Robben Island Half Day Tour with Pre-Booked Ticket from Cape Town
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Cape Town, South Africa
+38
- 3 to 4 hours (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Offered in: English
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Overview
What's Included
- Robben Island Museum Entry Ticket and Tour
- Former prisoner Guide
- Return Robben Island Ferry tickets
- Choose correct option: International Travel rate, SA ID = “South African Rate
- Food and drinks
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- The Nelson Mandela Gateway To Robben IslandV&A Waterfront, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa
Nelson Mandela Gateway V&A Waterfront, Dock Road, Cape Town (located at the Clock Tower Precinct) Directions: 1. Head to the V&A Waterfront 2. Look for the red-and-white Clock Tower – a prominent landmark. 3. The Nelson Mandela Gateway is the large modern building right next to it.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
1
Robben Island Museum
3 hours • Admission Ticket Included
Table Mountain (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- What to bring Your passport/ID or a copy of your passport/ID or a photo of your passport/ID on your phone
- We will need Full names of all participants in your group. Dates of birth for any minors under 18 years of age
- Please note that the confirmation message you received from the Viator, and other partners' platform is not your actual ferry ticket, we will issue the ticket a day before the activity.
- Please ensure that you add your proper information such as the correct country code and mobile number because your tickets will be sent via WhatsApp or iMessage or email.
- For South African travellers, please enter the ID number of each adult in the “Special requirements” box when making the booking.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 100 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.4
based on 213 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
It was a bit crowded but fairly nice , should put ac while waiting to the ferry . The guide tour on the bus was very nice , the guy who was an ex prisnor on the island wasnt so clear
I don't know if describing the tour with fantastic, wonderful or magnificent would be appropriate for this type of tour. I can say it was informative, thought-provoking and eye-opening. I have our guide James, for inmate, to thank for the experience. It was James 1st day as a guide yet he was so comfortable and relaxed, sharing his experiences with quite a large group. He gave depth to his experience and life to each inmate he had encounter. James gave us a vivid picture of what took place on Robben Island without expressing bitterness. 10/10, higly recommend.
Response from Host, Nov 2026
Thank you for your thoughtful review and recommendation! We’re deeply touched that James made such a meaningful impression, especially on his first day as a guide. His courage in sharing his experiences is truly inspiring, and we’re glad his stories brought Robben Island’s history to life.
Great experience from the well organised departure remember to have ID with you tickets taken through security then into the boat . It’s very comfortable staff helpful informative video before arriving at robben island . Bus trip lady was great her great grandfather was in prison she had a copy of his book so sad what they put up . Then we were passed to an inmate from the prison . He was informative taking us to his cell and Nelson Mandelas explaining about the conditions which were appalling . I’ve just ordered his book to read when back home . Boat trip back was great we saw penguins on Robben island great value for money
Response from Host, Nov 2026
Thank you for sharing such a wonderful review! We’re delighted you enjoyed the well-organised tour, knowledgeable guides, and powerful firsthand stories from a former prisoner. It’s lovely to hear that you found the experience so meaningful and even spotted penguins along the way. We truly appreciate your recommendation!
Excellent tour very well organised and informative. The talk from the ex prisoner was very enlightening .
Response from Host, Nov 2026
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We’re delighted you enjoyed the well-organised tour and found the former political prisoner’s firsthand stories so enlightening. We truly appreciate your support!
The tour was phenomenal and so educational. The time spend was off on the app. The ferry left 40 minutes late, not viators fault, but we didn't get back from the tour until much later then predicted which threw off plans for prepaid dinner reservations. Made it very stressful.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for your feedback! We’re delighted you found the Robben Island tour educational and memorable. We sincerely apologise for the ferry delay and the stress it caused with your dinner reservations. Unfortunately, ferry schedules are managed by Robben Island Museum, and unexpected delays can occur. We truly appreciate your understanding.
This is very informational tour. We learned a lot about the culture and political history of South Africa. Seeing the penguins and seals & nice sightseeing views in the island are special additions to the tour. The ferry ride is very nice.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for your lovely feedback! We’re delighted you enjoyed learning about South Africa’s history while experiencing the beautiful scenery and wildlife of Robben Island. We’re glad the ferry ride added to your memorable experience!
Great experience
Left pier at 10:40 back just after 14:00
Great tour taken around by bus, good way to see most of the island.
I highly recommend this tour
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for your lovely feedback! We’re delighted you enjoyed exploring Robben Island and found the bus tour a great way to discover its history. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again!
There’s a 5 min walk or so at the end of the tour back tothe ferry.
Great to hear from someone who had been imprisoned there.
A sobering experience but one people should recognise. Really glad we went.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! We’re really pleased you had the opportunity to hear directly from a former prisoner. It’s such a powerful and emotional part of the visit, and we’re glad you found it worthwhile. We truly appreciate you choosing to explore this important piece of history with us!
It was a very well organised and thought provoking visit. Having a former political prisoner as a guide really brought everything home. Thanks Sparks!
Roger and Rosie
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you so much, Roger and Rosie! We’re delighted you had such a meaningful experience at Robben Island. Hearing history firsthand from a former political prisoner truly makes the visit unforgettable. We’ll be sure to pass your kind words on to Sparks!
As you are sitting in the prison a former prisoner (a dissident not a criminal) gave a powerful talk on what he experienced at the prison.
The tour was a really interesting lesson in history.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for sharing your experience! Hearing directly from a former political prisoner makes the history of Robben Island deeply personal and powerful. We’re so glad the visit left a lasting impression and gave you a meaningful insight into South Africa’s history.
Candy was amazing! She was so accommodating and knowledgeable. She never allowed one minute to spare without providing information and knowledge of South Africa. That is a great example of what a Tour guide needs to be everywhere. Also, she made sure everyone had their pictures, she personally took the time to take each one and get the perfect shot! Her driver P was on point! Very safe driver and he knew his way around. Wow! I am so impressed and it’s like I left with a friend in South Africa! I will bring my family back and do another tour with Candy!
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We’re delighted that Candy and P made your tour so memorable. We’ll gladly share your kind words with them and look forward to welcoming you and your family back!
The ferry ride was rough and very bumpy. The island only accepted cash for waters and snacks which we didn’t bring and no one told us in advance so we were not prepared. The tour was very informative and it was interesting to get led around by someone who went to the prison. Definitely something to do if you have extra time.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re sorry about the rough ferry ride and the inconvenience of not knowing about the cash-only facilities. We appreciate your feedback and are glad you found the tour informative and meaningful.
The stories of the former prisoners are heart breaking. They are also inspiring because these people fought for their beliefs. They continue to teach us tolerance and respect for our fellow human beings.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for your thoughtful feedback. We’re glad the former prisoners’ powerful stories inspired reflection on courage, tolerance, and respect. We truly appreciate you sharing your experience.
interesting experience with great insight from an ex inmate, makes you realise how bad people can be to each other
great views of the city from the boat and island
added bonus with some wild penguins on the rocks at the snack/loo stop
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for your thoughtful feedback, We’re glad you found the former prisoner’s stories insightful and enjoyed the beautiful views and unexpected penguin sightings. We appreciate you sharing your experience!
Not just the sight, but the stories about the past and the people who told them made an impact. An walk through the past with an insight in how to build a future. Happy to have brought the next generation to feel this.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for your thoughtful feedback! We’re delighted that the personal stories and history made such a meaningful impact. It’s especially wonderful that you shared this experience with the next generation, helping them understand the past and reflect on a better future.
Very interesting tour of the grounds and the tour guide who spent time as a prisoner was fascinating and engaging. The overall experience from getting on the boat to getting back to the dock was almost 4h 45m, much longer than advertised. The coordination between when the tours on the island end and when the ferry boats leave is not smooth and we sat on the ferry at dock for about 45 minutes because the previous one left right before our tour ended. Give yourself a bit of extra time if you’re tightly scheduling.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for your detailed feedback! We’re glad you found the tour informative and the former political prisoner’s stories fascinating and engaging. We appreciate your comments regarding the ferry delays and overall duration, as these are helpful for future visitors when planning their day.
A great experience overall. Whilst the bus tour around the island is informative with a fabulous guide, the bus is dirty and old. I was in the middle with two seats between me and the window so saw absolutely nothing. Everything changed however once we entered the prison and the tour was conducted but an ex political prisoner. There just happened to be an ex guard on the tour who stood up with him and gave another perspective of life on Robben Island. It was graphic but not all history is a happy story. We all thought it was well worth the trip and came away better informed
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for your thoughtful feedback! We’re glad you found the tour informative and especially valued the powerful firsthand perspectives inside the prison. We also appreciate your comments regarding the bus condition and visibility, and we’re pleased the overall experience left you better informed.
This is not a private tour. The tour is run by the Robben Island Museum, which runs the ferry and the tours through the prison. Guides, all former Robben Island inmates, tell it like it was from personal experience. Excellent!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for your thoughtful feedback! We’re glad the smooth pickup and insightful island tour made your experience memorable. Hearing the history firsthand from a former political prisoner made the visit especially powerful and meaningful.
This tour was done with an ex prisoner. He gave us a lot of information what life was like in prison. He also told us what it is like now and how hard it is to make a living.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for sharing your experience. Hearing firsthand from a former political prisoner provides a powerful and personal insight into life on Robben Island, both during imprisonment and after.
Ferry left on time and tour guide was very knowledgeable. Had a great time. The top deck on the Ferry fills fast. Cool to sit on the stern and look at the water and engines work.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for your wonderful feedback. We’re pleased that the ferry departed on time and that the knowledgeable guide made your tour enjoyable and informative. It’s also great to hear you enjoyed the unique views from the ferry during the crossing.
Nice boat ride over to the island then you do a bus tour around the island and quite a bit of walking which was so nice. Lucky was our guide and he had spent 5 years in this prison and showed us the life of prisoners. He was very interesting. He really made the tour. The girl that was the speaker on the bus gave lots of good info. After getting off the bus we got a cookie and a water at a little store where you can see PENGUINS!!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for sharing such a detailed review. We’re delighted that the ferry ride, island bus tour, and prison visit made the experience so memorable. Lucky’s firsthand stories offered a powerful insight into life as a prisoner, and we’re pleased the informative commentary and unexpected penguin sighting added to your day!
It was an incredibly moving experience and the tour guides were fantastic. So knowledgeable and one of the guides was a former political prisoner. It really gave you such an appreciation for how much they have accomplished.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for sharing your thoughtful feedback. We’re pleased that the knowledgeable guides, especially the firsthand perspective of a former political prisoner, made the experience so powerful and meaningful. It’s wonderful to know the tour gave you a deeper appreciation of their resilience and achievements.
Excellent tour if Robben Island, every moment was informative, including videos on the boat to and from the island, a general bus tour of the island narrated by a younger guide, and an in-depth tour of the prison led by a former political prisoner. He knew people wanted to see Nelson Mandela’s cell so he made sure to let us know we were going there, but we got great details on life for the prisoners, including an insane racial hierarchy on the quality of food. Very sad that many of the ex prisoners still seem to struggle even after the end of the apartheid regime. The boat logistics were handled smoothly and professionally.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for the thoughtful review! We’re glad you found the Robben Island tour informative and moving, especially the firsthand stories from a former political prisoner. We’re also pleased everything was organised smoothly.
Excellent tour and experience visiting Robben Island! Highly recommend a visit. Booking through this group was easy however I think it’s cheaper booking directly with Robben Island. Beware, the ferry ride is no joke. If you ever even get a little seasick, this will make you feel nauseous - take meds ahead of time!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for your feedback and recommendation! We’re delighted that you had an excellent experience visiting Robben Island and found the booking process easy. Third-party bookings may differ in price from booking directly, as they can include additional booking assistance, coordination, or other services. We also appreciate you sharing your experience of the ferry crossing—sea conditions can certainly make the journey quite an adventure!
It was short lived, we got a full explanation but we did not visit the whole area as I expected. The tour guides are good at what they do, I appreciate them.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for your feedback. We’re glad you appreciated the guides and the explanations they provided. We understand that you expected to explore more of the area, and we appreciate you sharing this with us. Your comments are valuable and help highlight where the overall experience could be improved.
In was a very good tour learn a lot of history abut South Africa the two different tour guys were very informative about what went on in a place that shouldn’t never open as a jail
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for your thoughtful review, We’re pleased that you enjoyed the tour and learned so much about South Africa’s history. It’s wonderful to hear that both guides were informative and helped bring the history of Robben Island to life.
It is a very moving experience when shown around by a former political prisoner on the tour. All the guides were really knowledgeable and professional. Only negative was bus tour was on a over full bus meaning we could not sit together or even see much out of wimdow as no seats free. On saying that would recommend anyone in Cape Town please do this tour, it opens your eyes to Apartheid
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for your thoughtful review. We’re pleased that the former political prisoner and knowledgeable guides made your Robben Island visit such a moving and eye-opening experience. We also appreciate your feedback regarding the crowded bus and understand how this affected your comfort and views during that part of the tour. Thank you for still recommending this important experience to other visitors to Cape Town.
Poignant experience. Excellent that the tour of the cells was given by an ex prisoner. Sharing his experience of the degradation and humiliation they endured during captivity.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for your thoughtful review. We’re pleased that hearing directly from a former political prisoner made your Robben Island visit such a poignant and meaningful experience. Their firsthand stories offer a powerful perspective on the hardships endured during imprisonment and bring this important history to life.
Robben island experience was great, the issue is the agency that charges double the amount you pay when you buy tickets from the harbor. This is a robbery because when I call to cancel i was denied to do so
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your feedback. We’re glad you enjoyed your Robben Island experience. We’re sorry you were disappointed with our cancellation policy. As stated at the time of booking, cancellations made at least 24 hours before the tour qualify for a full refund. This policy exists because Robben Island tickets often sell out, and last-minute cancellations prevent other guests from booking. The same 24-hour cancellation policy is applied by Viator, Tripadvisor, and Booking.com. Our pricing reflects not only the ticket but also the advance booking service, reservation management, and customer support we provide.
Wonderful tour! Amazing presentation from a former prisoner, he expressed his experiences with such passion. Quite emotional and heart warming.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for your wonderful review. We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your visit to Robben Island. The firsthand stories shared by former political prisoners are truly powerful, and we’re pleased that the guide’s passion and personal experiences made the tour both emotional and memorable for you. Thank you for sharing your experience with us.
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per personWas $59.00(-5%)
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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