Robben Island Guided Tour with Ferry and Hotel Pickup

Recommended by 90% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Cape Town, South Africa

Popular pick

Booked 10+ times last week!

4 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
Pickup offered
Group discounts
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Explore our promoted experiences

Robben Island Ferry Ticket &Guided Prison Tour with Pick-up& back

Cape Town, Western Cape

4.5

(84)

Robben Island Ferry Ticket &Guided Prison Tour with Pick-up& back

from $56

Price varies by group size

Cape Town, Western Cape

Full Day Private Tour in Cape Town. With free photo shoot.

from $172

Cape Town, Western Cape

Garden Route & Botlierskop Game Reserve 4 Days from Cape Town

from $1,839

Price varies by group size

Viator earns higher commissions on experiences featured here

Overview

What's Included

Air-conditioned vehicle
Pre-Booked Ticket to Robben Island Museum shared Ferry (Booking Time slots: 9am, 11am, 1pm, and 3pm)
Shared Tour Guide Located at Robben Island
Bottled water
Parking Fees
Private vehicle and driver pick-up and drop-off at the hotel.

Gratuities
Lunch

Meeting and Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

We will meet you at the arrivals hall, where your driver will be ready and waiting. If you prefer, we can also pick you up from your hotel or any location within a 15-kilometre radius of Cape Town City Centre. This flexible pickup service ensures a convenient start to your journey, allowing you to relax while we take care of your transportation needs. Whether you’re just arriving in the city or require pickup from another location, our friendly driver will be on hand to assist you, making your experience seamless and enjoyable. Enjoy peace of mind knowing you’re in good hands as you begin your adventure in Cape Town.

Meeting point

The Nelson Mandela Gateway To Robben Island
V&A Waterfront, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa
We can meet at the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V&A Waterfront. It’s a central and easy-to-find spot for travelers, so that should work perfectly

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Cape Town Central

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Robben Island Museum

4 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Cape Town Central

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Infants must sit on laps

Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 100 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.7

based on 21 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Robben Island Experience

Arnold_M, Mar 2026

This was a very memorable and educative experience from start to finish. The entire tour experience was very well organised.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Thank you very much for your kind review! We’re delighted to hear that you found the Robben Island tour both memorable and educational, and that everything was well organised from start to finish. Your feedback truly means a lot to us. We hope to welcome you again on another great experience in the future!

First cheaper to buy on...

steve_w, Mar 2026

First cheaper to buy on site. Be aware you are really rushed in a large group. No time to even read, look at additional displays that are between stops while touring prison. Interesting but be aware of the many shortcomings. I wouldn’t recommend unless you really just want to see it

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Thank you for your feedback. As tour operators, we always do our best to ensure the tour takes place, even for last-minute bookings, by securing ferry tickets and organizing the logistics for our guests. The tour on Robben Island is managed by the official guides, and group sizes and timing are controlled by the museum. We appreciate your comments and are glad you still found the visit interesting. 🌍

The trip was very well...

Dianne_M, Feb 2026

The trip was very well organized from beginning to end. The tour guides were knowledgeable, engaging and thoughtful. It was a very sobering subject but one that everyone should hear about. The tour was very well done and we highly recommend it.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Thank you very much for your kind and thoughtful review! We’re delighted to hear that you found the Robben Island tour well organized from beginning to end and that our guides made the experience engaging and meaningful. It’s truly a powerful and sobering part of history, and we’re honored to help share those important stories in a way that resonates with our guests. Your recommendation means a great deal to us. Thank you again for choosing to tour with us—we hope to welcome you back on another experience in the future!

Enjoyable but ripped off

Christine_L, Feb 2026

The actual trip to Robben Island was good, but there was no opportunity to walk around or take photos of particular buildings such as the little Chapel or church. The first hand accounts of life on the island by ex-prisoners was sobering and thought provoking. However my main concern is how Viator sold this trip. We paid around £96 for this trip (2 adults) but the day before the event the local tour operator demanded a further Rand 1000 because they had bought the wrong tickets! South African citizens pay a lower entrance fee than international visitors. Believing I was being scammed, I checked the official Robben Island website, the difference in fees was Rand 200 per person so I should have only been asked for this additional sum, which I was happy to pay. I challenged the tour operator and got some BS about them having to bulk purchase tickets in advance and having to cover admin costs etc although these were not fully explained. I had no choice other than to pay the additional amount (about £50 equivalent). I would urge others to check terms and conditions when booking and ensure that the correct tickets are being purchased by 3rd party agents on your behalf.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Thank you very much for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re glad you found the Robben Island experience meaningful, and we’re sorry for the confusion and frustration caused by the ticketing issue—this is not the standard we aim for. We appreciate your understanding and will use your comments to improve clarity and communication going forward.

Great tour. Very ...

Joe_O, Jan 2026

Great tour. Very informative . Very good ex prisoner descriptions of the hardships endured . Great to see such history with The cell of. Elsie Mandela

Response from Host, Jan 2026

Thank you so much for your kind review. We’re really glad you found the tour informative and meaningful. Hearing firsthand accounts from former prisoners adds a powerful and personal perspective to the hardships endured, and we’re pleased that this resonated with you. Visiting significant spaces such as the cell of Nelson Mandela is always a profound experience, and we’re grateful you took the time to share your thoughts with us.

Excellent tour guide👍👍

Janice_M, Dec 2025

Excellent tour with excellent guide Excellent tour with knowledgeable tour guide. Very enjoyable……..

Response from Host, Dec 2025

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the Robben Island Guided Tour and that your guide helped make the experience meaningful and memorable. It’s great to know you had such an enjoyable time from start to finish. We truly appreciate you choosing our tour and hope to welcome you back on another adventure soon!