Passenger traffic through Nanyuki Airstrip has surged for a second straight year, driven by renewed momentum for Laikipia’s high-end tourism circuit and injecting confidence into one of the country’s most conservancy-driven wildlife economies.
- •Fresh data from the Laikipia County Statistical Abstract 2024 shows airstrip arrivals rose to 5,626 passengers in 2023, up from 4,543 the previous year, while departures rose to 4,215 from 3,891.
- •Total passenger movements hit 9,841 passengers, almost four times the pandemic-era low of 2020.
- •Laikipia’s network of private and community conservancies has created an ecosystem that has helped the county cultivate a reputation as one of East Africa’s most exclusive wildlife destinations.
The county’s air logistics are anchored not only by Nanyuki Airstrip but also by a wide network of private lodge airstrips spread across the plains, from Borana and Tassia to Il Ngwesi, Kalama, El Karama and Ensoit. These small-category airstrips, most designed for private charters, serve as direct gateways for guests staying in conservancies and premium lodges.
Rising demand has also spurred steady growth in the county’s accommodation capacity. The number of hotels and lodges classified and unclassified grew from 103 in 2019 to 110 in 2023, with bed capacity increasing to 2,377 beds over the same period.
Much of the expansion has come from boutique camps and eco-lodges embedded within conservancies.
