What to film in Mombasa town

What to film in Mombasa town

Mombasa is a coastal city of Kenya along the Indian Ocean known for its beaches, world-class beach resorts, and its historical significance. It is the most popular and second-largest city in Kenya after Nairobi. Mombasa is one of the best filming locations in Kenya giving you an opportunity to feature culture, history, water sports, and beautiful world’s finest beaches.

History and culture

For those who love historical architecture, one of the key visitor sites to film in Mombasa is Fort Jesus, near Mombasa’s old town. It was built by the Portuguese in the 16^th Century to repel attacks by local people and foreign invaders who objected to Portuguese control of East Africa’s trade routes. The fort is still there providing visitors with a snapshot of life in the days of the slave trade.

Old town Lamu is the longest surviving settlement in Kenya and also the best-preserved Swahili settlement in East Africa. Now classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage site the town is full of history and culture. Motorized transport is not allowed in the narrow streets, where people move around on foot or by bicycle or donkey.

You can as well film the local communities on the coast where you will find a warm welcome from the local people giving you an opportunity to gain a better understanding of the history of these communities and their enduring cultural traditions.

Mombasa Beach

Mombasa is home to some of the world’s finest beaches with miles of pristine white powdery sand bordering the Indian Ocean. There is a great choice of Holiday opportunities from quiet, secluded getaways on private beaches to open holiday stays at the larger resorts and hotels. Visitors can enjoy a leisurely stroll along the beach, ride a camel, or take a dip in the warm, translucent waters.

Aquatic Life

The colorful marine parks and reserves are excellent locations for snorkeling and diving. These parks provide an opportunity to film the Aquatic life along the coast and in the Indian Ocean. The cost is well endowed with marine wildlife boating no fewer than eight marine parks. The Kisite and Mpunguti marine parks offer protection to more than 250 recorded species of fish and over 45 varieties of coral reefs. This makes it great place to film coral reefs and various fish species.

Where to stay in Mombasa town

Accommodation options to stay in during filming in Mombasa town range from Budget, mid-range to luxury options. You will choose what to stay in depending on your interests and budget. Accommodation options include Reef Hotel Mombasa, Papillon Lagoon Reef Hotel, Travellers Beach Hotel, PrideInn Express Nyali, Afrika Pearl and Spa, Bahari Beach Hotel among others. Contact us here for reservation details and booking.

Requirements to film in Mombasa town

You will need to get a filming permit from Kenya Film Commission for you to be allowed to film in Mombasa town. In order to get a Filming Permit, one must write a letter requesting the permit and fill out an application form which must be accompanied by a copy of the screenplay, a story synopsis, and a shooting schedule. These should be sent to the Film Licensing Officer, Kenya Film Classification Board. 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 of application. Contact us at Film crew fixers Uganda we will be able to help you process the filming permissions with the Local Authorities in Kenya.

Kenya Filming Fees to film in Mombasa town

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)

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.

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 paperwork 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 in Mombasa town as below;

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. 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.

Visa Advice

You will need to purchase a tourist visa. Many film crews prefer obtaining 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.

Vehicle Hire Services

Film Crew Fixers will help you organize transport for film crews to film in Mombasa town 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.

Fixers in Mombasa town

All our vehicles come with drivers who act as location fixers and most of them have been to almost all parts of Mombasa 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 Mombasa town.

How to get to Mombasa town

By road: Mombasa town is easily accessible on the tarmac from Nairobi.

By Air: You can fly straight into Mombasa, Lamu, or Malindi. Many international flights arrive in Mombasa every day.

By Train: There is a passenger train service called madaraka Express which operates between Nairobi and Mombasa using this train it will take you just 4 to 5 hours to get to Mombasa.

What is the best time to film in Mombasa town?

Filming in Mombasa town is done throughout the year and the best time is during the months of December to February and then June to October.

Why use Film crew fixers to film in Mombasa town, 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 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 Mombasa town.