Robben Island

Travel Guide

Robben Island
Robben Island
Robben Island
Robben Island
Robben Island
Visit the cell where Nelson Mandela spent most of his sentence and explore the Table Bay island that has also served as a leper colony and a military base.

For 18 of his 27 years of incarceration for opposing apartheid, former South African President Nelson Mandela was imprisoned on Robben Island. See the prison cell where he was kept and learn about the history of this former island-prison. It was also used at various times to house convicts, the mentally ill and lepers.

Visits to the island are by guided tours only. Tours start with a 5.5-mile (9-kilometer) ferry ride from Cape Town across Table Bay to the island. While you are waiting for your boat to leave the Nelson Mandela Gateway, go to the exhibition space. It hosts an ever-changing roster of temporary exhibitions featuring the island’s history.

Once on the island, you will be taken on a guided bus tour of key sites. Some of the guides are former political prisoners who share stories of their time in jail.

See Bluestone Quarry where many political prisoners endured hard labor. Visit the leprosarium graveyard, the final resting place of patients with leprosy who died while on Robben. Look at the Kramat, a Muslim shrine in honor of Sheikh Madura, who died here in 1754. During the bus tour, you will mostly remain on the bus, with occasional stops at important sites.

The highlight of the tour is a walk inside the maximum-security prison. Stop by the small cell where Nelson Mandela was confined for many years. While you are on the island, you will also see army and navy bunkers and the 19th-century Church of the Good Shepherd, which was built by the island’s lepers.

Tours of Robben Island depart several times daily from the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. Tours last for approximately 4 hours, including the round trip on the ferry, a visit to the maximum-security prison and the guided bus tour. Reductions on the ticket price are available for children under 18 years. Children under the age of 4 visit for free. Tickets for the tours sell out fast so book a few weeks prior to the day of your intended trip and be sure to arrive at the ferry at least half an hour before departure.

Road Lodge Cape Town International Airport
Road Lodge Cape Town International Airport
3 out of 5
Adjoining BP Service & Filling Station, at Cape Town International Airport, Cape Town, Western Cape
The price is ₩87,000 per night from Apr 11 to Apr 12
₩87,000
₩100,050 total
includes taxes & fees
Apr 11 - Apr 12
Stay at this 3-star business-friendly hotel in Cape Town. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (1,012 reviews)
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Reviewed on Mar 30, 2025

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AC Hotel by Marriott Cape Town Waterfront
AC Hotel by Marriott Cape Town Waterfront
4 out of 5
Dockrail Road, Foreshore, Cape Town, Western Cape
The price is ₩197,555 per night from Apr 18 to Apr 19
₩197,555
₩229,460 total
includes taxes & fees
Apr 18 - Apr 19
Stay at this 4-star business-friendly hotel in Cape Town. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and a fitness center. Our guests praise the helpful staff and ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (550 reviews)
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Radisson RED V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
3.5 out of 5
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The price is ₩220,969 per night from Apr 25 to Apr 26
₩220,969
₩256,655 total
includes taxes & fees
Apr 25 - Apr 26
Stay at this 3.5-star business-friendly hotel in Cape Town. Enjoy free WiFi, 2 restaurants, and 2 bars/lounges. Our guests praise the helpful staff in our reviews. ...
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Reviewed on Mar 26, 2025

Radisson RED V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
The Onyx Apartment Hotel by NEWMARK
The Onyx Apartment Hotel by NEWMARK
4 out of 5
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Stay at this 4-star aparthotel in Cape Town. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms ...
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One Thibault Residence
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Stay at this aparthotel in Cape Town. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and parking (surcharge). Popular attractions Long Street and Cape Town Cruise Terminal ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (88 reviews)
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Reviewed on Mar 26, 2025

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Camps Bay Village
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3 out of 5
32 Camps Bay Drive, Camps Bay, Cape Town, Western Cape
Stay at this 3-star beach aparthotel in Cape Town. Enjoy free WiFi, 2 outdoor pools, and parking (surcharge). Popular attractions Camps Bay Beach and Table Mountain ...
8/10 Very Good! (173 reviews)
Another day in paradise
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Reviewed on Mar 19, 2025

Camps Bay Village
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

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