Half Day Experience in Robben Island Museum From Cape Town
Description
This is an all-in-one ticket that includes the ferry ride to and from Robben Island as well as admission into the Museum. One ticket for everything. With this ticket, you will board the ferry to Robben Island at the V & A Waterfront. This will be a brief 30-minute ride onto the famous Robben Island. Upon arrival, you will be welcomed by the native, ex-inmates who will take you around the maximum security prison for about 2 hours. At the Robben maximum security prison, you will be shown the cells where political activists were held for many years. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about the violent past of South Africa through the eyes of an ex-inmate. Your guide will gladly answer any questions that you may have regarding the prison. You will also be shown the actual prison cell that held Nelson Mandela during his incarceration on the island. After such an eye-opening experience, you will be board the ferry back to the V & A Waterfront. A final, brief 30-minute ferry ride.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Delve into South Africa’s troubled past on a visit to the infamous Robben Island. Take a ferry ride from Cape Town across to the island, for an informative tour of the site, including the cell where Nelson Mandela spent much of his incarceration. Your journey starts at the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V & A Waterfront in the Silo District. Here, board the ferry for the 30-minute ferry ride across to Robben Island. Alight on the island and join a guided tour by an ex-political prisoner who will tell you about the island's rich history. The tour route includes the graveyard of people who died from leprosy, the Lime Quarry, Robert Sobukwe’s house, the Bluestone Quarry, the army and navy bunkers, and the maximum security prison where thousands of South Africa’s freedom fighters were incarcerated for years. Your tour ends with Nelson Mandela's actual prison cell where he spent a large part of his 27-year incarceration. Return to Cape Town will be via ferry ride.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Not recommended for travelers prone to sea sickness
Reviews(27)
The ferry experience was less than desired. It was late leaving and even later arriving back causing us to miss our next tour. The people on the ferry were excellent but we were late for no known reason.
A lot of confusion with our tickets when we arrived at the museum. We entered all details (passport etc) when booking but these details were not in the system and there was a question mark over whether or not we could board the ferry due to headcount; even though we had confirmed tickets. Otherwise the tour of Robben Island was great and the history of what happened on the island heartbreaking. Worth a visit. Just make sure you have all tickets confirmed.
45 minutes before was checked in, the best places at the top of the window were quickly taken.On the way there were dolphins to see.On the island of penguins and on the jetty in Cape Town lake seals.The bus ride took a long time,the explanations were too long.The tour with the former prisoner was difficult to understand if you don't speak perfect English.More boards that you can translate would be helpful.
Very interesting. Ex prisoner giving talk was excellent as was the guide on the bus. The tour was at 11 am and we were lucky as due to winds the afternoon tours were cancelled.
Hello Thank you for taking the time to leave such a kind review. We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the talk from the former prisoner and found the bus guide engaging as well. We’re also glad the 11 am tour worked out for you, especially with the weather affecting later departures. We really appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you back again in the future.
Hearing about the history of the prison was great. Doing the bus tour around some of the island gave a great insight to the way of life there.
To do but too bad not to understand everything of the English guide. No waiting everything is well organized. Memorial in progress
The tour was grounding and sombering. I returned with great respect for the ex prisoners of Robben Island after hearing first hand narration from one of the “ex-cons”
We never received the tickets we purchased and had to purchase further tickets from another source. This caused stress when we went to board the ferry.
Thank you for sharing your feedback, and we’re very sorry to hear about your experience. We completely understand how stressful it must have been not receiving your tickets as expected and having to purchase new ones at the last minute. This is certainly not the level of service we strive to deliver. We would like to investigate what went wrong and ensure this doesn’t happen again. Please reach out to us directly at +27 075 8442 with your booking details so we can review the issue and arrange the appropriate resolution. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate you bringing this to our attention.
As a student visiting Cape Town from the Eastern Cape, I had the privilege of joining a tour with Raw Tours, and it was one of the most eye-opening and memorable experiences of my life. Being able to walk through places like Robben Island and Table Mountain, which I had only read about in books, made me feel so inspired and connected to our country’s history and beauty. The guides were welcoming, patient, and very informative. They made the stories come alive and were happy to answer questions — I learned so much while having fun. Everything was well organized, safe, and comfortable, which is something I really appreciated as a young traveler. Thank you, Raw Tours, for making this possible. I’ll never forget this journey, and I’ll definitely encourage more students from home to experience it too!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review and for choosing Raw Tours during your visit to Cape Town! We’re thrilled to hear that your experience with us was both educational and inspiring. It’s always our goal to bring South Africa’s rich history and natural beauty to life, especially for young travelers exploring these iconic sites for the first time. We’re so glad you felt welcomed, informed, and safe throughout the tour our guides will be delighted to hear your kind words. Your encouragement for other students to join means a lot to us, and we hope to welcome you back again for more adventures in the future.
My friends and I had the most amazing time touring with Raw Tours! From the moment we were picked up, we felt like VIPs — everything was fun, well-organized, and stress-free. The guide was not only knowledgeable but also super friendly and great at keeping the energy up throughout the day. We laughed, explored, learned, and took so many beautiful photos together. Whether it was the stunning views, the hidden gems around Cape Town, or the great company, every moment felt special. It was the perfect time for my friends and I to explore the mother city. We have stayed in Cape Town all our lives but never seen most parts of it I’m glad I chose Raw Tours to guide us through this experience. If you’re planning a group outing or just want to create amazing memories with your people, Raw Tours is the way to go. 10/10 — we’re already planning the next one!
Thank you so much for sharing your incredible experience with Raw Tours! We’re thrilled to hear that you and your friends had such a fun and memorable day exploring Cape Town with us. It’s always rewarding to know that even lifelong locals can discover new sides of the Mother City through our tours. Our team works hard to make every experience seamless, engaging, and full of energy so it’s wonderful to hear that you felt like VIPs from start to finish. We truly appreciate your kind words and your recommendation, and we can’t wait to welcome you and your group back for the next adventure!
