Why Fly Commercial When You Can Fly in a $6M Private ‘Safari Plane’?

Lions, tigers and convertible grilling patios, oh my

January 11, 2017 9:00 am EST

One of the small problems associated with accessing the world’s most magnificent landscapes — especially in southern Africa, home to arguably the continent’s most spectacular safari experiences — is access.

Sure, you can drive from the airport in Johannesburg to Kruger National Park’s five-star safari resorts via a series of generally well-maintained national highways in a tidy four hours, give or take a stop for mango. But why not fly? And while we’re at it, why not fly private? And while we’re at that, why not fly in your own private $6 million safari plane, complete with “barbecue station”

Safari plane (6 images)

Enter the Explorer, a repurposed BAE146 regional jet concept designed by U.K. agency DesignQ for BAE, the aerospace and security firm. Along with that barbecue station, the jet comes with a patio area (presumably suitable for viewing wild game before takeoff), marble entryway, and “fully equipped office.” Because when you spend $6 million on a plane, chances are you might have to get some work done. 

If you’ve got a spare $6 million, we say go for it.

Otherwise, be a badass and try out one of these four-day walking tours through a remote corner of Kruger and get eye-to-eye with the Big Five for a grand total of about 100 bucks a day. 

Meet your guide

Diane Rommel

Diane Rommel

Diane Rommel has written for The Wall Street Journal, Outside, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Travel + Leisure, Wallpaper and Afar, as well as The Cut, Buzzfeed, Huffington Post and McSweeney’s. She once drove from London to Mongolia, via Siberia.
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