Safarilink is set to become the first airline to launch international connections from Kisumu International Airport, with inaugural flight set for December 15, 2025. The airline which specializes in linking tourists to travel destinations across Kenya and East Africa plans to have a Nairobi Wilson – Kisumu – Entebbe round trip on the Dash 8s aircraft that have a passenger capacity of up to 52 passengers.
At Kisumu, tourists on safari can connect with the airline’s smaller Cessna aircraft to visit various destinations such as the Maasai Mara when getting into Kenya, or link up from these destinations with the Dash 8 to get into Uganda for mountain gorilla expeditions.
The revelation about this new route was made by the airline’s Managing Director, Alex Avedi during an interview with ch-aviation at the just concluded African African Airlines Association (AFRAA) annual general assembly in Luanda, Angola.
At the Paris Air Show in June 2025, Safarilink Airlines and French aircraft manufacturer and pioneer in low carbon aviation, AURA AERO*, announced the signature of a Letter of Intent (LOI) for ERA, the hybrid-electric regional aircraft, in its 19-seater version. The agreement concerned acquisition of 4 aircraft plus 2 additional options.
The acquisition would be an addition to the 15 plane fleet operated by Safarilink (consisting of Cessna and De Havilland Canada planes). Apart from the daily scheduled services to 17 (18, beginning Dec 15) key destinations, the airline also offers private charter services tailored to clients with bespoke travel needs.
“We are delighted to support Safarilink in their transition towards low-carbon aircraft. With ERA, they will take full advantage of a hybrid electric aircraft, in terms of decarbonization, but also noise reduction, while upgrading to an innovative, new generation plane, lowering both their operation and maintenance costs,” Jérémy CAUSSADE, President and co-founder of AURA AERO had shared then.
One of our key strategic priorities as an airline is to contribute to the decarbonization of aviation, by upgrading our fleet to next-generation, environmentally sustainable aircraft. In ERA, we have identified a cutting-edge and eco-efficient solution, and we are looking forward to start operating this state-of-the-art plane!
~ stated Alex AVEDI, CEO of Safarilink
Safarilink Aviation was founded in 2004 and got onto the international routes when it launched its daily flights to Zanzibar in 2017 from the Wilson Airport, after acquiring the larger Dash 8 aircrafts manufactured by Dehavilland Canada. The first delivery of the 52-seater Dash 8-315 aircraft happened two days before Christmas in 2016.
For the Zanzibar route, the flight departs from Wilson Airport at 1400hrs allowing passengers to connect from Masai Mara and Laikipia, arriving on the Indian Ocean safari island at 1545hrs. The early evening return flight from Zanzibar enables connections to international flights leaving the island at 1615hrs and arriving in Nairobi at 1800hrs.
Kisumu Airport meanwhile is putting the final touches on its 8-storey control tower that will change the face of aviation from the shores of Nam Lolwe, also known as Lake Victoria. The city is strategically placed to be a link to other East African countries via both ship and air.
