Robben Island Museum Ferry Ticket & Official Museum Guided Tour

Experiencing Robben Island through the eyes of former prisoners was very memorable and understanding what they and Nelson Mandela experienced during their time there was important to hear. Highly recommend for anyone visiting Cape Town.

Very poignant, be aware the crossing can feel a bit bouncy and the buses are very very crowded. But that’s irrelevant compared to the tale told… Very good exper

My experience at Robben Island was life changing. Our tour guide was Dede and he was exceptional! The experience having him as our guide was special because he lived to tell of his time there. It was amazing to us that he was able to give such an incredible account of his time at Robben Island while maintaining such pride. Everyone should go there and everyone should be so lucky to have Dede as the tour guide.

My most memorable tour in Cape Town was the visit to Robben Island. Our tour guide Mr. Dede Ntsoelengoe was so inviting and informative. To hear his personal re-telling of the injustices he endured during apartheid and his imprisonment on the island was an experience like no other. The range of emotions felt while touring the prison grounds while listening to this gentle soul of a man were incalculable. You cannot visit Cape Town and miss this experience. It is a must. God bless you Mr Dede and all other political prisoners that walked those grounds.

From the ferry trip to the prison tour every minute was informative and shocking. We have all heard of apartheid and the problems for the non white population, but until told the story by people who experienced the brutality you are confronted with the harsh reality. Unfortunately I don’t remember the name of our guide but his number 3884 I believe. This trip should be a must for everyone visiting Cape Town.

A wonderful but emotional experience. Well presented by the guides. The talk by the previous inmate was touching.

Operator cancelled trip due to bad weather and ferry crossings to the island was cancelled. Still waiting for my refund

This is not a 3 hr tour, you are expected to arrive 45 mins before departure for what seemed to be no reason except to stand in a queue. Ferry is a good 30 mins each way. They show some slides but unless you can speed read dont bother with them. We then waited 15 mins for a bus to take us to the prison. If you are hard of hearing be sure to get to the front as there were 2 bus loads per group..... about 100 people. After this part of the tour we waited in the sun for 25 mins for another bus...... then have a island tour. Back to boat, more waiting. Our 3pm tour started at 2.15 and we finally got back to V&A at 7.15!! Learnt a few facts of interest but its was an exceptionally long afternoon and over all v dull.

If you get motion sickness it's best if you take some meds prior you going on the boat. Other than that it made me humble and appreciative for what our forefathers sacrifice for our freedom. 😇

Trip can be canceled due to weather at any given day. Do not forget to reschedule at the ticket counter.

Even though we didn’t meet our guide due to miscommunication, we enjoyed our time on robben island experience. The company was good at getting our tickets to us in timely matter and no problems getting ferry, bus or prison tour. When I inquired about not meeting guide, very responsible company about refund.

Getting to the Gateway and just standing there for an hour was very disorganized. They don't tell you enough about the history of the island. The tour guides, however were good.

The tour was very interesting, but because the 1st 45 min were by bus, there were limited opportunities for photos. And the bus was an old city bus converted. Very crowded- 50 people.

The ships were comfortable and safe. Everyrhing went well and they took us around explaining things to us

The tour was cancelled by the ferry operator due to mechanical issues. I was able to process a full refund through Viator by calling their phone number. There was no way to cancel in the app without incuring the 100% cancellation fee because we only learned of the ferry cancellation when arriving for the tour. I appreciated Viator's telephone service to work through the cancellation and full refund process.

Everything when well on the island great tours guide and great stories. Giraffe horizon tour did a poor job for the logistics.. It was very difficult to get the ticket which involved multiple confirmations by mail etc. On the day of the event, I had to beg to get instructions. Operators were not proactive.

The history is sad but incredible, and to have someone who was there tell the stories makes this one of the better experiences.

Do not book through this operator!! The tour I booked was cancelled, due to technical issues. I got an e-mail that I would get it refunded, and replied to the operator to proceed with the refund. After several days, I still haven't heard anything back and have not recieved any refund.

Very delayed, an hour leaving cape town then another 45 minutes delay on the island waiting for another boat to arrive.

I highly recommend booking your Robben Island ticket through this tour company! Doing so ensures you peace of mind to visit this “must see” historic South African site on the day and time that best fits your schedule. I had a flight delay and called them in a panic because I would miss my tour time. Tafa answered right away and said it was no problem to move me to a later time. Then, when that tour was canceled due to weather, I contacted him again and he easily rescheduled me for another date. The flexibility afforded through this tour company is really valuable and saved me from losing my money when my flight was delayed. Thank you, Tafa! Plus, this is an emotionally moving, insightful, and powerful place to visit. Learning the history straight from a former political prisoner was incredible! I left with an experience that changed me for the better. Book it and see for yourself!

All in all a worthwhile experience but a little industrial in delivery with much of the first half spent sitting in a bus being talked to. The prison visit itself was good and I totally like the idea that ex-political prisoners take the tours making the narrative authentic. They could possibly improve the availability and range of food and drink and the amount of time spent off the bus. How about selling food and drink on the boat which is a 40 minute trip?

Very moving and illuminating experience hearing firsthand about the struggle for freedom from our excellent guides.

A sobering and very interesting experience. The description by a former inmate was very interesting, and he was willing to entertain questions. Absolutely worthwhile.

The admin for the trip was confusing . Ferry leaves at 0900 but needed to be there 45 minutes before and told if late no refund or reschedule the tickets Which panicked us , We arrrived and still had to join a queue communicated the evening before Why can’t this be sooner so we can plan. We also needed ID which wasn’t clear on instruction The trip was awesome but felt rushed on bus so much to include in such a small time Monde our guide was superb very informative so passionate really made the trip worth Personal touch otherwise it’s just buildings

We very much appreciated the purposes and motivations behind this tour. It is eye opening to international visitors that didn’t live here and experience the traumas of the past. Some tips: the ticket says boat gate opens 45 minutes prior to tour time. What that means is that you start a queue inside the museum beginning at 45 minutes prior and stand there until departure time. Also, if it’s a hot day, grab a seat near one of the open doors if possible. The ferry can get quite warm. Finally, and true with all tours, try to get a seat on the bus up front. The drivers are hard to hear from the back, especially if you sit in front of a two-year old. Once off the bus and inside the prison, the commentary was excellent and moving. It’s well worth doing this trip

Great trip well organised, very informative and amusing, the guide made it interactive with all nationalities. All groups were guided round on a bus and walking round the cell blocks.

Unbelievable tour, everyone should visit Robben Island. Guides are former prisoners and were excellent

While the actual visit to was interesting I’m unsure what the tour company that we paid had to do with the experience. There was no sign of any representative from the tour company, everybody that was booked on an 11am ferry was divided onto busses and then we had a tour with a previous prisoner. This consisted of about 70 people from 2 busses, not the smaller number as advertised. The prison tour was rushed and the guide hard to hear due to the large number of people in the group. I’m glad we went but I wasn’t convinced that the tour company we booked had anything to do with the experience.

The tour was a large bus full. The guide that took us through the prison had such a heavy accent that it was impossible to understand. Although he had been a prisoner he should not be allowed to guide . It was an expensive tour and very disappointing

We enjoyed our selves and happy for service, my child was very excited and learned a lot of South African history. I will do it again

The actual tour and visit was very moving and worthwhile. 150% recommend going. The tour guides were great, but that is run by the island - NOT the specific Operator. Do not choose this Company as the directions are not clear and the person I spoke with very imprecise on what to do. And given that their ONLY role in this process is to buy your tickets, that’s really embarrassing. We literally only got our tickets after multiple calls and incorrect info just 2 min before the boat was to take took off.

I had an enriching and thought-provoking visit to Robben Island yesterday. The island's history and significance were deeply moving, and I highly recommend the experience to anyone looking to connect with this important chapter of humanity's story. However, my interactions with the tour operator, Giraffe Horizons, were far from pleasant. When I called to clarify details about the tour, I was met with rudeness and hostility, culminating in being called “a little bitch” by the operator. He dismissively remarked that “for one bad review, there would be another 100 good reviews,” which was profoundly unprofessional and left a sour note on what should have been a memorable day. Additionally, the tour description mentioned entry to the Waterfront Clock Tower, but this was not included. I raised this concern with Aviator, but their response felt generic and dismissive. While I sought further clarification, Aviator’s follow-up did not fully address the discrepancies or the operator’s unacceptable behaviour. This experience has been disappointing, but it has taught me to be more vigilant when booking tours in the future. Robben Island is incredible, but I caution others about booking through this operator to avoid similar frustrations.

Booked tickets in the UK. Very easy via Trip Advisor. Boarding the ferry was also easy. Once we reached the island, we entered a bus that took us on a tour of the island. The bus was full and quite cramped. There were both English and French speaking on the same bus, so 2 guides were commentating. Not an issue, but had it been just one language, we may have got round a bit quicker as we had to wait at the various stops for both to finish. There was a 10 minute break at a very limited cafe but it did sell drinks and a cake. Depending on what side the bus you were on, depended which landmark you were able to see. Once the bus tour finished, we were met by an ex political inmate who gave us a tour of the prison itself and a little speech at the end about his experience. This also felt rushed as we didn't have time to look at the exhibition. We then quickly had to leave for the ferry back. Good tour, the guides were very knowledgeable and would recommend just because of the history. However, it was rushed, crowded, saw only half the landmarks and no time to browse the gift shop.

The tour was an eye opener on the cruelty the men endured because of the color of their skin. It was upsetting for me as an African American woman. This behavior should never happen again.

Awesome tour guide! Super patient and friendly. He made sure that I got to see sooo much of his beautiful country. Always on time!

The tickets were procured in a timely manner and sent via Whatsapp but there isn't any other special service offered other than the standard Robben Island visit which can be booked directly at the museum/ferry terminal at a much lower cost. This tour option is very convenient if the museum tickets are sold out online though, as they were for the day we took the trip. Robben Island is well worth the visit, glad we used their service.

This was really a great moment, it worth the price and time. In the coming sommer season I will definitely go again…………..

Excellent service right up to boarding the ferry. Helpful precheck lists and suggestions. Convenient and clear website.

Tafa is great to work with and very knowledgeable. I would definitely recommend him to my clients after taking this trip.

The tour-guife and driver, Mr. Kelvin was a great company and tour guide. He has excellent knowledge, great narrative skills, polite and caring. It was a great pleasure spending the day with him. Capetown ofcourse is beautiful

The trip was useful as I had opportunity to view Nelson Mandela's prison cell and to know more about the past of the country.

Beautiful views with professional services. Unforgettable experience that I highly recommend to those planning a visit in Cape Town.

Great time spent with family, looking forward to getting another booking next year with Giraffe Horizons Tours......

Nice view. Beautiful landscape, this island is so amazing, from there , you still see the whole city of cap town. You can take many special photos

My recent visit to Robben Island in Cape Town was nothing short of transformative. As I stood on the ferry, gliding over the Atlantic Ocean, a sense of anticipation and reflection enveloped me. The sight of the island drew closer, but it was the history it encapsulated that truly captured my imagination.

The family and I had an experience that exceeded our expectations. The experiences at each location were perfect and we took home so many memories and things to share back home. Our tour guide Tafadhali was the best part of our experience! Thank you! Job well done. Please book with this company! I highly recommend!

Tafa was a wonderful host and tour guide. He made certain each of us were comfortable, hydrated, and well-informed. He is our #1 point of contact for travel and excursions in Cape Town, South Africa. I highly recommend his services to others!

We did enjoy the tour with former political prisoners at the island. It was educational and emotional. Bus tour took us where we had good view of the city and Table Mountain

Fantastic experience 👏, friendly staff helping all the way. Robin Eiland tour was very informative and interesting 👍