Distance from Cairo to Cape Town

About This Route

7,239 km is the great-circle distance between the two city centres, calculated with the haversine formula. Flight paths are usually somewhat longer because aircraft follow air-traffic routes, and airports are not in the city centres. From Cairo, Cape Town lies to the south.

Flights

Most itineraries need one stop, commonly in Johannesburg, Addis Ababa, Nairobi or a Gulf hub. Expect a total journey of 11–14 hours with a connection; the calculated time on this page is for a hypothetical nonstop flight.

The flight time shown (9 h 35 min) assumes a nonstop flight at an average of 800 km/h plus about 30 minutes for take-off and landing. Airports: Cairo International Airport (CAI) and Cape Town International Airport (CPT).

By Road and Land Borders

Cairo to Cape Town is the classic Cape-to-Cairo overland journey of roughly 10,000–12,000 km, traditionally via Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi or Zambia, and Botswana or Namibia. Since the war in Sudan began in 2023 the Egypt–Sudan section is not advisable, so the route is effectively closed for most travellers.

About Cairo, Egypt

Egypt's capital, on the Nile just south of the delta, and one of the largest urban areas in Africa and the Middle East. Egypt is also building a New Administrative Capital east of the city, to which ministries have been moving.

About Cape Town, South Africa

South Africa's legislative capital (seat of Parliament) and second-largest city, between Table Mountain and Table Bay. Pretoria is the executive capital and Bloemfontein the judicial capital.

Practical Tips

• Time: Cairo and Cape Town are on the same time while Egypt is on standard time (UTC+2, roughly November to April); from late April to late October Egypt uses summer time (UTC+3), which changes the difference by one hour.
• Currency: Cairo uses the Egyptian pound (EGP); Cape Town uses the South African rand (ZAR).
• Visas: Entry rules between Egypt and South Africa depend on your nationality; check our visa requirements tool and official sources before travelling.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far is Cairo from Cape Town?

Cairo is 7,239 km (4,498 miles) from Cape Town in a straight line. By road the distance is about 10,000–12,000 km (classic Cape-to-Cairo overland).

How long is the flight from Cairo to Cape Town?

There is usually no nonstop service; a hypothetical nonstop flight would take about 9 h 35 min. With a connection in Johannesburg, Addis Ababa, Nairobi or the Gulf, expect 11 to 14 hours in total.

Can you travel from Cairo to Cape Town by road?

Historically yes, via the Cape-to-Cairo overland route of roughly 10,000 to 12,000 km through Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania, but the Sudan section is not advisable since the 2023 war.

What is the time difference between Cairo and Cape Town?

Cairo and Cape Town are on the same time while Egypt is on standard time (UTC+2, roughly November to April); from late April to late October Egypt uses summer time (UTC+3), which changes the difference by one hour.