Cape Town Travel Forum

I will be visiting Cape Town in November and want to pre-book trips to both Table Mountain and Robben Island. I am trying to find out if I need to do these trips on a tour or if I can just go by myself. What's the difference - in cost and in fact - on a tour vs. going alone? If I can go without a tour, can I reserve tickets from the U.S. for the date and time that I want? If so, how?

No need (and probably impossible) to pre book these two outings. Tickets for the cable car to the top of Table Mountain available from the base station. Drive there yourself or take a taxi, it is 10 minutes out of central Cape Town. Cable cars operate between 0800 and 2200 weather permitting, you can also walk up. Cable car costs ZAR 130/person return. See www.tablemountain.net
For Robben island you buy your ticket from the office at the Waterfront, regular ferry trips over to the Island. Duration is abbout 3 hours and costs ZAR 150.00/person. Try booking in advance on ebookings@robben-island.org.za

You don't really need to pre-book these trips. In the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront you'll find the option to purchase the tickets right there and head out at your leisure.
Once you are in the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront go to the Table Mountain facing side of the complex - close to the cruise pier the boats depart to Robbin Island!
Enjoy!!

As far as Table Mountain, I went there first as part of a tour. We had to wait in line for an hour (in the sunshine) to get tickets and then felt very rushed up on the mountain because of getting back to the tour bus to continue the tour. I went back a few days later after Sunday lunch with a couple friends and it was great because we didn't have to wait in line at all to get tickets and then we were able to stay as long as we wanted to enjoy the views and ambience on top! I highly recommend not going with a tour, but try to plan to go when it might not be too crowded.