Filming in Mgahinga National Park
Filming in Mgahinga National Park. Mgahinga National Park is popular as a gorilla trekking safari destination in the world with one habituated gorilla family and is part of the Virunga ranges lying between Uganda, DRC and Rwanda. Mgahinga has several filming attractions which we are going to highlight in this article. Located in southwestern Uganda, Mgahinga is in Kisoro district taking 8 to 9 hours drive from Kampala.
Filming in Mgahinga National Park, will require you to have te media card, the filming permits and the gorilla trekking permit to gain access to the mountain gorillas.
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Filming requirements in Mgahinga National Park
As you plan to film in Mgahinga National Park, note that several requirements will be required of each person, and these are listed below.
Press Accreditation Card: The Press Accreditation Card is an important requirement that has to be made by every crew filming member because, without it, you will not be allowed to film in Mgahinga National Park. All filming crew members are required to have the media card, and the cost is $175 per person, which is valid for 30 days, $225 per person, valid for 60 days and $325 per person, valid for 24 months. The cost is set by the Uganda Media Council and is liable to change with official announcements made.
The requirements that are needed by one to apply for the Press accreditation card in Uganda include:
- A fully filled in Form G by all crew members.
- Valid passport or national ID attached to Form G
- Two recent coloured passport-sized photos
- A certificate of good conduct has to be attached to the Form G from your country of origin.
- You have to pay the accreditation fees on time before travelling.
NB: All the crew members have to fill in the Form G to be able to get the media card and each person is supposed to carry the card with them at all times.
Gorilla filming permit: Individuals, filming groups, companies and production companies all need to get filming permits before they are allowed to film mountain gorillas in Mgahinga. The gorilla trekking filming permit which is issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority is your ticket and without it, you will not be able to film mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.
The Process of getting the filming permit: The process of getting a gorilla filming permit is easy, and the first step is writing an official letter to the UWA informing them about your intention to film the gorillas. You have to clearly explain your intentions. Before you strat your application, note that UWA charges a 1% monitoring fee and 40% filming fee, and these are to be paid to Uganda Wildlife Authority but note that this could change from time to time. The procedure of getting the filming permit is entirely up to UWA and as Encounter Africa Safaris, we have control over it.
- Fill in the application form from UWA’s official website and this has to be filled by all those intending to film gorillas.
- UWA acknowledges receipt of all the applications within 24 hours and 48 hours.
- All filming permit requests have to be done at least 3 weeks before the start of the filming safari for proper planning.
- Note that all the requests are assessed case by case, taking different factors into consideration, and once it has been approved, you will receive your filming permit.
NB: You can first initiate a conversation with UWA to discuss your filming; this helps you determine what might be achievable during your filming safari. Also, discuss with their communications manager at UWA headquarters. After getting to know what is needed, write a formal letter and Encounter Africa Safaris is here to help you through the entire process.
Clearing of the filming equipment: All tourists have to clear the filming equipment that is to be used when filming in Mgahinga National Park, and this can be done through Encounter Africa Safaris. The process is not that long, and one can clear the equipment in 2 to 3 days, but this is only possible if you had previously sent photos of all the equipment that is used for filming, the serial number and the cost of the equipment. This helps to ease clearance at the customs office and you should note that the clearance fee is usually 40% of the total cost of the filming equipment.
We can also arrange the transportation of the filming equipment from the airport to your filming destination
Other services when filming in Mgahinga National Park
Besides the permits that are needed, you have to also plan for other services that will be used when filming in Mgahinga National Park including:
Accommodation: Accommodation is one of the most important things to consider when planning a filming safari to Mgahinga National Park and we are here to help you make the right decision when it comes to accommodation. Due to the small size of the national park, many of the accommodation facilities are located in the nearby towns next to Mgahinga and they are categorized into three: budget, mid-range and luxury accommodation facilities.
Some of the accommodation facilities that can be used during the filming safari in Mgahinga include Mount Gahinga Rest Camp and Kisoro Tourist Hotel. Traveller’s Rest Hotel, Amajambere Iwacu Community Camp, Lake Chahafi Resort, Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge, Mutanda Lake Resort and Mount Gahinga Lodge, among others.
There is also an option of camping in Mgahinga at the Community Campground.
Transport: Encounter Africa Safaris helps you organize transportation for the entire crew and their equipment to and from the national park. Two modes/types of transport can be used and these are road and air transport. If you prefer to use road transport, we have 4×4 safari vehicles that we use to transport our clients and their equipment, and it takes about 8 to 9 hours from Kampala to Mgahinga and 4 hours from Kigali. Domestic flights can easily be arranged from Kajjansi Airstrip or Entebbe International Airport to Kisoro Airstrip or Kihihi Airstrip, and thereafter, you will be driven to the national park the rest of the way.
What to film in Mgahinga National Park
There are several primate species that are found in Mgahinga National Park, and below is a list of things that you can film while on a filming safari in Mgahinga National Park.
Mountain Gorillas:
Mountain gorillas are the main tourist attraction in Mgahinga National Park and are one of the wildlife species that can be filmed in Mgahinga. Mgahinga is home to over 300 mountain gorillas; however, there is only one habituated gorilla family. The Nyakagezi gorilla family is the only habituated gorilla family that is available for trekking every year in Mgahinga National Park for tourists with the guidance of experienced and professional guides.
Mountain gorillas live in families under the leadership of the dominant silverback, and for one to be able to film gorillas in Mgahinga, you will need to first purchase a gorilla trekking permit, which is $800 for foreign non-residents, $700 for foreign residents and UGX300, 000 for East African citizens with National IDs or passports.
Golden monkeys:
Mgahinga National Park is one of the few remaining parks in East Africa that is home to the endangered golden monkeys. Tourists will also need to purchase a golden monkey trekking permit to be able to have access to the monkeys. These primates live in groups of 10 to 100 and it’s the dominant male that is in charge of the different golden monkey families. They are easier to trek because of the bamboo shoots that are found in the forest on the ground which make it easy to trek and find them.
Golden monkeys are more playful and can be seen jumping from tree to tree, caring for their young ones, hunting for food, grooming and making sure that the family is safe. Every group of tourists has an hour with the golden monkeys before trekking back to the park headquarters.
Animal species:
Mgahinga National Park is home to over 79 animal species, and they can be seen in the different parts of the national park. Some of the animal species you can film when in Mgahinga include forest elephants, bushbucks, leopards, forest buffaloes, bush pigs, forest hogs and several primate species, which include black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, baboons, L’Hoest monkeys and potto among others.
Birds:
Mgahinga National park is home to over 200 bird species and these include both the migratory and endemic bird species. When you visit Mgahinga National Park, you have a chance to film the different bird species that are found in the park and these include
The Olive woodpecker, Archer’s robin-char, African hill babbler, Blue-headed Coucal, Handsome Francolin, Mountain masked Apalis, Alpine swift, African olive pigeon, Red-faced woodland, Regal sunbird, Dusky crimsonwing, Kivu ground thrush, Shelley’s crimsonwing, Ruwenzori nightjar, Ruwenzori Batis, Strange weaver and Scarlet-tufted malachite sunbird among others.
The Virunga Volcanoes:
Mgahinga National Park is home to three mountains that include Mount Sabinyo, Gahinga and Muhavura. Below is a list of the mountains and a description of the climb on each of the three individual mountains.
Mount Sabinyo, which is at an elevation of 3645 meters above sea level, is one of the mountains that tourists can climb and film in Mgahinga. Sabinyo is a direct translation meaning Old man’s teeth, which describes the peak of the mountain that was eroded, making it look like an old man’s teeth. The climb up the mountain starts early morning at around 6:45, and it will take you through the different zones, which include the Bamboo zone (2400 to 2800m), where you will be able to spot golden monkeys and a few gorillas, elephants and bird species.
Sabinyo has three peaks, and when you get to the third summit, you will be able to have a 360-degree view of Uganda, DR Congo, Rwanda and the Virunga mountain. Note that you can only access the mountain from the Uganda side due to its rugged shape.
Mount Gahinga is at an elevation of 3474 meters above sea level and is the least climbed volcano in Mgahinga National Park. It still, however, is a good climb offering views of the Crater Lake, which is found at the summit. The climb to Mgahinga is about 6 to 7 hours, and it will still take you through the different zones, including the bamboo forest zones and other zones that lead up to the summit.
While on your climb, you will also be able to see bird species, gorillas, buffaloes and golden monkeys, among others, as you go through the Bamboo zone. When it comes to accessibility, Mount Gahinga is more accessible as compared to Sabinyo and Muhavura.
Mount Muhavura, also referred to as the guide, is the most visible mountain in Mgahinga National Park, with the best panoramic views when you get to the summit. Some of the beautiful views to look out for include the Crater Lake, peaks of Mount Rwenzori at a distance, bird species and it is also the best place for tourists to rest before the descent.
Mount Muhavura is the steepest climb in Mgahinga National Park and you should be ready for the climb by being physically fit. The climb is about 7 to 9 hours and it starts early in the morning.
Activities carried out in Mgahinga National Park
There are so many activities that can be carried out in Mgahinga National Park while filming, and these include gorilla trekking, golden monkey trekking, bird watching, guided nature walks, taking on the Batwa trail and many more.
The best time to film in Mgahinga National Park
Filming in Mgahinga National Park can be carried out throughout the year, but the best time is when the trek trails are easier to access, not muddy or slippery, and the gorillas are easy to spot, and all this is during the dry season from June to September and December to January.
Get in touch with us for more information about filming in Mgahinga National Park at Encounter Africa Safaris.