Robben Island Tour: South Africa's Freedom Journey

33 Ratings

Cape Town

Save

View Gallery (16)

Explore Robben Island’s history on a half-day tour. Visit Nelson Mandela Gateway and uncover South Africa’s fight for freedom. Book your enriching journey now.

Duration: 4 hours

Cancellation: 24 hours

learn more

Highlights

Robben Island Museum - Our driver will pick you up from a designated location for your convenience and transport you to the Clock Tower at the V&A Waterfront. Alternatively, arrive at the Nelson Mandela Gateway to Robben Island in the Silo District of the V&A Waterfront 30 minutes before your scheduled departure. Be sure to have a copy of your…

What's Included

V&A Waterfront - historic harbor, modern hub of culture and business
On-board WiFi
Licensed Guide
Hotel Pickup and Drop off
Robben Island Ferry Ticket
Bottled water

What's Not Included

Alcoholic beverages
No other language guide is available unless specifically requested at an additional cost.

Additional Information

Discover the rich history of South Africa on an unforgettable journey to Robben Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site that played a pivotal role in the country’s fight for freedom. Begin your adventure at the iconic Nelson Mandela Gateway in the vibrant Silo District of the V&A Waterfront. This experience is not just a tour, it’s a journey through…

Location

The Silo Hotel

We will keep in touch, but kindly wait at the entrance of the Zeitz Museum to ensure the guide can easily find you.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings

4.1

(33 Ratings)

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Aneemiller

Oct 14, 2025

A wonderful look at the past. - Excellent tour - great guide and extremely well presented - both the physical environment and the commentary. Not too many on the tour. Could have spent more time but it was jam packed with information and visual experiences. Everyone should hear of the past so we do not repeat!

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Brad

Oct 13, 2025

You get exactly what’s advertised. It was good, educational, worth doing in my opinion. - This perfect for what it was. A tour of a famous prison with historical, political and cultural significance. I think 4 stars is the max for what it is. It’s not Courtside NBA seats.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Nick-deena

Sep 25, 2025

Cape Oasis great, Robben Island not so :) - Cape Oasis were really good. It was the Robben Island part which wasn't super impressed with. You have to do it and there is no other way. But the first part which is a bus tour unless your lucky to be at the front you can't hear the guide if sat at the back. This could be easily overcome. The second part of the tour which is the prison i's self was interested as your guide is an ex inmate, so informative. Personally i would have like a little time to myself to look and maybe read more about the history.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Culture259876

Sep 23, 2025

Very interesting - It was a very interesting insight to what prison life was like. We had a guide that was an ex prisoner between 1984-1989 talking about his experience at the prison. It was a very humbling experience we crossed over on a ferry to the island where we were taken around the island on the bus and then to the prison cells where Nelson Mandela’s prison cell was. also the round-trip takes between four hours. Only felt it would have been nice to have a look around a bit at the end. But you have to be back on the same ferry you came on so you only get about 2 hours on the island. It just felt a bit rushed. But still worth the visit, it put a lot into perspective.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Ernest_b

Sep 12, 2025

For the history buff… - Great experience and there is a lot of unknown history. The tour guides were great but their presentations were so long that it ate into some of the time to see the prison.

Review provided by Viator

Allan_r

Sep 1, 2025

Robben Island - a history ledsom - Robbin Island had been closed for about 3 months and it showed. There were difficulties gettting on the vessel as all digital tickets could not be read. This caused a decent delay. Then on island our bus wouldn’t start. More delays. Finally got to cell blocks but our guide ( an old political prisoner) was slow and talked for too long. Finally got back to mainland over an hour later than expected. It is a must do tour if in Cape Town but overall I would rate it average.

Review provided by Viator

Arlene_c

Sep 5, 2025

Nelson Mandela Robben Island Prison Tour - The first guide on the trip was very difficult to understand as she used the microphone full blast and all her words were extremely loud and not able to understand. We didn’t understand anything she said on the bus. The second guide who had been a former prisoner spoke with us outside in a circle with no microphone. We were standing on the outside of that circle and could only hear part of what he said. Only people standing right next to him could hear. When the group went into the prison and sat down, we could hear much better. I would recommend not trying to speak with a large circle of people outside, it didn’t work. We wanted to know about when and why Mandela was arrested so the past history was not talked about, only his life in prison.

Review provided by Viator

Danielle

Nov 4, 2025

Just book directly with the museum - Don’t bother booking with this company. There is no difference to booking directly on the Robben Island Museum website which ended up being almost half the price of what we paid via this booking. The only difference I can tell is the hotel pickup which we did not need. When we arrived at the ferry terminal and then at the prison we were not in a specific tour group, just with everyone else who had booked directly. Save your money. Robben island itself is well worth the visit and was an incredible and sobering eye opening experience. The tour guides are former inmates and will tell you their stories.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

H700ntcathym

Oct 8, 2025

SCAM TOUR COMPANY SELLING FAKE TICKETS - Booked through Cape Oasis Travel on Trip Advisor but THIS TOUR OPERATOR IS A SCAM. When I arrived to board the ferry the real ticket office advised my ticket was fake and the tour company is a scam. As a result I could not do the tour to the island.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Kim_b

Jul 21, 2025

Cancelled - This trip was cancelled by the operator and I am still waiting for a refund! After messaging them I am still yet to receive a response or a refund!

Review provided by Viator

Check Availability

From $64

up to 15 guests

1 - Adult