tes and the guided tour of the island about 2 hours. A former inmate acts as tour guide around the prison and will show one Mandela’s cell. Tour and transfer costs around R150 per adult and R75 for children aged 4-17.

“Today when I look at Robben Island, I see it as a celebration of the struggle and a symbol of the finest qualities of the human spirit, rather than a monument to the brutal tyranny and oppression of apartheid. It is true that Robben Island was once a place of darkness, but out of that darkness has come a wonderful brightness, a light so powerful that it could not be hidden behind prison walls…” –Nelson Mandela

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South African tourism would not be the same without all the historical places to see. One of these sites is Robben Island. Situated about 12 kilometres off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa, Robben Island definitely has a big place in South African history. Robben Island was used during the early days of white settlement in the Cape as a prison colony. In 1961, South Africa’s most notorious high security prison was established here. This South African prison served as ‘home’ to political prisoners of the anti-apartheid movement, who were kept there alongside hardened criminals. Living conditions were unimaginable, with prisoners having to sleep on a thin straw mat on a cold stone floor, after working in the quarry insufficiently dressed. However, prisoners did manage to achieve implementation of more humane conditions, but not without many strikes and protests. In 1971 they were granted somewhat better living conditions and were allowed to study.

One of the most prominent inmates on Robben Island would have to be Nelson Mandela. He spent 27 years in a tiny cell of no more than 5 square metres. Upon his release on 11 February 1990 it was clear that he never compromised his political principles during his imprisonment. On May 1994 he was inaugurated as the first democratically elected State President of South Africa. Nelson Mandela retired from public life in June 1999 and currently resides in Qunu, Transkei – his birthplace. He still has strong political influence and is a legend and hero to all South Africans who had to live through the apartheid era, as well as people worldwide who recognise his plight for his country and his people.

“While we will not forget the brutality of apartheid, we will not want Robben Island to be a monument of our hardship and suffering. We would want Robben Island to be a monument…reflecting the triumph of the human spirit against the forces of evil.” –quoted by Ahmed Kathrada who was sentenced to Robben Island in June 1964.

To go to this island today is still an experience of immense power. Few places in the world symbolise the struggle for freedom against oppression of basic human rights, as Robben Island does. There were many African chiefs and political leaders incarcerated on Robben Island, because of standing up against the oppression. Today it could be called a place where great men met.

Nowadays Robben Island is a national memorial and a museum. The fast catamaran ferries leave every day throughout the day at 10am, 12pm and 2pm, from the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V&A Waterfront’s Clock Tower. The boat trip takes about 30 minutes and the guided tour of the island about 2 hours. A former inmate acts as tour guide around the prison and will show one Mandela’s cell. Tour and transfer costs around R150 per adult and R75 for children aged 4-17.

“Today when I look at Robben Island, I see it as a celebration of the struggle and a symbol of the finest qualities of the human spirit, rather than a monument to the brutal tyranny and oppression of apartheid. It is true that Robben Island was once a place of darkness, but out of that darkness has come a wonderful brightness, a light so powerful that it could not be hidden behind prison walls…” –Nelson Mandela

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a thin straw mat on a cold stone floor, after working in the quarry insufficiently dressed. However, prisoners did manage to achieve implementation of more humane conditions, but not without many strikes and protests. In 1971 they were granted somewhat better living conditions and were allowed to study.

One of the most prominent inmates on Robben Island would have to be Nelson Mandela. He spent 27 years in a tiny cell of no more than 5 square metres. Upon his release on 11 February 1990 it was clear that he never compromised his political principles during his imprisonment. On May 1994 he was inaugurated as the first democratically elected State President of South Africa. Nelson Mandela retired from public life in June 1999 and currently resides in Qunu, Transkei – his birthplace. He still has strong political influence and is a legend and hero to all South Africans who had to live through the apartheid era, as well as people worldwide who recognise his plight for his country and his people.

“While we will not forget the brutality of apartheid, we will not want Robben Island to be a monument of our hardship and suffering. We would want Robben Island to be a monument…reflecting the triumph of the human spirit against the forces of evil.” –quoted by Ahmed Kathrada who was sentenced to Robben Island in June 1964.

To go to this island today is still an experience of immense power. Few places in the world symbolise the struggle for freedom against oppression of basic human rights, as Robben Island does. There were many African chiefs and political leaders incarcerated on Robben Island, because of standing up against the oppression. Today it could be called a place where great men met.

Nowadays Robben Island is a national memorial and a museum. The fast catamaran ferries leave every day throughout the day at 10am, 12pm and 2pm, from the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V&A Waterfront’s Clock Tower. The boat trip takes about 30 minutes and the guided tour of the island about 2 hours. A former inmate acts as tour guide around the prison and will show one Mandela’s cell. Tour and transfer costs around R150 per adult and R75 for children aged 4-17.

“Today when I look at Robben Island, I see it as a celebration of the struggle and a symbol of the finest qualities of the human spirit, rather than a monument to the brutal tyranny and oppression of apartheid. It is true that Robben Island was once a place of darkness, but out of that darkness has come a wonderful brightness, a light so powerful that it could not be hidden behind prison walls…” –Nelson Mandela

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President of South Africa. Nelson Mandela retired from public life in June 1999 and currently resides in Qunu, Transkei – his birthplace. He still has strong political influence and is a legend and hero to all South Africans who had to live through the apartheid era, as well as people worldwide who recognise his plight for his country and his people.

“While we will not forget the brutality of apartheid, we will not want Robben Island to be a monument of our hardship and suffering. We would want Robben Island to be a monument…reflecting the triumph of the human spirit against the forces of evil.” –quoted by Ahmed Kathrada who was sentenced to Robben Island in June 1964.

To go to this island today is still an experience of immense power. Few places in the world symbolise the struggle for freedom against oppression of basic human rights, as Robben Island does. There were many African chiefs and political leaders incarcerated on Robben Island, because of standing up against the oppression. Today it could be called a place where great men met.

Nowadays Robben Island is a national memorial and a museum. The fast catamaran ferries leave every day throughout the day at 10am, 12pm and 2pm, from the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V&A Waterfront’s Clock Tower. The boat trip takes about 30 minutes and the guided tour of the island about 2 hours. A former inmate acts as tour guide around the prison and will show one Mandela’s cell. Tour and transfer costs around R150 per adult and R75 for children aged 4-17.

“Today when I look at Robben Island, I see it as a celebration of the struggle and a symbol of the finest qualities of the human spirit, rather than a monument to the brutal tyranny and oppression of apartheid. It is true that Robben Island was once a place of darkness, but out of that darkness has come a wonderful brightness, a light so powerful that it could not be hidden behind prison walls…” –Nelson Mandela

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en Island in June 1964.

To go to this island today is still an experience of immense power. Few places in the world symbolise the struggle for freedom against oppression of basic human rights, as Robben Island does. There were many African chiefs and political leaders incarcerated on Robben Island, because of standing up against the oppression. Today it could be called a place where great men met.

Nowadays Robben Island is a national memorial and a museum. The fast catamaran ferries leave every day throughout the day at 10am, 12pm and 2pm, from the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V&A Waterfront’s Clock Tower. The boat trip takes about 30 minutes and the guided tour of the island about 2 hours. A former inmate acts as tour guide around the prison and will show one Mandela’s cell. Tour and transfer costs around R150 per adult and R75 for children aged 4-17.

“Today when I look at Robben Island, I see it as a celebration of the struggle and a symbol of the finest qualities of the human spirit, rather than a monument to the brutal tyranny and oppression of apartheid. It is true that Robben Island was once a place of darkness, but out of that darkness has come a wonderful brightness, a light so powerful that it could not be hidden behind prison walls…” –Nelson Mandela

Information on

tes and the guided tour of the island about 2 hours. A former inmate acts as tour guide around the prison and will show one Mandela’s cell. Tour and transfer costs around R150 per adult and R75 for children aged 4-17.

“Today when I look at Robben Island, I see it as a celebration of the struggle and a symbol of the finest qualities of the human spirit, rather than a monument to the brutal tyranny and oppression of apartheid. It is true that Robben Island was once a place of darkness, but out of that darkness has come a wonderful brightness, a light so powerful that it could not be hidden behind prison walls…” –Nelson Mandela

Information on Robben Island in South Africa.