Journey from the UK
How long is the flight to Cape Town?
About 11 to 12 hours direct from London to Cape Town, usually overnight. South Africa is only 2 hours ahead in winter and 1 in summer, so there's no real jet lag.
- Under 3 hours
- 3 to 6 hours
- 6 to 10 hours
- 10 hours or more
It's the easiest long-haul trip from the UK: sleep on the plane, land at breakfast, and you're on local time straight away.
Getting there
- Cape Town (CPT)10 hours or more
Direct from London, more flights in the UK winter.
- Johannesburg (JNB)10 hours or more
About 11 hours direct.
The journey at a glance
Straight-line estimate for a direct flight from Heathrow. Real flights often take longer.
Why there's no jet lag
South Africa is almost due south of the UK, so you cross hardly any time zones. Flights are usually overnight: leave London in the evening, sleep, and land in Cape Town or Johannesburg in the morning on almost the same time as home.
Getting around once you're there
- Cape Town airport is about 20 minutes from the city centre.
- Johannesburg to Kruger: about 1 hour by plane or 5 hours by road.
- Domestic flights link Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and Port Elizabeth cheaply.
- Use Uber or Bolt rather than street taxis.
Before you go
- Book a window seat for the view over Table Mountain on arrival.
Stay and do
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