Reviews for Walk to Freedom Tour including Robben Island

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Ever since we saw the pictures of Nelson Mandela walking out of the prison gates on Robben Island , we have wanted to do a trip which takes it in. So when we were surfing the net we came across Do Something different and saw the Walk to freedom tour so went ahead and booked. We just called when we had decided on a date and we were given a time that we would be picked up from our hotel. Our guide really brought the history of the area to life and you could really see how the Apartheid government really stiffled the once vibrant community. It was really good to see that the council is renovating some of the old office buildings into affordable housing. Our guide was saying that the streets are alot cleaner and safer than just after Apartheid was brought down, so that is a step in the right direction. I must say what they call a pub is not what we think of a pub so it was quite an experience . Our lunch was not bad but in a lovely waterfront, it was just nice to sit and watch the world go by for a little while. Then it was onto the cruise that we had been waiting so long to see. It was really hard to imagine that Nelson Mandella had been on the Robben Island for 27 years and had stayed sane and then come out and helped to change the system and slowly build a hopefully better South Africa. We wouldn't have missed this tour for the world and I would really recommend it to any one going to Cape Town the first time to go on it.

We wanted to do a tour around Capetown and looking on the net came across Do Something different and thought this was an interesting one. We booked the date before we left the UK and just re-confirmed when we arrived. It was certainly a thought provoking tour.Our guide took our group into a township and we went into a room which had 3 beds and a very basic 2 burner hop and this was home for 10 people including children. Then we went to the shanty area and though very clean and tidy you can't imagine having to live in there and everything would get wet when it rained. As it is the world cup next year in South Africa they are building new houses and then will knock down the shanty towns.
In the afternoon we took the ferry over to Robben Island. I didn't know that people still lived over there and infact some of the prisoners and guards live there. We had one of the ex prisoners as a guide round the prison. It was very moving to see the cell where Mandela had spent 18 years of his life.

I would certainly recommend this tour.

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