cruisinred

Hi Sandi-

I finally got around to reading your wonderful, detailed trip report over the long weekend. Loisaba sounds like a great destination.
I was just wondering if you knew any updated details about the air transfers to Loisaba?
On the Cheli Peacock website they mention:
"From the 15th December the Tropic Air Scheduled flight service will start, making it much easier and economical to access Loisaba."

Thanks
Cruisinred

kimburu

Cruisinred
You may already have this - it's nothing special, but in case you don't...

I have been looking for information on how to get to a number of places in the loosely-termed Laikipia area and read nothing about such flights. Teh only scheduled flights I saw were to Lewa. To be fair the information generally doesn't seem to be right up to date, but the Tropic Air link on this Web site doesn't work for me, which might be worrying.
http://www.laikipia.org/tropic_air.htm

Anyway, there is a telephone number for the Forum (don't expect much via email; I am still waiting for replies to three different queries sent between 2 and 3 weeks ago!

If you don't already have it here is the link to Loisaba Web site. It contains a bit more information than the Cheli & Peacock site (see the two PDF files in the left menu for the nitty gritty sort of information. They do not mention the flights either, which you would expect them to.

http://loisaba.com/loisaba-news.htm

I remember when I once did a google search for Tropic Air there was an 800 toll free number; no idea if this worked or if it is indeed the same Tropic Air - just something that stuck in my mind because I wouldn't have expected such a small airline to have one (but what do I know?).

cruisinred

Thanks Kimburu-
It seems we have shared similarly frustrating website experiences re. laipia.org, tropic air, etc.
Let's see if Sandi can clarify for us.

cruisinred

ttt for sandi

sandi

Hi Lorna -

Tropic Air is based out of the Nanyuki air field, which has been beautifully remodeled, with shops, coffee shop/restaurant, waiting area and clean bathrooms.

Flights from here go to various area including Meru, Lewa, Loisaba and in the Mara - the Ngerende, Musiara, Ol Kiombo and Cottars/Siana airstrips - each for specific camps/lodges closest to an airstrip.

There are different zones and rates applicable from zone to zone. Example: Nanyuki/Meru are both in Zone A, whereas Nanuki/Lewa or Loisaba would be Zone A/B. And are priced accordingly. Most flights are in the morning, so you have to get the early flight to from Nairobi to Nanyuki to make your ongoing connection if you're not using scheduled flights to areas in the north, i.e., Nairobi/Meru.

There is no service in the rainy season of April, May to June 15, November to Dec 15. Private charter, I have to assume, would replace the Tropic Air scheduled service. But a number of the properties covered by the Tropic Air service may be closed during the wet seasons.

One-way fares run from about $165 to $500 (the latter - Zone A/Meru to Zone D/Cottars*/Siana in the Mara).

The scheduled flights to Cottars take you to the Keekorok airstrip and from there it's a 1.5 hr drive (though it took us almost 3/hrs with game viewing along the way). So the above fare is for the private airstrip, 10-minutes from Cottars.

Hope this helps.

cruisinred

Thanks Sandi; I appreciate your insigh. Just dropped you an email.