South Africa
One of the most varied countries on earth - within a single trip you can go from a Cape Town waterfront to a Kruger game drive to a winelands lunch. The distances are real but the rewards are proportional.
South Africa works at a scale that surprises most European visitors. The drive from Cape Town to Johannesburg is 1,400km - roughly London to Warsaw. The country has the infrastructure of a developed nation grafted onto a landscape and wildlife density that belongs to a different world entirely. Getting around means flights between the main centres or long drives; the reward for committing to either is extraordinary.
Johannesburg (OR Tambo) is the main international gateway and the hub for most long-haul routes from Europe. It is not where most people want to spend their trip, but it is the entry point for Kruger (five hours by road, or a short flight to Hoedspruit) and the broader southern African circuit. Cape Town is the other pole - a genuinely world-class city with the Winelands, the Garden Route and the Cape Peninsula all within a day's reach. I flew into Johannesburg on Virgin Atlantic Upper Class and reviewed both the flight and the lounge at OR Tambo.
The Best Time to Visit South Africa
South Africa's seasons are flipped relative to Europe - their summer runs November to February, winter June to August. The country's size means there is no single answer: Cape Town has a Mediterranean climate with dry summers and wet winters; Johannesburg sits at altitude (1,700m) with warm dry winters and summer thunderstorms; Kruger is subtropical with a clear wet season (October-April) and dry season (May-September).
For Cape Town, October to April is the reliable window - warm, dry, and the Winelands are at their best. For Kruger, May to September is the dry season when animals concentrate around water sources and game viewing is at its peak. The temperatures below are Cape Town averages, which represent the most visited single city.
June and July are midwinter in Cape Town - 14-17°C and often rainy, the Cape of Storms living up to its name. It is the only season I would avoid. Johannesburg in winter (June-August) is dry and sunny with cold nights - a different experience, and perfectly fine for a city base or Kruger gateway.
Monthly temperature
Cape Town averages below - Mediterranean climate, dry summer, wet winter. Kruger is best May-September (dry season). Johannesburg has warm dry winters and summer thunderstorm season.
Getting there
Select your origin to see the best routing options.
Direct overnight from London to both Johannesburg and Cape Town in around 11-12h. From Ireland, connect via London or the Gulf.
| Carrier | Route | Type | Flight time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virgin Atlantic | LHR - JNB | Direct | ~11h | A flagship route and a strong Upper Class product for the overnight. Reviewed. |
| British Airways | LHR - JNB / CPT | Direct | ~11-12h | Nonstop to both Johannesburg and Cape Town from Heathrow. |
| Emirates / Qatar | DUB/LON - DXB/DOH - JNB/CPT | 1 stop | 15-18h | The best one-stop from Dublin, via the Gulf. |
| Ethiopian / Turkish | LON - ADD/IST - JNB/CPT | 1 stop | 16-19h | Useful one-stops via Addis Ababa or Istanbul, often the cheapest fares. |
Real nonstops now from the East Coast - one of the longest scheduled flights in the world either way.
| Carrier | Route | Type | Flight time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta | ATL - JNB / CPT | Direct | ~15h | Nonstop from Atlanta year-round to Johannesburg, with a seasonal Atlanta-Cape Town service in the northern winter. The widest US connections. |
| United | EWR - JNB / CPT | Direct | ~15-16h | Nonstop from Newark to both Johannesburg and Cape Town - the only US nonstop to Cape Town. |
| Various | East Coast - Europe/Gulf - South Africa | 1 stop | 18-22h | One-stop via London, Doha or Dubai where the nonstop fares are steep. |
No nonstop from the West Coast. Connect through a European or Gulf hub, or backtrack via the East Coast nonstops.
| Carrier | Route | Type | Flight time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emirates / Qatar | LAX/SFO - DXB/DOH - JNB/CPT | 1 stop | 24-28h | The Gulf carriers offer the most direct single change from California. |
| British Airways / Virgin | LAX/SFO - LHR - JNB/CPT | 1 stop | 24-28h | Via London; pairs a transatlantic leg with the nonstop to South Africa. |
| Delta | LAX/SFO - ATL - JNB | 1 stop | 22-25h | Connect onto the Atlanta nonstop - one airline the whole way. |
Qantas flies the nonstop from Sydney - the shortest way across the Indian Ocean.
| Carrier | Route | Type | Flight time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qantas | SYD - JNB | Direct | ~14h | The nonstop from Sydney; the natural option from the east coast. |
| Qatar Airways | SYD/MEL/PER - DOH - JNB/CPT | 1 stop | 20-24h | Via Doha, with the widest Australian departure points. |
| Emirates | SYD/MEL/PER - DXB - JNB/CPT | 1 stop | 20-24h | Via Dubai; strong cabin both legs. |
Where to go
Cape Town is the anchor, with a full guide below. Johannesburg is the main international gateway and the jumping-off point for Kruger and the safari circuit - covered in the flights and getting-around detail above.
Getting around South Africa
South Africa runs on hire cars and domestic flights - public transport outside the major cities is limited and not suited to covering ground. The Gautrain connects OR Tambo to Sandton and central Johannesburg in 15 minutes and is the right call on arrival. For Cape Town to Johannesburg (1,400km), fly; FlySafair, Kulula and South African Airways run competitive fares between the main centres. For the Cape Peninsula, the Winelands and the Garden Route, hire a car. For Kruger from Johannesburg, either drive the five hours or fly to Hoedspruit or Skukuza on an airstrip safari service.
Tested routes
2024Virgin Atlantic Upper Class: London to Johannesburg (VS601)Excellent→2024LATAM economy: Johannesburg to Sao Paulo (the South America link)Okay→Planning the logistics?
The facts above are the short version. The full libraries - every carrier and lounge - live one level down under Getting There.