Nanyuki Airport - History and Development

History and Development

In the late 1960s the Nanyuki Airfield was originally situated along the Nanyuki - Rumuruti Road. This was a grass airfield, mainly used by small single engine, privately owned aircraft. During the 1970s the site was purchased by the Kenya government for military and official business – and named the Laikipia Air Base.

The new civil airfield for Nanyuki was allocated along the Nanyuki – Naro Moru road about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi), out of Nanyuki town, and was named Nanyuki Civil Airfield. At the time, the airfield was almost entirely used by privately owned small light single engine aircraft. The premises consisted of a tarmac airfield and a small caretakers hut.

In the early 1990s the airfield became home to Tropic Air Kenya – a small air charter company operating single engine Cessna aircraft and helicopters. Its is also a key airport for Air Kenya, East African Safari Air, and Fly540 who operate daily schedule services linking with Nairobi, Lewa, Laikipia, Samburu, Meru and the Maasai Mara.

Offices and aircraft facilities have been built, and in order to accommodate the many thousands of passengers that pass through the airfield each year, Tropic Air Kenya established a waiting area, with a restaurant (Barney's), shop and toilet facilities.