What To Expect

What‘s Included

Reviews

• Meaningful Visit

  toshioo2026,,Feb 20, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  The ferry ride itself already nice, good views of the city and Table Mountain. Once on the island, the tour is very meaningful. The highlight for me was seeing the prison where Nelson Mandela was held. Standing inside his small cell really makes you reflect. What I appreciated most is that some of the guides are former political prisoners, so when they share their stories, it feels very real and personal. Not just history from textbook. Overall, not a fun attraction but definitely an important one. If you are visiting Cape Town, I think this is a must-go at least once. Just book tickets early because it can get full quite fast.

  

• History Told from the Heart

  jimrE7713BA,,Feb 13, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  I truly enjoyed hearing the history shared by the former political prisoner. His story was deeply moving and profoundly touching.

  

• Nice tour

  dialed2026,,Feb 10, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  I strongly recommend the tour

• An unforgettable journey into history

  richardkQ7275WL,,Feb 6, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Robben Island is a truly meaningful experience. The tour is well organized, and hearing the stories directly from former political prisoners makes the visit incredibly powerful. Walking through the prison and seeing Nelson Mandela’s cell brings South Africa’s history to life in a way that books simply cannot. Highly recommended for anyone visiting Cape Town.

• Robben Island Tour

  Cyprian O,,Jan 29, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Great experience, personal testimonials made it very real and impactful. Both the tour bus tour guide and the prison guide were wonderfully engaging.

• Disappointed but worthwhile

  kingyd2017,,Jan 17, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  2.00

  Unfortunately, we were disappointed with our tour of Robben Island and the prison. On arrival, we were escorted directly onto buses which, quite frankly, did not appear fit to be on the road. While the island tour itself was enjoyable, the experience was uncomfortable at times. Our guide, a former prisoner, repeatedly removed his shirt to show scars from his time in the prison and asked an elderly woman in the group to stand and share her own painful experiences, referring to her as “Mama.” This felt inappropriate and unsettling. The experience did not improve during the prison tour. The second guide focused heavily on graphic descriptions of torture and the horrors that took place there, which became overwhelming rather than informative. Our main concern was the lack of personal time on the island. Visitors are required to follow a tightly controlled schedule, with no opportunity to explore independently. After both the island bus tour and the prison tour, we were allowed only around 30 seconds at Nelson Mandela’s cell. As a result, the day felt long, rushed, and emotionally exhausting

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

• From the booking to the...

  Astrid T,,Jan 8, 2026

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  From booking to picking up the tour everything perfect. Even for a poor English speaker everything perfect.

• Excellent Historic Site, Misleading Third-Party Pricing

  Sahil M,,Jan 3, 2026

  - Review from Viator

  1.00

  Robben Island itself is absolutely worth visiting. The island has real historical weight, and the prison tour was informative and well delivered by a former political prisoner. That part of the experience fully lived up to expectations. The pickup and drop-off were handled by Faisal, who was punctual, friendly, and professional throughout. Transport logistics worked smoothly. However, it’s important to be very clear about what you are actually paying for when booking this through Viator via Cape Oasis. Cape Oasis is not the official tour operator and has no involvement in the Robben Island Museum tour itself. The ferry, island visit, bus tour (40 people), and prison tour are exactly the same standard experience you get by booking directly with the Robben Island Museum. Tickets purchased directly from the museum cost 600 ZAR per person. Those of us who booked through Cape Oasis paid nearly three times that price, yet were placed on the same large bus with guests who had paid the standard rate. There was no small-group experience, no specialized access, and no enhanced guiding — despite the implication that this was something more premium. Cape Oasis simply adds a very significant markup for a pickup and drop-off service. For context, an Uber to the CBD ferry terminal costs around $5. This became clear once on the island, and there were many visibly unhappy customers who realized they had paid a premium for no added value. While the destination and official museum tour are excellent, the way this experience is marketed through Viator/Cape Oasis is misleading and feels like a complete rip-off. This is something Viator should review carefully, as the pricing and positioning do not align with what is actually delivered.

• A touching experience

  mariskaeteric,,Dec 18, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Thank you very much for this memorable day A big thank you to the driver who picked us up and brought us back. It was a very touching experience especially with our guide who was a former prisoner.

  

  

  

  

• Please visit and learn.

  Stay574680,,Dec 14, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Very informative, very moving, would definitely recommend to anyone. It is educational and emotional. The sensitivity was handled very professionally. The organisation of the whole trip was very good.

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