for his discovery of Lucy, a 3.2 million-year-old hominid skeleton which he unearthed in Ethiopia’s remote Afar region in 1974. In today’s scientific community few men have created the kind of excitement and controversy that Donald Johanson has brought to the field of paleoanthropology…. the kind of attention usually reserved for rock stars! Johanson’s book, LUCY: THE BEGINNINGS OF HUMANKIND, winner of the American Book Award in Science, intimately chronicles his discovery of the remarkable 3.2 million-year-old Lucy skeleton and highlights its importance for comprehending who we are and where we came from. Human ancestor finds far more ancient than Lucy have been recovered, but she remains the benchmark in paleoanthropology by which all other discoveries are judged.

Currently Johanson is the Founding Director of the internationally respected Institute of Human Origins, a human evolutionary ‘think tank’ he founded in 1981. Through research, education and sponsorship of scholarly interaction IHO fosters the pursuit of integrated solutions to the most important questions regarding the course, cause and timing of events in human evolution. At present, Johanson’s primary goal is to further IHO’s prominence by attaining a position of world leadership in the study of human origins and evolution.

Johanson is a frequent lecturer at universities and other forums, worldwide. He has co-authored nine books now available in ten languages and has published in the National Geographic Magazine and innumerable scientific journals. Johanson hosted and narrated an Emmy nominated 3-part PBS/NOVA series entitled IN SEARCH OF HUMAN ORIGINS. He is an Honorary Board Member of the Explorers Club and the 2010 recipient of the Explorers Club Medal, a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and many other professional organizations, and recipient of several international prizes and awards.

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