UKA / HKUK — Diani, Kenya
Ukunda Airstrip, Diani
Ukunda is Diani Beach's own airstrip — minutes from the hotels and villas of Kenya's most celebrated beach, and the reason smart travellers never take the Likoni ferry.
Ukunda Airstrip (UKA / HKUK) sits in the middle of Diani, on Kenya's south coast. It is a small, efficient field with a paved runway — and for anyone heading to Diani, Galu or the south-coast villas, it is emphatically the right airport.
The point of Ukunda
Landing at Mombasa's Moi International puts the Likoni ferry between you and Diani — a crossing that can absorb hours at peak times. Landing at Ukunda puts you five to fifteen minutes from almost every hotel and villa on the beach. Guests are regularly on the sand within half an hour of leaving the aircraft.
Flights and aircraft
Direct charters from Nairobi Wilson take about an hour and five minutes, typically on:
- Cessna Grand Caravans — the staple for families and groups with beach luggage.
- Beechcraft King Airs — pressurised and quicker, for six to eight guests.
- Light jets — possible subject to load and conditions; for larger jets we route via Mombasa and arrange the final leg.
We also arrange Ukunda sectors from the Maasai Mara and other safari strips — the bush-and-beach itinerary flown as one plan, no Nairobi overnight required.
Good to know
- Transfers: hotels and villa managers meet flights on request; we confirm your transfer before departure.
- Peak dates: Christmas–New Year, Easter and July–September fill Diani fast — book aircraft early for those windows.
- Kitesurfers: boards and kit travel far more easily by charter than on scheduled services — tell us what you are bringing and we will plan the load.
- Day trips: property viewings and site visits work as single-day returns from Nairobi.
Popular routes