What Is Required For Filming Mountain Gorillas In Uganda

Filming in Uganda is one of the virgin activities that production companies in the world have picked interest in. The country has unique sceneries that have featured in some documentaries and music videos but this is just a tip of the ice burg. Television productions like CNN has sited and put Bwindi Forest in Uganda on the list of the top 59 destinations to visit this 2020, National Geographic Wild ( Nat Geo Wild) and so many other. The Corona Virus has temporarily made a stop on this but there is hope for holiday resurrection.

 What is need to do filming mountain gorillas in Uganda

 Media cards

The production credentials that you need to do filming or commercial photography are media cards. We can process these for the entire filming or photography crew as long as you forward the details of on your passport, Production Company, state the reasons why you are filming or photographing in Uganda and how useful will this content be to Uganda. These cards are issued by the Uganda Communications Council but for proper arrangement you need to do advance booking because it may take about 2 to 3 days because of protocol.

Gorilla tracking permits

To visit the mountain gorillas you need a gorilla permit which costs $700 as per July 2020 however this lasts only 1 hour after meeting the mountain gorillas. We would recommend you to book the gorilla habituation permit which costs $ 1500 per person and this last 4 hours per day. You also have to pay filming fee of $ 4200 to the Uganda Wildlife Authority that accords you permission to do the filming and also provides security to the crew while in the wilderness. Contact us for more details

Gorilla Tracking Gears

Gorilla tracking requires you to have the right gorilla trekking gears to survive in the jungle and this doesn’t exclude filming the mountain gorillas. We advise our clients to carry gears like tracking boots, long trousers, garden gloves, insect repellents, energy bites, poncho or rain gears. Check here for more details

 Form G

Every filing crew member need to fill form G so as to be allowed to do any production in Uganda. We send this form and each member fills in there details are send it them forms back with each crew members passport photo.

Transport

To get to the destination, you need to hire a terrain resistant vehicle like a 4×4 land cruiser or 4×4 safari vans to carry equipment. The roads are quite impassable so a good vehicle in good condition will take you safely to Bwindi.

Driver Guide

A knowledgeable driver guide will make your filming experience fantastic as he will take you to the right spots of the giant forest. We have a team of driver guides that have acquired experience with filming crews and the field and are ready to help.

Accommodation

While filming in Bwindi forest you need to have accommodation closer to where your location is. This gives you chance to do your work well without fearing to drive through the dark in the wilderness.

Kit clearing

On arrival, you need to clear the equipment to be used at the customs. We request you to send us the list of all equipment you are travelling with, including the names, serial number, and number of items. We shall forward this to our clearing agent that we closely work with.  The agent will wait on you on arrival and assist you to clear all your cargo so as to avoid delay too.

Porters

 When gorilla tracking, you hike through the volcanic terrain that makeup the topography of Bwindi forest surface. You need some assistance from some porters to carry some of your baggage into the forest. These can be hired before the start of the trek and they carry your equipment into the forest.