Author: tropicair

The World Rally Championship (WRC), which was first held on Kenyan soils 70 years ago, took place for just the 3^rd time in two decades (in June 2023).  The thrilling high speed modern generation event was held Naivasha in the Great Rift Valley – the 7^th of the 13 round championship – and the only one on the African continent!

If you can imagine cars producing 360kW from turbocharged, three-cylinder engines, with power sent to all four wheels and a suspension tuned to maximise grip – that’s just part of the thrill.  LOCATION – the wilderness, sandy roads, hairpin turns, and flats where speeds of up to 200km/hour are reached in seconds!  The DUST is iconic!

Tropic Air was privileged, for the 2^nd year running, to fly the international TV crew, and legendary cameraman Bart Van Aert, who provided incredible aerial coverage from a Shotover camera mounted onto the nose of the helicopter.  Our pilots delivered their best flying skills with faultless manoeuvres!

Media manager and photographer Joe Andreys was on site, and captured amazing images of the action!

A remote pastoralist community living on the summit of the Ndoto Mountains in northern Kenya, have welcomed the Tropic Air helicopters and our guests on countless occasions. We land here on the grassy glades on route to the deserts of the north, because its such a beautiful (and cool) spot that overlooks the low arid lands of Samburu, and because the people that live here are exceptionally hospitable.

On our last visit we were overwhelmed by a little boy who showed us a carved wooden helicopter that he had hand crafted – a perfect replica of our H130! WOW! Although we stop regularly, its usually for just a short 20 minute break, and hardly enough time to do a study of the machine (you’d think!). The boy is deaf, and it is his friends who alert him to the sounds of the helicopter landing – and a small crowd of excited children sprint to landing spot. This boys talent clearly is natural and intrinsic, and we can’t wait to see what his next creation might be!

Photos: Jamie Roberts

A bike race like no other – for all ages and abilities, racing down the slopes of Mount Kenya, from 10,000 feet to 4,000 feet raising money and awareness of Mount Kenya’s natural resources, for the benefit of the people and wildlife.

Tropic Air’s association with the Mount Kenya Trust goes back nearly two decades, a conservation-based organization that works hand-in-hand with many stakeholders and individuals. As a result, Mount Kenya’s natural resource remain healthy and sustainable, and like several million people that live around the mountain, we have great respect and appreciation for all that it represents.  Being the Title Sponsor of the 10to4, a unique fund-raising event run by the Mount Kenya Trust, is one way that we can give back, and show our commitment to the conservation of the mountain’s precious biodiversity and its value as Kenya’s principal ‘water tower’.

Photos: Andrey Josephs

Training with the rangers in the wilderness of Laikipia, familiarising in helicopter procedures including simple drills like approaching the heli, opening and closing the doors, fastening seat belts, and disembarking safely. And a few more complicated drills such as loading stretcher patients in highly stressful situations. 

These are the men and women on the front line protecting our rhino and elephant from poaching – a threat which still exists despite world wide efforts to neutralise the ivory and rhino horn trade.  The helicopter is resource which can’t be underestimated – a platform for mobilising the teams to hot spot areas, and to engage in critical situations before it’s too late!  Time is always a factor, and danger is a reality.

Photos Andrey Josephs

YOU have been asking ‘Who creates Tropic Air’s Social Media?‘

JOE MURIITHI, Nanyuki-born-and-raised professional mountaineer and adventure photographer, is responsible for developing the content shared through our social media platforms. He is a talented photographer and editor, with a cool style that reflects just how exciting and unique Tropic Air’s heli safaris and air charter flights are!

In addition to running our Instagram, Tik Tok and Facebook pages, Joe creates short promo films for our helicopter safaris, and documents events such as orphan-elephant rescues, the Safari Rally and the 10-to-4 mountain bike challenge for which Tropic Air is the title sponsor.

Joe aspires to be a National Geographic Explorer to share stories about our mountains in Kenya, their wild ecosystems and their value to communities living and depending on them.

After a 4 month stint in maintenance, our very original Cessna 182 – 5Y-BOW is back in action with a new engine from Skyways Texas!

This is the ‘work horse’ of our fixed wing fleet. She can carry two passengers, and fly’s all over the country on private charter missions. The C182 is the perfect bush plane, landing at all sorts of strips and taking people to their next amazing safari destination in Kenya.

Photos: Nanyuki Airstrip (top) and Sedar in South Horr Valley, 18th June 2022