Robben Island Half-Day Tour from Cape Town
About this activity
Highlights
- Explore Robben Island's rich history
- Visit the former prison of Nelson Mandela
- Enjoy scenic boat ride from Cape Town
- Learn about South Africa's apartheid era
- Experience guided tour by former inmates
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Shared hotel pick-up and drop-off transfers
- Shared guide/driver and vehicle
- Robben Island boat trip and museum ticket
- Meals, drinks, and gratuities
Itinerary
Pick up at accommodation in Cape Town will be between 9:30 and 10:30am. 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 to Robben Island Jetty. Here you will charter a shared boat to Robben Island museum where you will be met by a resident Tour Guide 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, the 30-minutes boat trip to go, 30-minutes boat trip to return and hotel drop off. 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 at the end of the tour. Upon our arrival back at the Jetty, our Tour Guide/Driver will meet you at the entrance of the Nelson Mandela Gateway to Robben Island for your return transfer back to your hotel.
Important information
Know before you book
- Tour duration is approximately 4 hours, including travel time.
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off are included; confirm your pick-up time and location.
- Robben Island tours operate in all weather conditions; cancellations are rare.
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable walking shoes and weather-appropriate clothing.
- Bring a valid ID or passport for entry to Robben Island.
- Be prepared for a boat ride; seasickness remedies are advisable if prone.
Cancellation policy
0All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
Accessibility
- Easy Public Transport
Traveler reviews
Over 110% markup on official ticket
Booked Robben Island tickets and later discovered the price was more than double the official ticket price when buying directly from Robben Island. This significant markup was not clearly disclosed at the time of booking, and I only realized it after the tour. Talking directly with Beyond Africa Safaris I pointed out that they pray on tourist by adding 110% on the original price. A practice which does not promote long term customer satisfaction. The argument went to deaf ears. While the tour itself was ok it was NOT run through Beyond Africa Safaris but through the standard museum guides meaning that the company only resells tickets at double the price. The price transparency was disappointing and materially affected my experience. I recommend checking the official provider’s website before booking to avoid paying substantially more for the same activity.
Comfortable, stress free drive, followed by fascinating tour
Our driver was Zaine, and he was really nice, and he had a good laugh with my children on the way there and back. The drive was comfortable, and the tour was excellent. It is such an important part of history and is also a World Heritage site. Our guide was a political prisoner at Robben Island who had met Nelson Mandela in real life, which gave the tour incredible real-life insight. We really enjoyed our day and would recommend this tour.
Robben Island Roulette
None . Booking two days and cancelled both days . Very nice pick up driver Tommy full of good tips and information of things to do with our day after our disappointment.
It was nice experience I will recommend any day..Because is nice
I just love everything about the place..Getting to know more history….memorable place to visit and know more history
Reality of Robin Island small group tour
On the voucher they didn’t specify the pick up time so I had to initiate conversation previous day of the tour. The tour starting time on the voucher as 10 but they changed it to 9 without asking me. After the tour they were late for pick up. Entire operation was unprofessional and unworthy of the price tag.