Reviews about The Nelson Mandela Gateway To Robben Island. (Other) in Cape Town (Western Cape).

The Nelson Mandela Gateway To Robben Island

5009 Customer Reviews

91 User Comments

Other

Tourist attraction

V&A Waterfront, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town, 8001

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Information about The Nelson Mandela Gateway To Robben Island, Other in Cape Town (Western Cape)

Here you'll find location details, hours, peak times, contact information, photos and real user reviews.

This place has excellent reviews, indicating great customer service. Highly recommended!

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Opening hours for The Nelson Mandela Gateway To Robben Island

Peak visiting hours

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Reviews of The Nelson Mandela Gateway To Robben Island

X. G.

It was a nice experience to learn about nelson mandela and robben Island. It is a great trip to go to with children. They even bring some of the old prisoners to tell their story of their time in prison. But when the break arrived, it was too short. Too many people were going to the toilette and buying food. We almost missed our bus because of that but all-in-all it was very enjoyable and a fun experience.

T. V.

The Nelson Mandela Gateway, located at the Cape Town waterfront, offers a profound and reflective experience. The museum's modern interior features artifacts that celebrate humanity, peace, and freedom. It vividly portrays Nelson Mandela's life, focusing on his journey from a radical activist to a symbol of reconciliation during South Africa's apartheid era. The exhibits also highlight the history of the ANC, its allies, and figures like Helen Suzman, who opposed apartheid. The Gateway serves as a gateway to South Africa's complex history, offering visitors a chance to understand the nation's struggle and triumphs. Beyond Mandela's greatness, the museum reveals his imperfections, emphasizing his humanity. A visit here inspires introspection and a deeper appreciation of resilience and hope. Surrounding the Gateway are family-friendly amenities, including children’s play areas and diverse restaurants. Visitors can also book a Robben Island tour for just over R400 via cashless payment. Exploring this site and retracing Mandela’s journey, from Soweto to Cape Town, offers a life-changing perspective. Revisiting such a tumultuous history is emotionally intense but ultimately rewarding, reminding us to move forward with hope for a brighter future.

T. W.

Great tour, the guides were very knowledgeable and presented the whole story in a unique way. The only downside was when in the prison you couldn't really walk around and it would have been good to walk around the island

M. S.

A truly humbling place to think of such cruelty is unfathomable

S.

So much history comes alive. The energy was heavy while touring the different parts of the prison. Important to remember that humans can be very malicious and we have a responsibility to do, be good.

D. G.

The museum is interesting but long as you have to wait for ferry, get on coaches to be bussed around the island and then have an insight from a political prisoner within jail section Mandela was held then ferry back

O. M.

Great boat trip to the island, kids enjoyed it thoroughly. Tour on the island was very informative and well organized. Ex-political prisoners detail of their time spent on the island was mind blowing. Really grateful that the island is being used as a Museum for all to visit.

M. F.

Heading out on a tour of Robben Island. Had a coffee in Der Anker while waiting for departure.

J. B.

The tour of Robben Island was excellent. Our bus drivers (I'm so sorry I forgot their name but one was an older gentleman, Alfonso or something? and a younger guy who I completely forgot his name) were fantastic and went over and above with the detail , explained everything in an interesting way with lots of "audience participation". The tour guide in the prison (the gentleman who had to suffer in there for 5-6 years) was also very interesting to listen to, although he was hard to hear in the prison area due to the construction (maybe some speakers or a microphone to help). The only thing I didn't really like was the Madiba 2 boat, which we took our return journey on, while clean etc, did not allow ANY sort of seating or standing outside and seemed to have no air conditioning which made me very seasick! (this is the only reason I made it 4 stars instead of 5!). However it was a faster journey than the other boat. The boat we made our outward journey on had an upstairs open air deck and also a rear area for standing and the staff on this other boat were a bit more friendly and chatty and even offered to take photos for some of the tourists.

B. S.

An amazing tour of Robben island. Appreciated the personal story from our guide at the prison about his time there.

N. L.

The experience was epic. The only real factor that could spoil your occasion is if there are strong winds. The refund process is seamless and you get assisted by friendly and caring staff. The transport options are abundant. Meter taxi, Taxify, Uber and most hotels around offer shuttle services.

F. T.

Great experience, fantastic view of Cape Town from the ferry. Very informative and eye opening tour, real prisoners give details and their experience of their imprisonment and the reality of Robben island.

C. B.

We loved the ferry ride, and the tour was great. A lot of information on the accumulated history of Robben Island, the tour guides were also very informed

K. D.

Loved the tour, worth the money you pay for it which is 600 rands (about 35USD time i visited ). I recommend booking tickets online to avoid long queues

R. S.

The boat to Robben Island was delayed, and there wasn’t particularly clear (or honest) information regarding quite how delayed it was, but ultimately you can’t really complain about an hour or two when the inhabitants of the island were held captive for years.

G. P. N.

The historian in me was super stoked about this one. Was a tad bit sea sick but it was a great experience. Tip for other visitors : bring your own snacks. The prices are ridiculously expensive.

T. L.

This is where you wait while waiting to board the boat to Robben Island. The walls are filled with a timeline of facts and information about the island.

D. A.

An experience to share the collective South African history and the trauma that goes with it. Explore the circumstances of how political prisoners were treated during apartheid and there's even a voice over for convenience. You can browse for free and buy memorabilia from a small (read expensive) store. Pity that you can't buy open ended vouchers for the Robben Island tour.

R. S.

The Nelson Mandela Gateway To Robben Island was a great experience. You might have heard that there is a strik going on right now. (Employees peacefully protesting for higher wages). It is still on going but it is not affecting the operations. The gateway to Robben island was a fun and enjoyable experience. We learned a lot and recommend it!

L. S.

Unorganized experience. Do not arrive when the ticket recommends or else you'll be waiting over an hour in a crowded museum. We arrived 15 min before boarding closed and still were waiting after departure time. Boat ride was rough there and back. Take nausea pills if you get seasick! They do have nausea bags on board if you need. Once we got off the boat, some people started the tour on the bus first and some did the walking tour/prison tour first. This was not clearly explained at first though because we just saw some buses drive away as we were walking toward them and had to ask what was going on. Out of the whole experience, a good chunk of it is spent on transportation. The ferry ride to/from the island and then the bus tour (underwhelming). The only highlight was the prison tour which was only like 30 minutes out of the whole experience which is why my rating is 3 stars.

S. M.

Being transported in a manner akin to livestock, you are subsequently directed onto a bus where a guide's voice struggles to be heard over the idling noise of an antiquated and noisy diesel engine. Take bug spray.

D. N.

Be prepared to wait and join long lines to board the boat. On certain boats, the air conditioning does not work, so be prepared for the heat.

O. A.

This is a good place to hang and have fun. I particularly love seeing them rescue endangered seals. Such a thrill.

J. G.

Fascinating tour and guide was very knowledgeable. My only negative was late running boats and a late return.

R. T. B.

This place you learn a lot of this see a lot of people and also its has a lot of historical memories the boat cruise was nice the bus ride aswell.

u. c.

Would have been 5 stars but I was served burnt waffles twice.the waiter saw it was burnt and still brought it..then I took a takeaway cause by this time we were cruising back...when I got home the berry juice soaked into my burnt waffles...

P. R.

Excellent experience and well worth the visit. Just make sure you book tickets in advance

M. J.

This is a must tour to see if you are visiting South Africa! Just near the Clock Tower, the Silo and across the bridge from the V&A waterfront

A. K.

This has always been an awe-inspiring place to visit. It makes you feel humble and compel you to live a more gentle life. Many a man lived on Robben Island and many never made it out; my heart goes out to the political prisoners who left their family behind so they could build a better, prosperous South Africa.

C. D.

Visiting Robben Island is an amazing experience that everyone visiting South Africa should partake in.

M. M.

This is the place where the ferries depart for and arrive from Robben Island, the prison island where Nelson Mandela was jailed for 18 years of his 27 years sentence. Make sure to carry your ID (Even for children) to travel by ferry to the island for a 3.5 hour tour of the place.

U. N.

The returning boat was 30 mins late, so LOTS of waiting around, especially with the supposed requirement to go early. Boat and busses VERY worn. Video documentary on boat not working properly. Guides knowledgeable, but overt expectation of tips unpleasant. Important South African historical site could be upgraded and made more of.

S. A.

Great staff..We didn't get a change to go on the ferry though,so any of you planning a trip to Robben Island please go there early or rather book on line via web tickets.

H. K.

Gateway to the Robben island, associated with museum and souvenir shop.

S. S.

It's a must visit island... Robbin island where Nelson Mandela spent 27 years of his Life prisoned

M. P.

Beautiful and very scenic place to be.Lovely restaurants with great food.Its never a dull moment in CPT.

J. F.

Area is upscale. This is the launching point for the unforgettable visit to Robben Island. This is history that must be spoken about forever. Please take time to honor these courageous human rights advocates' place of imprisonment.

M. H.

An emotional eye opener to our atrocious past

J. U.

It was a great experience! I got to know a lot of things I didn't know.

R. J.

It was an amazing experience .Best tour guides ever.

S. S.

Very impressive and realise that i'm a very lucky person!!! Born in freedom and live in freedom 🙏

P. T.

Wonderful Youth Day celebration in this magnificent setting, watching the ferries arrive and leave for Robben Island 👍

J. L.

Nice experience there. I couldn't get the ticket online because they were all sold out. Since I didn't have enough time left before the flight back, I went there, and a nice lady at the customer service found me a spot for the same afternoon. The visit went well and smoothly. Highly recommend if you have never been there!

K. M.

There was a delay. The boat came back late from island so it affected our own trip. Enjoyed the trip though 👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾

B. 2.

Very nice area to walk around with excellent restaurants

H. D.

Entrance and ferry ride to Robben island.

G. M.

We had an amazing experience.

C. E.

It was an amazing excursion, however, the one lady doing bookings was quite rude and couldn't look bothered to at least fake a smile. Have your passports ready, folks, you pay R200 more if you're not South African. They tried to scam me, so be aware.

J. K.

I would have preferred more information. The tour was interesting but quite superficial.

A.

I enjoyed the bus tour and the boat ride. I found the guide on the walking tour difficult to follow (not because of the accent just the way he spoke) we started off late with boarding and the end felt rushed which was disappointing. The bus tour guide made it seem like there would a few minutes to walk around to see the Kramat etc of which there was no time, I was disappointed I could not get a better look at the leprosy patient cemetery as well. Did not even actually get to see much of the prison or island itself it seemed.

K. G.

Fantastic opportunity to see the place with so much history.

D. L.

A very moving experience. The wait was too long. You are scheduled to depart, but there wasn't any adherence to that. Once onnthebismand, the tour and experience was very good. The information provided was insightful whilst, at times, shocking.

L. 2.

Overall well coordinated and responsible but still needs alot of polishing and balancing. I.e. Some things felt over the top well other areas of the experience were neglected completely, leaving you feeling unsure about the trip. Colleagues from abroad complained the directions to parking etc could be improved.

t. m.

Informative trip, really enjoyed it. However the 3 ladies who were responsible for putting people in the bus on the 02Oct 2021 for the 9am slot could have done a better job. They just stood together and had a chat going on. We were confused as to which buses to go into and we kept being sent up and down. we had a strawler with and one driver was not willing to take us in cause it would be too much admin for him to be opening for us.

L. R.

The for was well organized. The ferry ride was relaxing and comfortable. We thoroughly enjoyed the bus tour. Our guide was both informative and humorous. We were disappointed by the prison your. Our guide had no microphone so difficult to hear and very little information given about Mandela or daily life in the prison

N. M.

nice views of the waterfront

B. W.

Not a bad place to wait for the ferry, although it is a bit austere inside, and wifi wasn't working when we visited. The most fun part is getting off the ferry and finding sea lions sunning themselves at the dock!

C. W.

This has a very interesting historical timeline of the Cape region with details I had not learned before. Plan to spend extra time here before taking the boat out to Robben Island.

L. M.

Well conducted tour of Robben Island. You can feel the spirit of excellency with each staff smiling, welcoming you and bidding you goodbye. Well informed tour guides, clean, VERY CLEAN, facilities. I thoroughly enjoyed myself

T. D.

This is the pier that departs from Cape Town to Robben Island. The house itself is integrated with the pier. In this house, you can inquire about the itinerary, buy tickets, and there is also a sales department. The service staff at the counter were very nice! Very clearly explained!

J. S.

A unique experience! Buy the ticket online and be there 45 minutes beforehand. Everything very easy and punctual. The trip to the island takes around 50 minutes.

R. A.

They tell you to arrive 10 minutes before flight time, because they let you line up in the long line. Otherwise, you may be late because the boat has not arrived. If you have a later schedule, it may be affected for this reason. For some reason, they want a card or passport showing your identity! They say that in order to confirm the names of the people who boarded the boat, they match them with the names on the ticket. Long wait lines. If people are going to queue for 10-30 minutes i would suggest adding chairs in the queue areas. It's hot inside. If you are planning to travel on the same day, check your email before the trip. After you enter the boat, it will take you to the island. Anyone who feels distressed can go out and stop the boat. We were together and did not feel the turbulence that we felt inside. After you arrive, you walk a little to catch the buses.

H. S.

Very cool tour. Boat crossing is included, you should be at the gateway 45 minutes before the start time, the gate closes 10 minutes before the start time. On Robben Island there is first a bus tour of the island. Then a tour of the high-security wing with an ex-prisoner who describes his time here very vividly. Definitely worth seeing!

M. A.

not very welcome, the weapon check is bogus, just put your bag in the scanner and keep your 🔫 in your camera bag and you can pass it without worries... the prices are not indicated anywhere, we have Was very surprised to have to pay R1000 for 1 child place and 1 adult place. fortunately the visit was good... you have to show your passport lots of times, almost more than at the airport 😶... good visit

H. J.

An excellent experience traveling to Robben Island

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