Guided Robben Island Historic Prison Tour With Pickup & Drop-off

It was great. The guys were so helpful and nice. They waited for us when our ferry was an hour late.

it was an amazing day at robben island with the guide being interactive and helpful throughout the entire trip

I had such an amazing unforgettable time. People were warm and super kind and caring. I hope to go back soon I would recommend for anybody looking to have a good time.

It was a fun trip with my friends to Robben Island and tge guide with helpful

I book this trip with my family. We had great Experience. The guide made sure, everyone felt comfortable and safe. Mostly we learned a lot about the island and history. We enjoyed it a lot.

I really enjoyed my trip to Robben Island! It was a very interesting and educational experience. I learned a lot about South Africa’s history and Nelson Mandela’s life. Definitely worth visiting!

it was an amazing trip going to Robben Island with the guide as it was a solo trip, they ensured that i was well taken care of throughout the entire trip .

It was a wonderful experience with my family seeing Robben Island and the guide made the journey easy and fun.

​Nelson Mandela's Cell: Walk through the maximum-security prison and view the small cell where Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison. ​Former Prisoner Guides: Prison tours are led by former political prisoners, offering authentic, deeply personal, and moving first-hand accounts. ​Island Bus Tour: Explores the limestone quarry where prisoners performed hard labor, historic military installations, and island ecosystems. ​Scenic Ferry Ride: Offers dramatic, open-water views of Table Mountain and the Cape Town shoreline.

The Guided Robben Island Historic Prison Tour with Cape Oasis Travel and Tour was an incredibly well-organized and powerful experience. From the convenient pickup and transfer to the island ferry, every aspect of the travel logistics ran smoothly and stress-free. Learning about the island's rich history firsthand was deeply insightful and moving. The entire journey felt seamless, highly professional, and worth every bit of the admission fee. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone looking to experience one of South Africa's most significant historical landmarks.

The experience was well organized and the staff were friendly and helpful.

Genuinely one of the best experiences i’ve had in a WHILE def value for money

Had an amazing time there with great services

I enjoyed learning about the finer details of the history around the island. Our guide was very entertaining and had a welcoming and friendly disposition that my family and I enjoyed

Experience was fantastic absolutely amazing 👏 🤩 🙌 ❤️ to be with friends and the fee is valid🥹

it was amazing the place or area was lovely the worker were nice and polite

Had a wonderful time the service was amazing

It was a great experience, I will definitely come back.

Beautiful view and scenery Fantastic for sunny day outings

It was amazing, best experience yet! Def recommend

Amazing and stress-free From the moment i arrived to the moment i got to the ferry everything was calm and peaceful with easy communication from the guide!!

It was such a great experience! Our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable. The tour was really enjoyable! I would definitely recommend!

i loved my experience, it was so fun to go with friends and just spend time together 🥰

It was such a lovely experience. It was so insightful and interesting, really enjoyed.

It went over and beyond, ten out of ten, would recommend

It was amazing to see Robben Island for the first time after learning about it my whole life , loved travelling with cape oasis

Everything was easy from the pickup to getting to the ferry. Our driver was friendly and on time. Really enjoyed the experience!

It was a stressful progress to navigate with the driver and. myself. since it was a solo trip, the instructor ensured that i was taken care of throughout the whole trip. overall it was a great experience. 10/10 would recommend.

Great service! Tickets were already sorted and we got to the waterfront with plenty of time. Made our Robben Island visit much easier

Our driver was lovely and very helpful. He waited for us while we did the Robben Island tour and was there when we came back. Thank you for taking good care of us!

Robben Island tours remind us of the dark days of apartheid. As such it is a must see for anyone visiting Cape Town. The tour provides an informative and objective briefing, which is both inspiring and entertaining.

I'ts a detailed, exceptional experience that all SA citizens should experience. Would definitely recommend

I strongly recommend the tour

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.

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

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

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.

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.

This tour was great for us because of the pick up and drop off in our hotel lobby. Our driver, Issac, was right on time. This was a great way to get to and from Robbon's Island and it was great to have someone else deal with transportation and getting the tickets.

We need to ask for timing for pickup as there’s no engagement from Viator side. Lots of things to see and experience and so far it’s been smooth as we engage them frequently. We didn’t know that we needed the ferry tickets until the guide inform us.

Firstly the operator turned up late to the meeting point, then he proceeds to tell everyone we can’t go on the trip. Not even sure what happened, the boat might have over sold the tickets. But left me having to rearrange my daily plans and not able to visit Robben Island. Would recommend trying to find a more professional tour guide.

A very informative and eye-opening tour. The guides share real stories that make South Africa’s history feel personal and powerful. The visit to Nelson Mandela’s cell is both emotional and inspiring. A must do experience when in Cape Town.

Robben Island is a must-visit. The ferry ride offers stunning views of Cape Mountain, and the tour guided by former political prisoners is incredibly powerful and emotional. Standing at Nelson Mandela’s cell is a moment you’ll never forget. Highly recommended for anyone visiting Cape Town.

Don’t bother booking with this company. There is no difference to booking directly on the Robben Island Museum website which ended up being almost half the price of what we paid via this booking. The only difference I can tell is the hotel pickup which we did not need. When we arrived at the ferry terminal and then at the prison we were not in a specific tour group, just with everyone else who had booked directly. Save your money. Robben island itself is well worth the visit and was an incredible and sobering eye opening experience. The tour guides are former inmates and will tell you their stories.

Excellent tour - great guide and extremely well presented - both the physical environment and the commentary. Not too many on the tour. Could have spent more time but it was jam packed with information and visual experiences. Everyone should hear of the past so we do not repeat!

This perfect for what it was. A tour of a famous prison with historical, political and cultural significance. I think 4 stars is the max for what it is. It’s not Courtside NBA seats.

Booked through Cape Oasis Travel on Trip Advisor but THIS TOUR OPERATOR IS A SCAM. When I arrived to board the ferry the real ticket office advised my ticket was fake and the tour company is a scam. As a result I could not do the tour to the island.

Cape Oasis were really good. It was the Robben Island part which wasn't super impressed with. You have to do it and there is no other way. But the first part which is a bus tour unless your lucky to be at the front you can't hear the guide if sat at the back. This could be easily overcome. The second part of the tour which is the prison i's self was interested as your guide is an ex inmate, so informative. Personally i would have like a little time to myself to look and maybe read more about the history.

It was a very interesting insight to what prison life was like. We had a guide that was an ex prisoner between 1984-1989 talking about his experience at the prison. It was a very humbling experience we crossed over on a ferry to the island where we were taken around the island on the bus and then to the prison cells where Nelson Mandela’s prison cell was. also the round-trip takes between four hours. Only felt it would have been nice to have a look around a bit at the end. But you have to be back on the same ferry you came on so you only get about 2 hours on the island. It just felt a bit rushed. But still worth the visit, it put a lot into perspective.