Filming in Amboseli National Park

Filming in Amboseli National Park

Amboseli National Park is one of the great places to film wildlife in Kenya. Amboseli National Park covers 392 sq km and forms the larger part of Amboseli ecosystem in Kenya. The park has five prime wildlife habitats (Open plains, acacia woodland, rocky thorn bush country, swamps and marshland), within its basin there is a temporary Lake Amboseli that floods during seasons of high rainfall. Amboseli National Park is famous for its big game, its great scenic beauty and the landscape is dominated by the towering Mount Kilimanjaro making it one of the great national parks to film in Kenya.

Things to film in Amboseli National Park

Wildlife

Amboseli has large concentrations of wildlife all year round with over 80 different mammal species ranging from the tiny (and rarely seen) spectacled elephant shrew to the huge bulk of the African elephant. The park is great for superb elephant pictures and documentaries with Mount Kilimanjaro as a backdrop. Amboseli is also great for filming birds it has over 400 bird species including many endemics.

Major attractions and activities

Amboseli National Park gives you an opportunity to view Mount Kilimanjaro on the observation hill which as well allows you to have an overall view of the whole park especially the beautiful swamps and elephants below the hill. Animals in the park include elephants, buffaloes, hippos and a variety of water fowl like pelican, Egyptian goose and other water birds.

Maasai culture

In Amboseli National Park you will as be able to film the Maasai people and their indigenous lifestyle, you will learn and shoot how they survive in the park alongside with wildlife. The Vibrant Maasai tribe is Kenya’s best-known cultural group leaving in different parts of Kenya, clad in colorful shukas, these tall, bejeweled people have preserved their traditional way of life, sustaining its authenticity uninfluenced by cultural trends elsewhere.

Requirements to film in Amboseli National Park

You will need to get a filming permit from Kenya Film Commission for you to be allowed to film in Amboseli National Park. In order to get a Filming Permit, one must write a letter requesting the filming permit and fill out an application form which must be accompanied by a copy of the screenplay, story synopsis, and a shooting schedule. These should be sent to the Film Licensing Officer, Kenya Film Commission. Filming permits for features, documentaries, short films, music videos, corporate videos, and commercials are issued within minutes of application. Applications for TV Series and full length feature films are processed in less than 48 hours (2 to 3 days) of application. Contact us at Film crew fixers we will be able to help you process the filming permissions with the Local Authorities in Kenya.

Filming fees and costs in Amboseli National Park, Kenya

The following charges are applied for any filming in Amboseli National Park in Kenya:

• Ksh. 8, 000 ($80) for five (5) people for one (1) week or part thereof.
• Ksh. 12, 000 ($115) for six (6) – ten (10) people for one (1) week or part thereof.
• Ksh. 20, 000 ($200) for more than ten (10) people for one (1) week or part thereof.

Kenya Filming Fees

1. a) Filming rates

• Adverts, documentaries, dramas, short features; still photographs KSHS 5,000 ($50)
• Full-length feature films, TV series KSHS 15,000 ($150)
• Daily filming fees KSHS 1,000 ($10)

1. b) Liaison Officer’s service charges

The Ministry charges Ksh. 400 ($5) per day to cover Liaison Officer’s services provided by a government Liaison Officer to be attached to the crew.

1. c) Other charges

• Each visitor is required to pay Ksh. 2,000 ($20) to the Immigration Department for a special pass before engaging in any film shooting. The crew may however, arrive in Kenya on a visitor’s pass while the filming special pass is being processed. We recommend you travel after all the filming paper work has been arranged to avoid inconveniences.
• For all filming equipment, a nominal non-refundable fee of 1% of the value of the equipment or Ksh 30,000 ($300) whichever is less is payable to the Customs Department on presentation of a film license.

On top of the above you will need to cover Press accreditation, accommodation, transport and others for a successful shoot as below;

Kenya Press Accreditation

All film crew members are by law supposed to be accredited by Kenya Film Commission. Local filming agents and Private production companies or individuals are requested to submit their applications through a local agent registered with the ministry. This requirement is mandatory for all applications to make feature films or documentaries in Kenya. Each crew member is required to fill a Kenya Film License Form (which we normally send to you) with all details, scan and send it back to us with a copy of his/her passport as well as one photograph to be put on his/her filming license. On top of this, we will need a letter from the filming company detailing who they are, why they are filming, where they will be filming and details of crew members on this shoot. We will attach this letter to all details provided and send them to Kenya Film Commission for film license processing. This takes 2-3 working days to have these film licenses ready.

Kenya Visa Advice

You will need to purchase a tourist visa. Many film crews prefer getting their visas before they come to Kenya but visa’s can be obtained easily upon arrival at any entry point and in this case Nairobi International Airport upon paying either USD51.00 for Tourist Visa you will be able to get it immediately.

Kenya Vehicle Hire Services

Film Crew Fixers will help you organize transport for film crews to film in Amboseli National Park depending on their interest, budget and the nature of roads in such selected locations to film in the park. We recommend Customized 4×4 Land Cruisers which costs from USD200-250 per vehicle per day with Driver/Fixer or 4×4 Safari Vans from USD200 per Van per day with driver/Fixer. For us to estimate how much it will cost in terms of fuel, we will need to look at your filming schedule to establish mileage and distance to be travelled. We also organize both charter and schedule air transport for those that need to fly in order to reduce on the number of hours to Amboseli National Park.

Fixers in Kenya

All our vehicles come with drivers who act as location fixers and most of them have been to almost all parts of Kenya and are thus conversant with the local situations and are able to provide relevant information and fix any situation on the ground. These act as intermediaries between you and our office while on location in Kenya.

Accommodation

Lodge options to stay in during filming range from Budget, mid-range to luxury options. You will choose what to stay in depending on your interests and budget. Contact us here for details. Accommodation options in Aberdare National park include The Ark and The Aberdare Country Club managed by Fairmont Hotels, Outspan and Treetops managed by Aberdare Safari Hotels, Fishing Lodge, Ruhuruini, Tusk Camp and Sapper Hut among others.

How to get to Aberdare National Park

By road: The Park is easily accessible on tarmac from Nyeri and Naro Moru on the eastern side 160km from Nairobi. The main towns from which the park can be accessed are Nyeri 154km from Nairobi, Nyahururu 188km from Nairobi and Naivasha 87km from Nairobi.

By Air: There are daily scheduled flights from Nairobi to an airstrip at Empusel gate and Olekelunyiet. Other airstrips exist at Kilimanjaro Buffalo Lodge and Namanga town.

What is the best time to film in Amboseli National Park?

Filming in Amboseli National Park is done throughout the year and the best time is during the months of December to February and then June to October which is relatively dry than March to May and November.

Why use Film crew fixers to film in Amboseli National Park, Kenya

Film crew Fixers is a local fixer company based in Uganda, we assist filming companies and Production agencies in Uganda and East Africa as a whole .we have done it for the last 8 years. We handle all fixer services required with our professional team of local fixers and driver guides. We have all relevant connections with other service providers and government agencies to make sure that accreditation and filming permits are processed in the shortest time possible. Contact us for details and all relevant information you would like to know for successful filming in Amboseli National Park.