Murchison Falls National Park is definitely one of the Best Places to track, find and film lions in Uganda.
Murchison Falls National Park – located 305km/189 miles from Entebbe a journey that lasts approximately six (06) hours by road or 1.5-hour if you opt to fly out of either Entebbe international airport or Kajjansi airfields. The park is popular for the classic lion sightings which commonly occur on morning and afternoon game drives that follow the famous Queen Elizabeth game track. Lions in Murchison falls national park has occasionally also been sighted during the early morning Shoebill Tracking delta trip downstream the River Nile, and also of highly famed Boat safari to the Falls. filming lions in Murchison falls
Best Place to Track, find & Film Lions in Murchison
While Filming inside Murchison falls national Park, lions can be tracked, found, and filmed all across game tracks however, there are two (02) popular Places we like to often visit on all our Filming trips to Murchison falls NP. We treat them as priority lions filming locations in Murchison Falls National Park. These include; w
- Queen’s Track
The Queen’s track in Murchison falls National Park is a 13 km/ 8 miles long game track that interlinks with the Victoria and Albert track popular with perhaps the most amazing wildlife sightings including the most spectacular lion sighting in Murchison Falls National Park.
- Victoria track
This track has often been very rewarding to our past clients especially with Lioness & cub sightings.
Famously known to our Film guides as the safe haven for the expecting lioness in Murchison falls National Park, the victoria track is a popular spot to catch amazing sightings & film lions with their infant cubs. Expecting lioness like to migrate to the areas surrounding the Victoria game track as they get closer to the birth time the vast distance between the Queens Track and Victoria track provides a safe buffer for Lioness to hide and protect their infant cubs from the Lions that might kill them. The Victoria track is reasonably far from the shoreline (where they find some water to drink) and a lot of antelope prey that prefers to hang close to the drinking points.
Best time to Film Lions in Murchison Falls National Park
Although Murchison Falls National Park can be visited all year round. The best time to Film in this Savannah park is in the dry season months of December to February. However, the crew should note that the months of January and February can be very hot and discomforting especially for those intending to film wildlife inside the park. We recommend planning your filming sessions for the mornings and using the afternoon for less active activities – it would be nice to consider staying at a hotel with a swimming pool if you choose to travel and film in the months of January & February.
Recommendations of lodges in Murchison falls that have swimming pools include; the recently revamped Nile safari Lodge, Murchison River Lodge, Paraa Lodge, or the affordable Pakuba Safari Lodge (our favorite).
Requirements for Filming inside Murchison falls
Among the top requirements for filming in Murchison Falls NP is; Press Accreditation (for each individual or crew member) and a film location permit. Other permits may include; temporary drone importation permits if you intend to shoot using a drone.
Press Accreditation – How to apply for Press Accreditation to film inside Murchison Falls NP.
Press Accreditation ( Media/Filming Permits) In Uganda are issued by the Uganda Media council after each individual or crew member fills out FORM G. This form must be accompanied by copies of scanned passport (bios Page) and a recent passport-sized photo to be used in processing your Media card (Press accreditation).
It does take us approximately 02 – 03 working days from the time we receive all the above-mentioned documents to process your media card.
To accompany all the individually filled out FORM G’S for each crew member, the team leader has got to send us a detailed write-up or synopsis of the film you intend to shoot in Uganda.
After all the above is sent through, our Uganda film Crew Fixer Services team leader will then proceed to submit these to the Uganda Media Council for approval. Upon approval, we will then contact and inform you of this achievement.
After securing your Media cards, we will then need to advise and also further assist you in securing all the other necessary permits and permissions all guided by your film Scriptwriter or the Synopsis
Press Accreditation fees in Uganda (Payable to Uganda Media Council)
- a fee of US$175 per person is paid for a period not exceeding 30 days of the journalist’s stay.
- a fee of US$225 per person is paid for a period beyond 30 days up to six months of stay.
- a fee of US$325 per person is paid for a period of two years.
** The fees mentioned above are set and can be amended by the Uganda Media Council without any prior consultation. we, therefore, remind you to treat these as a guide.
Other permissions needed for Filming In Murchison Falls NP
Once we have obtained your Press Accreditation from the Uganda Media Council, we then need to acquire location filming permits/ permission from relevant authorities. For instance, if you intend to film Lions inside Murchison Falls NP, then you will need to fill out a UWA Commercial film & Photography Permit request form, and thereafter send it through to Uganda wildlife Authority – UWA for approval (
Related: Requirements for Filming inside Uganda’s National Parks.
Various Film/Video Fees apply for filming within National Parks, Wildlife Areas, and Conservation Areas. National Parks and Conservation areas have fees specific to film crews that are subject to change regularly. See Uganda Wildlife Authority Website for up-to-date Filming fees/charges.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority will charge 40% of the activities fees as filming fees. For one to see lions in Murchison Falls NP all you need to do is pay the set Entry fees of USD40 per person valid for 24 hours. which means that 40% 0f $40 is $16 per person for every 24-hours stay inside Murchison Falls National Park.
Important things you must understand:
- The legal Filming fees to film Lions in Murchison falls is $16 per person per 24-hours spent inside the Park.
- UWA also charges an additional 10% monitoring fee per day. 10% of $40 entry fees into Murchison Falls equals $20.
