Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is among the targeted destinations to media houses or production companies or filming groups. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is situated in south western Uganda and a famous home of Mountain Gorillas. Other creatures hiding in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest include Birds, Chimpanzees, Colobus monkeys, forest elephants, Forest lions, Forest Leopards, insects, unique tree species and waterfalls among other attractions.
Note: After securing filming permit from media council, Crystal Film Fixers will also get for you location permit and since Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is under Uganda Wildlife Authority, you need to get filming contract or agreement. Uganda Wildlife Authority charges the cost of the activity you intend to film plus its 40% fees plus 10% monitoring fees. Thereafter, Uganda Wildlife Authority will process a filming agreement between the production company/ media house and them – signed and agree to follow terms and conditions.
Things to Film in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Bwindi impenetrable forest national park is one of Uganda’s top wildlife filming destinations. This is apparently because of the endangered mountain gorillas. But besides filming the endangered mountain gorillas and butterflies, there is a lot more to explore and film in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. Below are some of the things to do and film in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park
Mountain Gorillas Filming in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Mountain Gorillas offers the major tourist attraction in Bwindi Forest and Uganda at large. The filming crew should focus on capturing photos of the endangered species. The four Gorilla tracking sectors to set your production include Nkuringo sector, Buhoma sector, Rushaga sector and Ruhija sector. The filming company reserves the right to choose which sector is convenient for production however, you must involve Crystal Fixers Uganda to arrange your pre- production stage.
Crystal Fixers Uganda will advise you on Filming gear, how to get to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, how to process gorilla filming contract or permit or pass, how to choose the best gorilla families, how much is gorilla filming, how to process Filming permit from Uganda media council and the duration of filming process among others.
If you contact Crystal Fixer Uganda as your local film fixer, sit back and relax – we shall assist you obtain filming contract/ pass from Uganda Wildlife Authority with in a week or two weeks. More so, we do assist in clearing filming equipment at Entebbe Airport and obtaining other accreditation/ media cards from media council.
Costs of Filming in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Basing on your budget, you decide to go 1hr Filming or 4hrs filming. For 1hr gorilla filming, you pay the cost of gorilla trekking permit at US$700 plus 40% of the gorilla permit fees, which is US$280.
Four hours filming requires you to pay for Gorilla habituation permit at US$1500 plus 40% of gorilla habituation permit, which is US$600.
Bird filming in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
The Park is an excellent bird-watching center in Uganda. Birding filming in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park also requires filming contract from Uganda wildlife Authority. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park records over 348 species of birds which include the twenty-five 25 restricted-range species with twenty-three accustomed to the Albertine Rift. Among the bird species to film in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest include Shelley’s Crimson-wing – which is vulnerable, Chapin’s Flycatcher, -African Green Broadbill, and Grauer’s Rush Warbler among others. The ranger guides will guide you follow the popular birding trails.
Filming Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Crystal Fixers Uganda will assist you obtain filming contract or permit from Uganda Wildlife Authority. If you want to import a drone, inform us in advance to seek for permission from Uganda people Defense Force headquarters, state the reasons for filming with a drone, date and time to use a drone and area to film with a drone. However, the CDF reserve the right of accepting or denying the importation of the drone.
Fee of US$175 per person is paid for a period not exceeding 30 days of the journalist’s stay.
Fee of US$225 per person is paid for a period beyond 30 days up to six months of stay.
Fee of US$325 per person is paid for a period of two years.
Filming the Batwa people and their local community
The Batwa pygmies are referred to as the most marginalized tribe in Africa. The Batwa lived in Bwindi Forest for long time together with Mountain Gorillas and other wild life. In 1992, the Uganda government suggested to protect the entire forest and mountain Gorillas thus suggested to resettle the Batwa from the interior of the forest. The pushing of the Batwa from the reserved area made them suffer bitterly as they were discriminated in the new community.
Once you visit Batwa pygmies, you will be welcomed by music, dance and drama – set your cameras to capture photos and films. Batwa experiential will enable you explore the Batwa community to study about their history, daily activities, life style among others.
Accommodation during Filming
When you go filming in Bwindi area, you can choose to stay in Budget, Deluxe or Luxury accommodation basing on your budget and interest. Silver Back Lodge, Mahogany Spring Lodge, Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Camp, Ruhija Gorilla Lodge and Buhoma Lodge among others. Crystal Film Fixers Uganda will as well assist you secure your accommodation in advance.