On our radar · American SouthwestDesert houses
Join the pilot list ↗
Self-flying safaris · Planned end to end
Fly the world
less traveled.
Extraordinary journeys, flown by you. We arrange the aircraft, local training, remarkable stays and every detail in between.
37° 13’ 44.7” SFLYING WEST · 08:42112 KT GS
The freedom to go further
The world is better
from the left seat.
Grasshoppers creates fully supported, self-flown adventures through the world’s wildest places.
No ocean crossings in your own airplane. No searching for fuel, decoding unfamiliar strips or wondering what happens after you land. Arrive and find a familiar aircraft, a local pilot community and a beautifully considered journey waiting.
Journey 001 · In development
Kalahari to
the Falls
Windhoek → Okavango Delta → Victoria Falls
Nine days of desert, water and wild airstrips, ending at one of the world’s great natural wonders.
Adventure Profile
Wild flying.
Meticulously prepared.
Every journey comes with an honest, pilot-specific profile. You’ll understand the aircraft, the route, the strips, the conditions and exactly what the adventure demands before you commit.
Request the journey brief ↗GH-001
Kalahari to the Falls
Adventure levelEXPEDITION
Duration9 days / 8 nights
Journey flying6 to 7 block hours
Total pilot time9 to 12 hours
AircraftHigh-wing piston single
SurfacesPaved · gravel · dirt
Arrival training3 to 5 hours
TerrainDesert · bush · wetland
SupportDoor-to-door
StatusIn development
!
Remote strips, variable surfaces, heat and wildlife are part of this journey. Final requirements and operations will be confirmed with local partners.
ARRIVE READYLOCAL KNOWLEDGE · GLOBAL SUPPORT
We handle the hard part
You arrive.
Everything else
is waiting.
- 01Know the adventure
Review the route, airplane, strips and experience requirements before booking.
- 02Get oriented
Meet your local pilots, complete the checkout and fly several hours together.
- 03Take the controls
Fuel, cars, stays, transfers and experiences are coordinated at every stop.
- 04Stay supported
Grasshoppers and our local partners remain connected throughout the journey.
The world of Grasshoppers
The world is
within range.
A growing atlas of self-flying journeys connecting remarkable landscapes, aviation communities and places with compelling airstrips.
EARLY ROUTE CONCEPTS · SUBJECT TO LOCAL PARTNERS AND OPERATIONAL VALIDATION
A collection in the making
Places worth
flying to.
We’re assembling an evolving collection of remarkable hotels, houses, ranches and lodges on or near compelling airstrips.
On our radar · Sossus North, NamibiaBarkhan Dune
Barkhan Dune
Air Strip
For owners & operatorsHave a place
Have a place
pilots should know?
We want to hear about exceptional stays with access to an extraordinary strip.
Add a place ↗A new way to travel by air
Self-flying safaris,
made possible.
Grasshoppers creates fully supported aviation adventures for private pilots. Fly into Namibia or Botswana by airline, step into a familiar high-wing aircraft, complete a local bush-pilot checkout and set off across desert, bush and Delta airstrips.
We build the itinerary and coordinate the hard parts: aircraft access, route and dirt-strip briefings, fuel, cars, remarkable hotels and safari lodges, transfers and local support. You arrive ready to fly and immediately become part of the aviation community in that place.
Pilot notes
Questions before
departure.
What is a self-flying safari?
It is an aviation journey in which you take the controls of a locally based aircraft and fly a planned route between remarkable places. Grasshoppers coordinates the aircraft, route briefing, local support and everything that happens on the ground.
Do I need to fly my own airplane to Africa?
No. You arrive by airline and meet a familiar, locally registered aircraft. That removes the ocean crossing, international repositioning and much of the complexity of bringing your own airplane.
Is bush-flying training included?
Yes. Each journey begins with a trip-specific aircraft checkout and several hours with an experienced local bush pilot, including route, airstrip, weather, wildlife and operational briefings.
What pilot experience will I need?
Requirements will vary by aircraft and journey. Before you commit, you will receive an honest adventure profile covering licences, recency, aircraft familiarity, terrain, surfaces and the flying experience expected.
What does Grasshoppers arrange?
We coordinate the local aircraft, pilot checkout, flight planning support, fuel, hotels and lodges, cars, transfers, luggage positioning and local aviation connections throughout the journey.
Where will the first journeys fly?
The first concept links Windhoek, Namibia with the Kalahari, Botswana’s Okavango Delta and Victoria Falls. Future journeys will connect exceptional airstrip properties and aviation communities around the world.
Founding flight list
Be among the first
to take the controls.
Join the pilots, places and local experts shaping the first Grasshoppers journeys.
Grasshoppers Club is currently in development. Joining the list is an expression of interest, not a booking.