Half Day Robben Island Tour with Customizable Options
Description
"Explore our range of options tailored to your needs!" Embark on a meaningful journey from your accommodation in Cape Town to the vibrant the Nelson Mandela Gateway where you will get the ferry heading to Robben Island Museum, your experience continues with an insightful tour led by the former political prisoner, allowing you to hear firsthand accounts of resilience and hope. The excursion lasts approximately four hours, including convenient hotel pickup and drop-off. While our driver will not accompany you during the Robben Island tour, you'll enjoy a bus ride around the island, followed by a poignant visit to Nelson Mandela's jail cell, where you’ll learn about his 18 years of imprisonment and the long struggle for freedom. This tour is an essential opportunity to delve into South Africa's rich history, making it a powerful and impactful experience you won't want to miss! This tour starts at Mandela Gate Way.
Tour Options
Itinerary
One of the most popular museums in South Africa, Robben Island excursions are best planned well in advance. This half-day package guarantees a hassle-free vacation by including round-trip transportation from your Cape Town lodging and museum admission. Make reservations in advance to prevent disappointment on the day of the event after visiting Nelson Mandela's cell and learning about the island's lengthy history. Make reservations well in advance to avoid disappointment. With a round-trip transfer from your hotel, you'll enjoy a hassle-free trip. You'll see the cell Nelson Mandela was held captive for 18 years.The prison tour will be led by a Robben Island Tour Guide. (Please note that our tour guide/driver will not be joining you on the tour of the Robben Island museum.) For part of the tour, you will be transported around the island by bus, before you visit the prison cell of Nelson Mandela and your Tour Guide and driver will meet you at the entrance of the Nelson Mandela Gateway.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We will pick you up from any accommodation around Cape Town City Centre. Or you can provide us with your location around Cape Town City Centre. Atlantic Seaboard, Camps Bay, and any other earlier of your choice. One hour before the ferry departure please . Only for the option with Hotel pick up
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Pick up is Excluded in A Legacy of Resilience Option
- Meet our Guide at the Meeting Point for Guidance
- One Hour before the activity time
- WhatsApp platform is Open 24/7 for mor enquiries
- We will need the Passport or ID on the day of Activity
Reviews(98)
Joseph was a great driver and gave us information as we went over. He took care of getting the tickets for us and making sure you were in the right place and giving us ideas about the layout of the V&A atea after we were done. Of things to do. The tour of the island itself was fabulous. It was a bus ride, and then we sat and heard from an actual gentleman that had been a prisoner there. Overall, just a wonderful educational experience.
A visit to Robben Island is not for the faint of heart. Stories from former inmates who experienced daily and cruel torture and deprivation of basic human rights for years brought tears to my eyes and fellow travelers. For those who want learn from the bleak period in South African history you should not miss this opportunity when you visit Cape Town
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us! We are delighted to hear that you had a great time. Your feedback is invaluable to us and helps us continue to provide excellent service. We hope to see you again soon for another memorable experience!
The tour guides were great, and Samuel who picked us up from the hotel was wonderful!! The tour was closer to 6 hours instead of the 4 hours advertised, and Samuel waited patiently to take us back to the hotel.
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us! We are delighted to hear that you had a great time. Your feedback is invaluable to us and helps us continue to provide excellent service. We hope to see you again soon for another memorable experience!
30min boat trip to the island and then 1hr guided tour around the island and prison including getting to meet a former prisoner.
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us! We are delighted to hear that you had a great time. Your feedback is invaluable to us and helps us continue to provide excellent service. We hope to see you again soon for another memorable experience!
unparalleled wine country experience
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us! We are delighted to hear that you had a great time. Your feedback is invaluable to us and helps us continue to provide excellent service. We hope to see you again soon for another memorable experience!
Really moving tour as you are shown around the island and prison by former islanders
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us! We are delighted to hear that you had a great time. Your feedback is invaluable to us and helps us continue to provide excellent service. We hope to see you again soon for another memorable experience!
This was my first time in Cape Town, and I wanted to understand the country’s history without spending 6-7 hours on a tour. The half-day customizable option was ideal. We picked the 9am slot and were back at the V&A Waterfront by 1pm, which left us time to explore the waterfront in the afternoon. The ferry ride was smooth, and the staff on board were helpful with safety instructions and timing. On the island, the bus tour was well-paced and gave us context about how Robben Island was used for lepers, mental health patients, and political prisoners before it became the apartheid prison we know today. The prison tour was the most impactful part. Our guide spoke about daily life — the food, the labor, the communication between prisoners, and how they maintained hope. He didn’t speak with anger, but with a quiet pride that was inspiring. The customizable aspect meant we could skip the souvenir shop stop and spend more time at the actual cell blocks, which I appreciated.
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us! We are delighted to hear that you had a great time. Your feedback is invaluable to us and helps us continue to provide excellent service. We hope to see you again soon for another memorable experience!
It was my birthday yesterday, but paid full price. N it was supposed to b free.... If i can get my refund.. As the robben Island crew were not happy about this as well...
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re sorry for any confusion regarding birthday complimentary tickets. Please note that our company is not affiliated with the complimentary offers sometimes provided directly by Robben Island — those arrangements must be made with them. As your booking was made online through Viator, the full price applies to reservations made via this platform. For any refund or special request, we kindly recommend contacting Robben Island directly, as they manage such promotions independently. We truly appreciate you choosing our Half Day Robben Island Tour and hope you enjoyed the experience despite this misunderstanding.
It was an outstanding experience all around. Our driver, Joseph, made sure we were well taken care of. He picked us up from our hotel promptly. explained the logistics of the day, gave us water, made sure we were safely on the boat to the island, and was waiting for us upon our return. He was very pleasant and also told us about the history of the island. He was a real.pleasure! The ferry boat ride was comfortable and clean. On the way there and on the way back, there was a presentation about the history of Robbens Island and its inhabitants. Very well done and informative. Once we arrived on the island, we had two tour guides...i e for the bus ride around the island and another who walked us through the prison. Both shared moving very personal experiences about Robbens Island and apartheid. While I am very saddened that apartheid happened, I am also uplifted by the string spirits of these freedom fighters and all persons who worked to end it.
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us! We are delighted to hear that you had a great time. Your feedback is invaluable to us and helps us continue to provide excellent service. We hope to see you again soon for another memorable experience!
We were told to meet at the Clocktower. We were there at the appointed hour, but nobody was there to meet us. Als a result we missed our ferry to the island. When I contacted the operator, they said nobody was gonna meet us. Not sure why we booked with Vito or the operator since there was no value added. Skip the upcharge and secure the ticket yourself. You’ll be better off.
We regret the misunderstanding regarding your meeting arrangements. Please note that all information related to this tour, including the tickets , was sent in advance via WhatsApp to the number provided at the time of booking. Our team remains committed to ensuring guests receive clear guidance and support, and we apologize if this communication was not received or caused confusion. We appreciate your feedback, as it helps us strengthen our processes and improve the experience for future travelers.
