Filming on Ngamba Island

Founded in 1998, Ngamba Island is home to over 50 orphaned chimpanzees rescued or confiscated from illegal pet and bushmeat trade.  Ngamba Island is approximately 23 km south-east of Entebbe and consists of approximately 100 acres, of which 95 acres is forested – separated by an electric fence and the remaining 05 acres is where the Ngamba Eco-lodge sits. The Island is a 95 acreage of natural secondary forest habitat for the chimpanzees and other wildlife species including fruit bats, spiders, fish eagles, otters, and monitor lizards. Filming on Ngamba Island

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What is there to film on Ngamba?

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• Chimpanzee Filming On Ngamba Island: Ngamba Island is home to over 50 orphaned chimpanzees rescued or confiscated from illegal pet and bushmeat trade.  Ngamba Island is approximately 23 km south-east of Entebbe and consists of approximately 100 acres, of which 95 acres is forested – separated by an electric fence. The remaining 05 acres is where CSWCT has set up an eco-friendly Tented camp overlooking the lake – a perfect place to unwind after a day of filming.
• Reptile Filming on Ngamba Island: Ngamba Island is a prime filming location for media companies seeking to film reptiles like Africa’s largest ground lizard – the Nile monitor lizards, the agama lizards, tortoise, and quite a variety of snakes.  Ngamba’s location on the gigantic Lake Victoria makes for a perfect filming backdrop for your reptile film shoot.

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When is the best time to Film on Ngamba?

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Generally speaking, the best time to film on Ngamba Island depends on what you intend to film. For instance, individuals or film crew intending to film the chimpanzees on Ngamba Island might consider coming in the dry season months of June-August, and January to February.

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Requirements for Filming on Ngamba

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• Press Accreditation issued by the Uganda Media Council ( See: How to apply for Press accreditation in Uganda)
• Location Filming Permit – Issued by the management of Ngamba Island. ( email: info@ngambaisland.org)

Press Accreditation In Uganda is issued by the Uganda Media council after each individual or crew member fills out FORM G. This form must be accompanied with 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

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Press Accreditation fees to film in Uganda (Payable to Uganda Media Council)

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1. a fee of US$175 per person is paid for a period not exceeding 30 days of the journalist’s stay.
2. a fee of US$225 per person is paid for a period beyond 30 days up to six months of stay.
3. 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. 

Realm Africa Safaris™ is a local film fixer based in Entebbe and can assist with securing all the above permits & permissions in just 7 days given you provide us with all relevant paperwork.

For all Filming Crews and Production Companies, we recommend that you allow ample time to the process of application, and acquiring all your Uganda Filming Permits (Press Accreditations, media cards, and Location Permissions). If you have limited time, a rushed last-minute permit might be possible however, the costs are much higher. 

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Other permissions needed to film On Ngamba Island

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Once we have obtained your Press Accreditation from the Uganda Media Council, we then need to acquire location filming permits/ permission from the Chimpanzee Trust an NGO that oversees the management of the Ngamba Island. Realm Africa Safaris™ is a local film fixer in Uganda worth considering for the job of securing your location permit & permission to film on Ngamba Island. Ngamba Filming fees may vary depending On the intended duration of your shoot, and or any other special requests like; Drone filming at Ngamba Island.

***It is important to bear in mind that Uganda is a developing country, one with many rules and regulations and therefore it is important to be properly guided through bureaucratic processes of securing the correct filming permits & permissions for your shoot.

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Where to Stay during the Shoot Reptile Filming on Ngamba Island

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Guided by your budget, Entebbe has quite a variety of accommodation options to choose from. However, we like to recommend particularly; Hotel NO.5 for travellers seeking a luxurious hotel, Karibu Guesthouse is our favourite great-value recommendation or the Airport Link Guesthouse for film Crew looking for an affordable and yet comfortable Place to stay in Entebbe. All the properties mentioned are centrally located.

Alternatively, crew members can opt to stay on-site at the Ngamba eco-lodge overlooking the picturesque Lake Victoria. Here you could also opt to bring your own tent and experience camping on Ngamba Island.

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