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Robben Island Tour: Discover Mandela's Prison and Experience a Historic Boat Ride
4.9
56 Ratings
Cape Town Central
Embark on a captivating Robben Island tour to explore Nelson Mandela’s prison, enjoy a historic boat ride, and hear stories from former prisoners. Transfers, lunch, and tickets included!
Embark on a captivating Robben Island tour to explore Nelson Mandela’s prison, enjoy a historic boat ride, and hear stories from former prisoners. Transfers, lunch, and tickets included!
Duration:
5 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Cape Town Central - Enjoy a brief pause at a fascinating location.
-
Robben Island Museum - Discover the story of a former prisoner who rose to become the President of the Rainbow Nation.
Embark on a tour of Robben Island, the site where freedom fighters, including former President Nelson Mandela, were held captive. This landmark stands as a…
- Cape Town Central - Enjoy a brief pause at a fascinating location.
- Robben Island Museum - Discover the story of a former prisoner who rose to become the President of the Rainbow Nation.
Embark on a tour of Robben Island, the site where freedom fighters, including former President Nelson Mandela, were held captive. This landmark stands as a unique emblem of the human spirit’s victory over adversity, suffering, and injustice. With a rich, 500-year-old, multi-layered history, it attracts thousands of visitors annually who seek to appreciate and pay tribute to the significant elements of South Africa’s history that the Island embodies.
Collection from City Centre Hotels & Sea Point Hotels
- Sea Point - Capture a photo at Madiba’s cherished location.
What's Included
- Transfer from City Centre /Sea Point hotels
- Robben Island ticket
- Lunch
- Bottled water
- Additional photo stops at surprising locations! pre or post Robben Island tour
- Transfer from City Centre /Sea Point hotels
- Robben Island ticket
- Lunch
- Bottled water
- Additional photo stops at surprising locations! pre or post Robben Island tour
What's Not Included
- Excludes driver/guide gratuity Optional
- Excludes driver/guide gratuity Optional
Additional Information
Two transfers are provided from Cape Town City Centre or Sea Point hotels, including return trips with engaging stops and lunch, along with water and sweets.
The Robben Island Ticket is included:
- The guide will provide the ticket upon arrival at the Gateway.
- Board the boat to Robben Island. Please note: there may be a long queue as there are two…
Two transfers are provided from Cape Town City Centre or Sea Point hotels, including return trips with engaging stops and lunch, along with water and sweets.
The Robben Island Ticket is included:
- The guide will provide the ticket upon arrival at the Gateway.
- Board the boat to Robben Island. Please note: there may be a long queue as there are two boats, each carrying 279 passengers.
- A Robben Island guide will lead guests on a bus tour around the Island.
- Visit Nelson Mandela’s prison and some shrines of former Java/Indonesian political prisoners.
- Opportunity to hear stories from a former prisoner about their experiences during the apartheid era.
- Return boat trip to the mainland followed by a transfer back to the hotel.
Please apply sunscreen.
Bring a jacket as it can be windy at times.
Arrive 30 minutes early at the Gateway with your guide, who will accompany you to the boat.
Sea sickness tablets are recommended for those prone to sea sickness.
Wear comfortable clothing and shoes.
The minibus accommodates a maximum of 15 people, and the boat accommodates up to 279 people.
- Please note supplier may change boat schedules there for we will initially confirm your booking depending on availability Times may differ of pickup we will send a note to advise best time available which boat time we can confirm thank you
Location
Cape Town Central
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(56 Ratings)
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1 star
Dorisk_c
Mar 12, 2025
Guide was accommodating... - Guide was accommodating of my scooter…. Time on island was great, but I wish we’d had more time there on our own to explore
Review provided by Viator
Pamela_d
Oct 6, 2024
Faz saved the day and the day was perfect👌🏽 - I could write a book, but I won’t!
Came to Cape Town with a large group. Robben Island was part of our tour package that we pre-booked and paid for. My husband was so looking forward to visiting Mandela’s cell. The night before we were told our tour was cancelled because of the weather.
That morning I got online and it was sold out everywhere until I found Faz! She confirmed our tickets, picked us up, she is a God send! On our way to the boat she gave us so much history! She is a wealth of knowledge.
She ended the evening by taking us to this great restaurant. She knows everyone as she is so friendly. She even gave us gifts for our children. We loved her so much that we booked her again to take us around the next day.
Throughout the tour she took candid pictures and videos of my husband and me. She felt like family, she’s the best!
Review provided by Viator
Richardda6839xq
Sep 20, 2024
Cape Town’s best kept secret. - Had spent several hours trying to get short notice tickets to Robben Island. Then we found Faz, yes she could get the tickets we desired and would confirm by 8am the next day which was also the day we needed the tour! We were very excited to find that she had secured the golden tickets for us. Picking us up from our hotel Faz immediately began explaining her plans for the day as she also enthusiastically and knowledgeably explained the sites we were passing by. Robben Island was amazing in particular the guide who was an ex inmate, it was a very moving experience. On our return Faz met us again took us to more special places and also bought us a restaurant lunch. By the end of the day Faz was like family and she went out of her way a week later to bring us some gifts she had made for our three grandchildren. Fantastic ambassador for her country, we thoroughly recommend her. Top dollar but you get what you pay for, well worth it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
V9373gqlarrym
Dec 9, 2023
So much more than a visit to Robben Island! - We are a married, retired couple from a Midwest city. We took this tour on our third day in Cape Town, before leaving on a cruise the fourth day.
Faziela is a mother of six, the owner of the tour company, and an effervescent, delightful woman. She is very chatty and vivacious, which suited us just fine. We quickly were comfortable with her, and she handled everything smoothly and made everything convenient for us. We were fetched from our hotel and transported safely in a comfortable vehicle, and she had pre-arranged the Robben Island tour tickets for us. Yes, you can take an uber and buy your own tickets, if that's all you want to do. What you get with this experience is safety and security, a guarantee that you will have tickets for an early ferry to Robben Island, and a lovely time with a special local person.
After we returned from the ferry tour, Faziela treated us to a special surprise. I won't spoil it for you, but I will say that one significant benefit of booking with Faziela is that she maintains excellent contacts with folks at establishments throughout the City, and this means you can have experiences you would not otherwise have. We finished our tour with a drive around the City to point out a few special sites, with photo opportunities. In addition to her other wonderful qualities, Faziela is an excellent driver.
All in all, it was like being taken care of by a favorite auntie. We highly recommend booking with Faziela.
Please note we are not reviewing the tour of Robben Island itself. Faziela is not permitted to give a tour of the Island, as it is staffed by its own guides. You may read elsewhere about touring Robben Island and the pros and cons. Faziela arranges for the tickets and transports you to the ferry, then meets you on your return for the balance of the tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Paulette_l
Nov 27, 2023
Great experience! - I had an unexpected extra day in Cape Town and decided to visit Robben Island. Faziela was the only one able to get a ticket for the next day. She was very efficient and easy to communicate with. I definitely recommend her!
Review provided by Viator
Annmariar2023
Oct 11, 2023
Wonderful!!! - My first solo trip and the tour guide was wonderful. Best part, I was picked up and dropped off at my hotel so I didn’t have to worry. The tour itself was good. I was in a very large group so as per my tour guide…stay up front so you can hear. We had a surprise lunch after and it had amazing views. I highly recommend this tour guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lpark77
Aug 26, 2023
Last minute trip to Capetown… - Faziela was professional, knowledgeable and the friendliest person we met in Capetown. Last minute decision to spend 24 hours in Capetown before we headed back to the US….and so glad we found her. Highly recommend her….you won’t regret it!! Wish we could have stayed longer.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Navid_f
Aug 17, 2023
Excellent tour. The tour... - Excellent tour. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and generous. No complaints and would highly recommend
Review provided by Viator
Davidhs1911lc
Aug 4, 2023
Excellent fun with a lovely host - Faz was an excellent host, she sorted out last minute tickets the island (it was sold out but she managed to get some still!), and also showed us bits of Cape Town that we hadn’t yet seen. Thanks Faz!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Steve_d
Jul 23, 2023
Worth the cost - The tour of Robbed Island exceeded my expectations. The guides were friendly and well versed on the history of the island.
Review provided by Viator
