This World Heritage Site prison where Mandela spent 18 years now offers powerful tours exploring four centuries of isolation and exile. The ferry crossing and Mandela's tiny cell are unforgettable, though some find the tour formulaic. Penguin
“This island off the coast of Cape Town is where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27-year prison sentence.”
– Condé Nast Traveler
Time Out
"For nearly 400 years the island served as a place of banishment - not just for supposed criminals but also for many other unwanted members of society, including lepers." Full review
Condé Nast Traveler
"A bracing ferry trip to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent much of his 27-year sentence, puts South Africa in its historical context." Full review
Afar Magazine
"Robben Island served as a place of isolation and imprisonment for over four centuries, but today it is a World Heritage Site and museum." Full review
Fodor's
"Made famous by its most illustrious inhabitant, Nelson Mandela... it is finally filling a positive, enlightening, and empowering role in its latest incarnation as a museum." Full review
i
Make bookings at least three weeks in advance. Take sunglasses and a hat in summer.
Travel + Leisure
"Today, the on-site museum organizes daily tours of the island that begin with a 30-minute catamaran ride from the Nelson Mandela Gateway." Full review
i
Make sure you book far in advance—tickets are limited, and demand has been higher than ever since Mandela's death.
Travel + Leisure
"Visitors can tour the former prison and see the cell where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years. Other attractions on the island include a penguin sanctuary and lepers' graveyard."
"Aside from the heart-wrenching moment when you see the minuscule cell... much of the island tour can feel a touch formulaic." Full review
i
Online booking is advised as tours can sell out far in advance.
Time Out
"Experience guided tours of the Robben Island Museum to gain a deeper perspective on Apartheid-era struggle heroes who paved the way to its democratic freedom" Full review
National Geographic
"My city's best museum is the Robben Island Museum, the prison where Nelson Mandela was held"
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Rough Guide
"A visit to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, is a poignant reminder of South Africa's struggle for freedom. Tours of the island are led by former political prisoners,..."
Experts' Choice Award 
Time Out
Condé Nast Traveler
Afar Magazine
Fodor's
Travel + Leisure
Frommer's
National Geographic
Rough Guide
