ROBBEN ISLAND MUSEUM 

Robben Island is situated off the Cape Town coast and is best known for its role as a prison for political prisoners during the apartheid years.  Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Robert Sobukwe, amongst other famous freedom fighters were imprisoned here.  The prison closed at the end of apartheid and reopened in 1997 as the Robben Island Museum.  The island was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.  

You will take a ferry from the Victoria & Alfred (V&A) Waterfront to the island.  The boat ride is approximately 30 minutes.  Once on the island, you will load a bus and be driven around the compound.  Our guide lives on the island full-time with his family and his father was once a political prisoner held at Robben Island.  Once you arrive at the main prison building, this portion of the tour is led by a former prisoner.   

For me the most powerful part of the tour is the time spent with our tour guide that was once a political prisoner.  Hearing the firsthand account of what he experienced was enlightening, educational and emotional.  Walking past the prison cells, including Nelson Mandela’s cell and seeing the pictures of former prisoners taped to the doors of their cells and reading about their life story leaves a lasting impression.  The courage and determination of these individuals in the fight for freedom is remarkable.  A visit to Robben Island is a must-see when traveling to Cape Town. 

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