Chimpanzee filming is one of the top tourist activities in Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania. There five destinations for chimpanzee filming in Uganda and among them, Kibale National park is the leading chimpanzee destinations. Crystal fixers Uganda organizes Chimpanzee filming services in Uganda including but not limited to Kibale forest National park, Budongo Forest in Murchison falls National park, Kalinzu Forest, Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth national park.
Other chimpanzee filming destination include Nyungwe National park in Rwanda and Mahle National Park in Tanzania.
CHIMPANZEE FILMING IN UGANDA
In Uganda, chimpanzee filming is done in five destinations namely;
- Kibale National Park – It’s situated in western Uganda and famous for protecting evergreen rain forest. It covers 766 sq Kilometer with the largest number of chimpanzees in Uganda. The best chimpanzee filming is done in Kibale forest with over 1500 individual chimpanzees.
- Kyambura Gorge – Kyambura Gorge is part of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Its the only place where chimpanzee filming can be done in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Kyambura Gorge lies within Kyambura Game Reserve and was created as a buffer zone, protecting the park from encroaching human activities.
- Budongo Forest – It’s part of Murchison Falls National Park and famous for protecting tall tree species especially the mahogany. The forest is a habitat of about 700 individual of chimpanzees. Chimpanzee filming in Budongo forest also enables you to take photos/ film of other tourist attraction like insects, red tailed monkeys, grey checked Mangabey, blue monkeys, black and white Colobus monkeys, olive baboons among others.
- Toro- Semuliki Game Reserve – Among the reasons for establishing Toro- Semuliki game reserves was to protect a large number of kobs. Film makers on chimpanzee filming can also see birds, Buffalo, Water bucks, Warthog among others.
- Kalinzu Forest – It is located in about 10km in Busenyi district west of Ishasha with in Queen Elizabeth. Kalinzu forest protects over 414 species of trees, 378 bird species, six different Species of Primates, Blue Monkeys, Vervet Monkeys, Black and White Colobus Monkeys and Chimpanzees, 262 Butterflies, 97 Moths, Reptiles and Flowers. On visiting western Uganda, film crew can visit kalinzu forest for chimpanzee filming.
Chimpanzee Filming in Kibale National park
It’s the major chimpanzee tracking destination in Uganda. More so, the best safari destinations in Africa for chimpanzee trekking safaris and has the highest number and diversity of primates in East Africa.
There are 13 species of primates including chimpanzees living within its 795km2 land cover with the most beautiful and most diversified tracts of tropical forest in the whole of Uganda. The Forest covering predominates in the central and northern part of the park on the raised Fort Portal plateau. At the park’s northern tip, Kibale is highest and stands 1590m above sea level.
Kyambura Gorge Chimpanzee Filming
Kyambura gorge is part of Queen Elizabeth National Park. It is situated in the Eastern part of QENP and drained by River Kyambura. The Gorge is colonized by many primates including chimpanzees, Olive Baboon, White colobus Monkeys, Red colobus monkeys, and so on.
Budongo Forest Chimpanzee Filming
Budongo forest is part of Murchison Falls National Park (the largest National Park). It is dominated by the mahogany tree species among others. The forest is strategically located 3 hours drive northwest of the capital city Kampala. Budongo forest is the biggest Mahogany forest in East Africa as well as habitat to the largest number of chimpanzees throughout Uganda. Other primates include black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, blue monkeys among others.
Toro – Semuliki Game Reserve Chimpanzee Filming
Toro Semuliki game reserve was gazetted in 1926 among the protected areas in Uganda. At the size of 542 km2, it was gazetted to protect a large number of Uganda Kobs. Chimpanzee trekking is among the major activities done in Toro – Semuliki Game Reserve and you can go chimpanzee filming in the same destination.
Kalinzu Forest Chimpanzee Filming
Kalinzu forest reserve protects over 300 chimpanzees and about 40 chimpanzees were habituated by the Japan’s researchers and experts. Kalinze forest is known form for offering chimps trekking at the lowest price.
Other places for chimpanzee filming include Ngamba island chimpanzee sanctuary and Uganda Wildlife Education centers. However, to be authorized to do chimpanzee filming in any of the mentioned destinations, you need to acquire media accreditation from Uganda media council. Each filming crew member is required to get a media card/ pass.
Requirements And Procedure For Chimpanzee Filming in Uganda
Every member is required to fill FORM G – attach copies of passport size photos. On your Form G, include reasons for filming and areas you intend to shoot. The crew leader will then forward the details of each crew member to crystal Fixers Uganda to submit them to the Uganda Media Council.
Within 2-3 working days, Film Fixers Uganda will receive feedback from the Uganda media card accepting or denying your request. We shall then let you know.
Location card– after receiving media card, you will also need to get a location card and from related authorities and the Uganda police, and if you are to film in National Parks or any other game reserve managed by UWA, sign a filming contract.
The production company has to write a letter to the Executive Director at UWA. The letter must state reasons for filming, where to film and when. ED will scrutinize your latter and decide whether to sign your filming contract or not.
The current cost of chimpanzee filming in Uganda is US$1000 per day for the film crew in addition to the cost of a chimpanzee permit per person. Contact Crystal film fixers Uganda to assist you in the process of getting a chimpanzee trekking contract.
Just like Gorilla filming, when filming chimpanzees, ensures no flashing to avoid annoying chimpanzees. When chimps charge, you may fail to do your filming on that day because chimps can start fighting you.
Chimpanzee Filming In Rwanda
Rwanda is one of the countries with the fastest growing tourism sectors in Africa. Gorillas top the list of tourists attraction in Rwanda followed by chimpanzees. You can’t visit Gorillas and forget chimpanzees- at least visit both in Volcanoes National Park and Nyungwe National Park respectively.
Once you visit Chimpanzees in Nyungwe National Park, shooting a chimpanzee film is among the life events. However, you need special authorization from the government to allow you shoot chimpanzees in Rwanda. Contact crystal Film Fixers Uganda to assist you processing chimp filming permit/ pass from Rwanda Development Board (RDB).
Gishwati Mukura National park is another home where you can go chimpanzee filming together with other tourist attractions like golden monkeys, vervet monkeys, colobus monkeys, Blue monkeys, olive baboons among others. Each filming crew member has to fill the form requesting for a filming permit from the Rwanda Media High council and after securing the filming permit, go ahead to get a chimpanzee filming permit (Location card) from Rwanda Development Board (RDB)
Requirements for acquiring Rwanda filming permit/ pass or press accreditation:
- Official letter from each film crew member addressed to Executive secretary.
- 2 colored passport size photos
- A copy of your passport
- A copy of your press card from your country of origin
- A copy of your visa except for people from countries exempted from Rwanda visa.
- A receipt of payment from the Rwanda Revenue Authority
- Filming equipment to be used
Fees for securing Rwanda press accreditation:
All payments aiming at acquiring press accreditation or media card to Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA).
- $30 for a press accreditation card valid for 01-15 days
- $50 for a press accreditation card valid 15 days -30 days
- $100 press accreditation card valid 1-3 months
- $200 press accreditation card valid 3-6 months
- $300 press accreditation card valid 6-1 year
Chimpanzee Filming in Democratic Republic of Congo
Virunga National park is not only home of Gorilla but also chimpanzees. Troops of chimpanzees are found in Eastern tropical Forest and thus a chimpanzee filming location. In Virunga National Park, chimpanzee moves in groups/ troops of 20-80 members and visiting them is limited to a maximum of 4 people per day. For that case, the film crew need to reduce on the number of film fixers per day.
Requirements For Filming Chimpanzees in Virunga National Park
- Its mandatory for each film crew member to have a chimpanzee trekking permit so, book in advance at Mikeno lodge.
- Filming permit or media card – obtained from DRC government.
- Location cards/ contract – issued by the local authorities in the area of chimpanzee filming
- Visa – each film crew member must apply for DRC visa in advance
- Filming gear clearances at the entry point or the custom
Filming chimpanzees in Tanzania
Chimpanzee Filming is among the activities done by Tourists in Tanzania. Mahale Mountains National Park became popular for chimpanzee Trekking and filming. Mahale National Park is situated in western region near Lake Tanganyika and about 1000 chimpanzee members are thought to be in this park. The popular habituated troop is Mimikire clan which was habituated by researchers in 1965 and about 56 chimps.
Film makers can also film other primates like red colobus, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkey, giant squirrel, red- legged sun squirrel, blue-tailed pocupine, bushy-tailed Mongoose and Angolan Black and white colobus monkeys.
How to reach Mahale Mountains National Park?
The park can be accessed by road, railway or air. You can reach the park from Mwanza, Arusha or Dar-es salaam. You can use charter flight or scheduled flight from Dar-es salaam or a speed train or slow moving train to the park.
Requirements For chimpanzee Filming in Mahale Mountains National Park.
You need a filming permit from Tanzania Film censorship Bord and Tanzania National Park authority to be allowed to film in Mahale Mountains national Park. Securing a filming permit in Tanzania may be time consuming so, Crystal Fixers Uganda will assist you get the pass.
How to obtain Filming permit in Tanzania?
- Fill in the application Form with the help of Crustal Film Fixers
- The application is the sent to the Tanzania consulate to complete the application.
- Once that is done, you will send original documents to your local fixer tofinalize with the local authorities.
Prices For Filming Permit in Tanzania
US$1000 for Film Makers who apply 3 month in advance and US$3000 for last Minute booking.
Note: You will also need a filming contract to film inside the park or the conservation area, drone filming, and night filming.