With over 10 national parks & 13 game reserves, Uganda provides a vast choice of amazing wildlife filming locations for wildlife filmmakers looking to visit and film in a truly natural environment.
Uganda has a wide variety of different habitats, including mountains, hills, tropical rainforest, woodland, freshwater lakes, swamps and savanna with scattered clumps of trees. The country has a biodiverse flora and fauna reflecting this range of habitats and is known for its primates, including gorillas and chimpanzees. There are ten national parks and thirteen wildlife reserves; some 345 species of mammal and 1,020 species of birds have been recorded in the country.
Top Wildlife Filming Locations in Uganda
wildlife filming in Uganda
Best time to Film Wildlife in Uganda
The best time to film in Uganda depends on what you intend to film. For instance, individuals or film crew intending to capture the captivating shoebill breeding experience, ought to plan to film in the dry season months of June-August, and January to February.
While filming in the drier months allows film crew or individual to film without the interference of the weather, Uganda’s extreme temperatures may cause malfunctioning of some equipment. Particularly for filming projects in the northern parts of Uganda; Kidepo Valley National Park and Murchison falls National Park – which experience scorching hot temperatures of 32°C/90°F in the months of January & February. The peak temperatures of 40°C/104°F have been recorded in these parks in the past.
Takeaway Tip: For Filmmakers seeking to capture amazing sceneries, the wet season might be the best time to shoot your project. During this time, the vegetation is greener and wildlife is scattered – not confined to particular water points.
Speak to us about your film project, and we will advise on where, and when it is best to film in Uganda.
Requirements for Filming in Uganda
- Press Accreditation:
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 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.
- Location Permits: Permission to Film inside a National Park in Uganda
Location permits, unlike Press or media Accreditation permits, are issued by the governing authorities of the location in which you intend to film. For instance, if you intend to film in a national park, the governing authority for parks in Uganda is the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). UWA charges 40% filming fee of the activity you intend to film plus a 10% monitoring fee both fees are to be paid to UWA. In all this, UWA will draft a filming agreement between you and them upon which you will append signatures in the agreement of the terms therein indicated. Yah.. this can somewhat seem very difficult a process, but one thing you should remember is that Realm Africa Safaris™ will assist you all through these processes to the very final point.
UWA Procedures: (**We have no influence on this but can only help you follow up the process on the ground)
Pre-application advice:
- UWA welcomes an initial conversation and/or site visit with filmmakers to discuss the logistics of your request and determine from an early stage what we may and may not be able to achieve. (Realm Africa Safaris™ can assist acting as your representative)
- You should address all your enquiries to the Communications Manager at UWA Headquarters. (Realm Africa Safaris™ can assist acting as your representative)
- After initial discussions with the filmmakers or photographers to agree on activities, a formal application and letter must be submitted.
Fill in an application form (download from the link below) and send:
- Applications should be made using the UWA official application form only. (link provided below)
- UWA will acknowledge receipt of all applications within 24 hours and no later than 48 hours.
- All film requests must be sent in at least 3 weeks prior to the start date of filming/photography.
- All film requests will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the various sensitivities and other commitments of the protected areas but with a flexible approach aimed at helping, filmmakers/photographers meet their objectives.
Click to download and fill out this Filming or Photography Application form
