Robben Island: Day Trips and Tours from Cape Town

Robbeneiland — more commonly referred to as Robben Island — is located just off the coast of South Africa. It is known as the prison where Nelson Mandela was held for 18 years.

The island is associated with the successful overturn of the apartheid regime, which plagued South Africa for over 40 years in the 20th century. Being just a stone's throw from the city, Robben Island day trips from Cape Town are easy to arrange.

It's an important location to visit in order to understand South Africa's history.

You will find below all you need to know about Robben Island, one of the most interesting destinations for day trips from Cape Town.

How to get to Robben Island from Cape Town?

Robben Island is situated in Table Bay, just off the coast of Cape Town. It is approximately 10 kilometers north of the capital city.

From Cape Town to Robben Island by ferry

It's a 30-minute jaunt to Robben Island by ferry from Cape Town. You'll board your vessel at Nelson Mandela Gateway along the V&A waterfront, and you can expect to pay between ZAR360, and ZAR600 for a ticket. You'll be led around the facility by a guide once you reach the island.

Guided tour to Robben Island from Cape Town

Day trips make the journey to Robben Island smooth sailing. Tours usually include a hassle-free hotel pickup and you can choose from a selection of time slots throughout the day. Your tour will normally last between 5 and 8 hours.

What is the typical itinerary of a day tour to Robben Island from Cape Town?

If your Robben Island excursion doesn't include a hotel pickup, you'll meet at the V&A Waterfront in the center of the city. From there, you'll board a ferry and sail towards the island.

Once you reach dry land, you'll participate in a bus tour that is led by a former inmate of Robben Island prison, who was imprisoned for political reasons. They will be able to give you a unique insight into life during the apartheid regime and what imprisonment on the island was like.

During your tour, you may also see some of the island's resident wildlife, which includes seals and penguins. You'll have the opportunity to walk through the prison itself and check out Nelson Mandela's cell. After you've explored the facility, you'll return to Cape Town, where your Robben Island day tour ends.

Some trips show you notable landmarks around Cape Town before or after you travel to the island, such as Table Mountain.

What kinds of tours are available to go to Robben Island?

There are a variety of Robben Island day trips to choose from, depending on whether you'd like to see additional sights around Cape Town.

Guided tours to Robben Island from Cape Town

Robben Island day tours escort you to the isle that was made famous as the location of Nelson Mandela's imprisonment. You'll tour the island by bus, with an audio guide to fill you in on the fascinating history of the maximum security prison.

You'll also enjoy a chilling walk through the abandoned facility before returning to Cape Town. Once you return to the mainland, you'll see some iconic city landmarks along the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront.

Day trip to Robben Island plus townships from Cape Town

This combination tour enables you to explore the history of the apartheid regime in South Africa. You'll visit the infamous District Six, where 60,000 inhabitants were uprooted in the 1970s. You'll also see Langa and Bonteheuwel, as well as the Gugulethu 7 Memorial, before boarding a ferry for Robben Island.

Private day tour to Robben Island plus Table Mountain from Cape Town

If you're looking to learn more about the history of South Africa on an intimate setting, choose a private tour. You'll take a bus trip across Robben Island, which includes commentary from a former political prisoner.

You'll also have the opportunity to look inside Mandela's cell and see how he lived during his 18-year imprisonment there. You'll travel back to Cape Town for a guided tour of the city, followed by a cable car ride to the top of Table Mountain.

How much does a tour to Robben Island from Cape Town cost?

Robben Island day tours that include the townships cost between US$80 and US$100.

You'll pay between US$160 and US$170 for a day trip to Robben Island.

Private day trips cost around US$140 and include a private guide for the duration. Table Mountain cable car tickets are at your own expense.

What will you see and do on a Robben Island day trip from Cape Town?

Robben Island has a long and complex history. Located just off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa, it has been inhabited by humans for thousands of years. It was first used as a prison by the Dutch in the 1600s, and then later by the British.

During the apartheid era, it became a notorious symbol of oppression, as hundreds of political prisoners were incarcerated there. Nelson Mandela was among these prisoners and served 18 years of his sentence on the island.

In 1990, Mandela was freed from imprisonment on Robben Island, after spending a total of 27 years locked behind bars. In 1994, he went on to become the first democratically elected president of South Africa and was 75 at the start of his reign. Mandela also gained a Nobel Peace Prize for the peaceful termination of the apartheid regime.

Alongside Nelson Mandela, two other former presidents of South Africa were once imprisoned on Robben Island — Kgalema Motlanthe and Jacob Zuma.

In 1999, the island was declared a World Heritage site. Today, it is a popular tourist destination and a powerful reminder of South Africa's turbulent past. You can tour the prison itself and see the cell where Mandela was imprisoned.

Stepping outside of the prison, you can see the leper graveyard on your day tour of Robben Island. Lepers and those declared criminally insane were sent to the island between 1846, and 1931. During this time apart from their loved ones, many of these outcasts of society died and were buried in unmarked graves.

As well as its deep historical ties, Robben Island is a haven for almost 4,000 African penguins, which were reintroduced to the island in 1983, after its original colony died out in the late 18th century. The isle is also home to seals and the name "Robben Island" means Seal Island in Dutch, and Afrikaans.

When is the best time to visit Robben Island?

The best time to plan a day trip to Robben Island is between November and March. During these months, the weather ranges from 27 to 29 degrees Celsius and you'll experience little rain.

Ferry tours leave for Robben Island at 9 AM, 11 AM and 3 PM every day. If you wish to be surrounded by fewer tourists, opt for the earliest trip.

Travel tips

• Make sure you book your Robben Island day trip in advance, as places fill up fast.
• The stretch of sea between Cape Town and Robben Island can be choppy. If you suffer from sea sickness, bring appropriate medication with you.
• Plan your visit during November and February for the calmest seas.