From Nelson Mandela Gateway in the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, guests will board a catamaran for the half-hour crossing to Robben Island. During this time a video will be shown on-board, explaining some of the history of Robben Island, from its early days as a place of exile for those indigenous and Muslim leaders who questioned first Dutch, then British Imperial rule, through to its use as a leper colony in the early 20th century, and then on to its most notorious phase as a prison under the apartheid regime, for both common-law and political prisoners.
After arriving at the prison harbour, you board a bus with other passengers from the ferry and are taken on a tour of the island. Here you can see the village where the warders lived, the church and graveyard built during the island's time as a leper colony, the house where the Pan-African Congress leader, Robert Sobukwe, spent nine years in solitary confinement, and the lime quarry where prisoners such as Nelson Mandela did their hard-labour.
Around the island you may well see bontebok, springbok and eland, as well as fantastic views over the ocean back toward Table Mountain.
At the prison itself, your tour will be conducted by a former inmate, which gives a truly unique perspective. As well as the communal cells, where most prisoners were kept in conditions of severe overcrowding, you will also see the tiny cells of B-Section, where Nelson Mandela spent much of his incarceration here: it has been left exactly as it was.
After your tour of the island and prison, you will take the ferry back to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront.
Start planning your tailor-made trip by contacting one of our South Africa specialists
These activities are designed to give you the most authentic experiences around where you're staying. We work with local guides, who use their knowledge and often a resident's eye to show you the main sights and more out-of-the-way attractions. Our specialists can suggest tours and activities that will introduce you to the local ways of life.
A journey aboard The Blue Train
Following a historic route between Pretoria and Cape Town, The Blue Train is one of South Africa’s finest rail journeys. On board, you can experience fine dining, relax in your own private suite and take in mountain views from the Observation Car.
Cape Town City Tour
No visit to Cape Town is complete without a tour of the "Mother City". Your tour will include visits to the Castle of Good Hope, the Parliament Buildings and Bo-Kaap, plus of course the iconic Table Mountain.
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden occupies a large swathe of beautiful land on the lower slopes of Table Mountain. It houses a huge collection of indigenous flora, such as heathery fynbos, flowering proteas and dramatically coloured strelitzias.
Museums of Cape Town
As with any major city there are a number of very good museums in Cape Town and you might like to visit some whilst you are here. Some of the ones that we personally recommend are District Six Museum, Gold of Africa Museum, and the Iziko Museums of Cape Town.
Peninsula Tour
The Cape Peninsula is an area of dramatic natural beauty and huge ecological significance, which manages to retain a wild feel despite its huge popularity with visitors. As you drive south from Cape Town, you pass through the exclusive suburbs of Camps Bay and Clifton before continuing onto Hout Bay and through Constantia, where the road meanders behind Table Mountain and down onto the coast.
Table Mountain Tour
Guests are taken to the lower terminal for the cable-car up Table Mountain. The cable-car is a very modern affair, and completes a 360º rotation during the ascent, affording you fantastic views over the city.
You can enjoy this activity as part of the suggested tours below, or we can weave it into a trip shaped entirely around you.
