In the air
Beyond the plateau the ground drops into the Rift: black lava, white salt, a pink rim of flamingos on a steaming lake, and nobody else for miles.
A helicopter safari in Kenya is the only practical way to see much of the north in a day. The volcanic badlands, hidden valleys and mountain forests beyond Laikipia and Samburu are days apart by road, where a road exists at all. By air, from a base on the Laikipia plateau, you can circle Mount Kenya’s summit in the early light, set down beside a hot spring or a salt lake for breakfast, and be back at camp for a late lunch.
Helicopters are chartered by the flying hour from licensed operators based around Nanyuki and on some Laikipia ranches, so the cost depends on distance and time aloft rather than a set ticket. For many travelers, one helicopter day is the single biggest upgrade a Kenya journey can offer, and it sits naturally inside a Laikipia stay. If you would rather be airborne over the Mara, the balloon safari is the classic choice there.
Helicopter Safaris in Northern Kenya
We build the helicopter day into your Laikipia or Samburu stay and keep a spare morning in case weather moves the flight.
The operator asks for each passenger’s body weight and luggage in advance, because seats and fuel are balanced against load and altitude.
After a safety briefing at the camp airstrip or helipad, you lift off soon after dawn, when the air is calm and the peaks are clearest.
Depending on the route, you land for breakfast or a picnic somewhere remote: a lakeshore, a ridge, a hot spring.
You head back by early afternoon, before heat and cloud make flying rougher.
Helicopter Safaris in Northern Kenya
Where to go
Kenya’s private-conservancy highlands: black and white rhino, Grevy’s zebra, and walking, riding and camel treks beneath Mount Kenya.
Explore
Northern Kenya’s arid reserves: the Samburu Special Five, river elephants, leopards and warrior-guided walks on community land.
ExploreSafaris
Nairobi · Samburu · Laikipia · Mara Conservancies
First-timers who want Kenya’s full range, and returning travelers who have seen the Mara alone
Nairobi · Chyulu Hills · Laikipia
Confident riders and fit walkers who want to spend most of each day out of the vehicle
Nairobi · Laikipia · Mara Conservancies · Diani Beach
Newlyweds who want privacy, a few genuinely special moments and a beach, without road days
Good to know
Helicopter days are charged per flying hour by the operator, so the total depends on distance, time in the air and how many seats you fill. We share the current rate when we plan your route and can shape a shorter flight around the time you want to spend.
Not on the routes we plan at the time of writing. US advice covers western Turkana and a belt along the Ethiopian border, so we keep helicopter days to the Suguta Valley, the Mathews Range, Mount Kenya and the plateau, and we review this whenever advisories change.
Air is calmest and visibility best early in the day. Cloud tends to wrap Mount Kenya by mid-morning, and heat over the Rift and the northern lowlands makes afternoons bumpier and reduces how much a helicopter can carry.
Most helicopters used for scenic flights seat three or four passengers beside the pilot, depending on the model and the combined weight. Larger groups fly in two aircraft or take turns, and luggage on camp transfers must be soft and light.
Experiences
In the air
Lift off over the Mara at sunrise, drift for about an hour above the river and the plains, then land for a champagne breakfast in the grass.
Tell us when you can travel, who is coming and what you most want from Kenya. A safari specialist will design a private route around you, and nothing is booked until you approve it.
Plan My Kenya Safari