Cape Town: Robben Island Tour: Pre-Booked Ticket and Transfers

Overview

Available languages

English

Mobile ticket

This half-day package includes museum admission and round-trip transfer from your Cape Town accommodation, making your trip hassle-free. Robben Island is one of the most visited museums in South Africa and is best booked well in advance. Take a moment to reflect on your voyage back to the mainland after learning about the island's long history and seeing Nelson Mandela's cell.

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible

Service animals allowed

Public transportation options are available nearby

Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap

Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

Book in advance to avoid disappointment on the day

Round-trip transfer from your hotel ensures a hassle-free trip

Benefit from the historical insights of your small-group guide

See the cell that confined Nelson Mandela for 18 years

For transfers, kindly provide your residential address at least 24 hours prior to your travel date. Please note that we don't accommodate transfer requests for last-minute bookings.

For South African travellers, please enter the ID number of each adult in the “Special requirements” box when making the booking.

Cancellation Policy

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

What‘s Included

Entrance fees to Robben Island

Hotel pickup and drop-off

Air-Conditioned Vehicle with WiFi on Board and Bottled water

Lunch

Gratuities

Pickups/Drop off Are not offered for South African Citizens

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

What To Expect

Cape Town

Pick up at accommodation in Cape Town. You will receive a shared transfer from your hotel in Cape Town to the Silo District where you will be escorted to the Nelson Mandela Gateway.

Admission Not Applicable

Robben Island Museum

We will make our way to the Silo District where you will be escorted to the Nelson Mandela Gateway. Here you will charter a shared to Robben Island museum where you will be met by a former political prisoner who will conduct the tour of the Island. (Please note that our tour guide/driver will not be joining you on the tour of the Robben Island museum.) The entire tour lasts +-4 hours which includes hotel pick up. For part of the tour, you will be transported around the island by bus, before you visit the prison cell of Nelson Mandela and take the long walk to freedom. Upon our arrival back at the Jetty, your tour guide or driver will meet you at the entrance of the Nelson Mandela Gateway. . Visit the man-made facilities . Get to see where isolate South African leaders, including Jacob Zuma, Kgalema Motlanthe, and Nelson Mandela . Explore African penguin

3 hours • Admission Included

Options

Transfer Not Included

Self-Arrival Option: 4-Hour Guided Experience – Tickets included, but transportation to and from your hotel isn’t provided with this option
Pickup included

International Travelers

International travelers : Scheduled tour time corresponds to the ferry's departure from the harbor to Robben Island. Pickup service included
Pickup included

South African Citizens Only

Self-Arrival Option : 4-Hour Guided Experience - Tickets included, but transportation to and from your hotel isn’t provided with this option
Pickup included

South African Citizens

Use your ID number instead of a passport number to confirm your booking. The listed times are for the ferry's departure.
Pickup included

Reviews

4.21

141 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Ryan was courteous and on time.
adrienneg714,
Nov 16, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Our driver Ryan was courteous and on time. Would use this company again. He had got us to the port to catch boat to Robbens Island and told us exactly what we needed to do
Mixed experience
Lorraine H,
Nov 10, 2025
- Review from Viator
3.00
This was a mixed trip. The tour guide mixed up the start times and did not respond to my messages. I had to call Viator to get them to do anything. You can do this tour without a guide. All they did is pick us up and drop us off and buy the ticket. The tickets are readily available on line. The tour is interesting but depressing. The guide was an ex prisoner and that was interesting. He was mixed as a guide and did not give history of Mandela. It is really a prison tour not a history of Mandellas stay. I would have skipped it if I had known what it was.
A must do/see/experience.
Silverback19,
Nov 8, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Great tour bus guide around prison, then handed to two ex political prisoners. One guy locked up at the age of 15 for 8yrs. The other 20yrs. And now they’re excellent guides discussing their lived experience in the actual cells they were locked up in. You’ll have to go to hear these inspiring, sad, inspirational, shocking, revelations and stories, when you go yourselves. Real life, real lives modern day history. A must see like, Birkennau, Auschwitz, St Quentin and Alcatraz.
Fantastic driver for...
Krish T,
Nov 7, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Fantastic driver for hotel pickup. Incredible experience on Robben Island. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Viator always delivers!
Clarence A,
Oct 22, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
This tour is an incredibly moving experience. It’s starts with a personal pickup at your hotel. Then a ferry boat over to the island. The tour is largely guided, by bus and then on foot. There is an option to walk around on your own. Then reverse trip to return to hotel.
Booking accepted but then cancelled
junegamber,
Oct 13, 2025
- Review from Viator
1.00
Booking was accepted & payment taken - then cancelled less than 2 hours later. Payment took 4 days to be refunded. No further availability during our break. Booked easily with alternate provider
A place of suffering, but a symbol of strength & hope
Merlee J,
Oct 10, 2025
- Review from Viator
4.00
The actual tour with a political prisoner as the guide was the highlight of this tour. The downer? it was a big group with some rowdy tourists that takes away the solemness of the place.
Dissatisfied
Mwangi K,
Oct 9, 2025
- Review from Viator
1.00
Disappointed. Poor communication. Unprofessional Tour cancelled by you at the point of boarding the boat.
Humbling tour!
502sunithak,
Oct 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This tour was very well coordinated in spite of its size which was about 200 people. It had hotel pick up and drop off and getting on and off the ferry was easy. The tour at Robben Island was very informative, part of it was conducted by a former prisoner which gave us an insight into their experiences. The other part of the tour was done by a local guide who was very engaging. This tour was overall well organized and must do!!
Humbling tour
Sunitha K,
Oct 4, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
This tour was very well coordinated in spite of its size which was about 200 people. It had hotel pick up and drop off and getting on and off the ferry was easy. The tour at Robben Island was very informative, part of it was conducted by a former prisoner which gave us an insight into their experiences. The other part of the tour was done by a local guide who was very engaging. This tour was overall well organized and must do!