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February 5, 2026Nairobi Wilson Airport – Spotting Guide
- last modified on September 25, 2026
Nairobi Wilson Airport (WIL/HKNW) is the second airport of Nairobi and serves most domestic destinations in Kenya mainly using turboprops (Fokker 50s, Dash 8, Embraer Brasilia, Cessna Caravan). The majority of the general aviation in Nairobi also happens here, which leads to plenty of traffic ranging from smaller Cessnas up to larger business jets. The Kenyan Police and Army are also frequently using the airport. All in all, you can spot a huge variety of aircraft here.
Written by Sebastian Arndt and Philipp Schütz. Last Update: October 2025
| Rating | |
| Movements |  |
| Airline Variety | |
| Photo Locations |  |
| Weather |  |
| Airport Information | |
| Runways | |
| 07/25 | 1462m asphalt |
| 14/32 | 1540m asphalt |
| Terminals | There is one terminal for incoming flights, but departures leave from each airline’s own terminal. |
| Spotting Information | |
| Ladder | Not needed and not recommend to use. |
| Car/Public Transport | Uber or motorbike taxis will take you to all spots and are not expensive at all. |
| Drinks/Food | Each airline operates a small cafe in their terminal. |
| Hotels | Tamarind Tree Hotel offers views on 07 approach (see spot 4) |
| Season | Preferrably in dry season from June until September. |
| Security | The airport road is fenced off from the main road and therefore very safe to walk around spots 1 and 2. It is possible to obtain a spotter permit at Wilson Airport. It can be requested in the security office opposite the arrivals area. However, processing takes about 1 or 2 business days and there is no online process, which might not be handy for most spotters. Spotting is not understood in Kenya and security can be very strict at times. You may be asked to leave at spot 2, but I did not have issues at the other two locations. Spot 3 is in a public area and it is recommended to keep a low profile. |
| Runway Usage | |
| General Info | Usually, runway 07 is used for all arrivals while runway 14 is used for most departures. |
 |
Spot #1 – AirKenya Terminal – Ramp |
|---|---|
| WHERE | Go into the AirKenya Terminal and ask the staff if it is possible to take photos out of the windows. A boarding pass is not needed! AirKenya sees a lot of aviation enthusiasts due to their Dash 7 flights and staff is usually very friendly and welcoming. |
| WHAT | All arrivals landing on runway 07 are taxiing right in front of you on their way to the arrival terminal. Aircraft parked on the ramp. Parked aircraft of AirKenya, especially the Dash 7, can block the view and make this spot unusable. Runway 14 departures are quite far away but can be seen. |
| TIME | Sunrise till 11 am. |
| MISC. | Restrooms and a cafe can be found inside the terminal. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | |
 |
Spot #2 – Airport Fence – 14 departures, ramps |
|---|---|
| WHERE | From the main airport’s entrance, follow the airport road west for about 5 minutes until you reach the end of the runway. The fence is broken in some spots at the morning spot and is very low at the afternoon spot making it easy to shoot over the fence.
Update September 2026: a new fence is currently being constructed instead of the old low one with barbed wire. It seems to be a bit higher than the old one, however, could be possible to still clear it without a ladder. |
| WHAT | All departures for runway 14 and aircraft taxiing from the arrivals area to their respective terminals. Parked aircraft on the ramp. |
| TIME | Morning spot sunrise until noon. Afternoon spot noon until sunset. However, most days, clouds build up from noon. |
| MISC. | There are no facilities or shade here. Security of the nearby buildings may send you away after a while at the morning spot. The afternoon spot is out of sight for security, but I still recommend to keep a low profile. The area is safe though. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 50-300 mm |
 |
Spot #3 – Roadside – 07 Arrivals |
|---|---|
| WHERE | This spot is located on Langata Link Road near the roundabout. Security frequently checks the airport fence. Therefore, stay away from the roundabout (where you will see arrivals very late anyways) and position yourself at the gate marked on the map. There, you can sit on a little wall and are protected by the sun in the shade of some trees. The location is about a 20 minute walk from the main entrance of the airport. Otherwise, take an uber or motorbike taxi. |
| WHAT | All arrivals for runway 07. |
| TIME | In winter all day, in summer the light will come harshly from above or even from behind. |
| MISC. | You are in a public area and I do recommend to keep a low profile. There are no facilities here. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 50-300mm. With 500 mm plus, you might be able to spot departing traffic from runway 14 heading north banking right after departure. |
 |
Spot #4 – Tamarind Tree Hotel – 07 Arrivals |
|---|---|
| WHERE | Southwest of the airport, you will find the Tamarind Tree Hotel. It is a great hotel and is set in a nice location. Once you go out of the building, turn left and walk past the parking spaces/area. At the end, you will find a small gate which can be opened by the hotel key: just behind it, there is a gate on your right whereby the treeline is interrupted for some meters. Here you can see the approaches. |
| WHAT | All arrivals for runway 07. |
| TIME | In winter all day, in summer the light will come harshly from above or even from behind. |
| MISC. | The hotel is just nearby, you are a bit off the busy streets here in the backyard. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 200-300mm |
I was at spot 2 last week and was approached by police and airport security after 15 minutes. They questioned my for 30 minutes in their office and really did not understand at all how anyone could be interested in taking pictures of planes. They were friendly overall, but quite strict. Also, they pointed out that there are signs that prohibit standing in the area just behind the runway and taking pictures.
Lastly, a new fence is currently being constructed instead of the old low one with barbed wire. It seems to be a bit higher than the old one, however, could be possible to still clear it without a ladder.
Hi Lukas, danke für das Update. Spot 2 scheint wohl nicht der beste zu sein und man wird schnell kontrolliert. Hattest du eine Genehmigung zum spotten? Den Hinweis mit dem Zaun habe ich ergänzt.
VG
Julian