Filming in Kahuzi Biega National Park DR Congo

Kahuzi Biega National Park is located in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo about fifty kilometers from Bukavu town and one of the best filming destinations in Africa, which is known as the biggest town located in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. This place has developed accommodation facilities with modern lodge facilities and all the amenities. Kahuzi Biega National Park is known as the “World Heritage Suite” and this is because the park houses endangered species of primates, especially the Eastern lowland gorillas, which are only found in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The park has a total area of 60000 square kilometers, with smaller mountain ranges in the east. The Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN), which has offices in Bukavu, worked on and administered the Kahuzi Biega National Park.

The Kahuzi Biega National Park is known for being the largest refuge for the critically endangered Eastern Lowland Gorillas. The park is divided into two sections: the good country segment, which has a large number of swamp gorillas and is open for visitation for a low cost of $400 for a gorilla license, and the gorilla adjustment safaris, which are offered by local safari companies.

What to film in Kahuzi Biega National Park

Filming the eastern lowland gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National Park

Filming in Kahuzi Biega National Park becomes so much more interesting when you   visit the park and land on the eastern lowland gorillas, which is the largest gorilla species among the 4 species of gorillas. There are 12 gorilla families in the park, and two of the gorilla families are habituated. Chimanuka and Mugaruka are the names of two gorilla families, both named for a prominent silverback. Chimanuka is well-known among visitors because it contains one of the world’s largest gorilla families, with around 36 gorillas.

Filming birds in Kahuzi Biega National Park

This Park is also important for bird filming, but it is mostly known for having the world’s biggest gorillas, named the lowland gorillas.

Filming other mammals and primates in Kahuzi Biega National Park

The park also protects 13 distinct primates, including endangered species such as the chimp, colubus bai, and Hoest and Hamlyn’s cercopiuthic. Despite the fact that Congo safaris are popular, other incredibly rare types of eastern DRC forests, such as the goliath woodland genet and the oceanic genet, can also be found. Forest elephants and the Alexander Bush squirrel can also be filmed in Kahuzi Biega National Park.

Getting to Kahuzi Biega National Park in DR Congo

Kahuzi Biega National Park is found in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo and you will need to travel for about 30 kilometers from the town of Bukavu Town. Travelers coming from Rwanda and Kahuzi Biega National Park for filming are frequently advised to cross the line using Rusizi line so that the recreation area driver can easily track you down at customs with the endorsed visa letter to ease the intersection to the popular republic of Congo. The majority of visitors who come to Kahuzi Biega National Park on a regular basis come from Goma or Rwanda via the Rusizi Border. On the eastern side, the leisure area’s entrance is at Tshivanga. Guests frequently make a pit stop at Kigali’s international airport before continuing on to Congo via road, which takes 7 hours to reach the line crossing at Rusizi. Because international flights to Kigali frequently arrive in the late evenings or evenings, it is recommended that all tourists spend the night in Kigali and then travel to Bukavu the next morning.

Lodges and hotels in and around Kahuzi Biega National Park

There are no accommodation facilities that are found around the Kahuzi Biega National Park. However, all facilities are located in Bukavu town, as it is the most developed city nearer the recreation area, and all explorers spend their evenings in Bukavu town and travel to Kahuzi Biega National Park for the safari exercises booked. Never be misled by any visitor administrator who claims that hotels are close to the recreation area. Coco Cabin and Orchid Safari Club are two of the several cabins and inns in Bukavu that provide quality, scrumptious meals, bed offices, and administration. Both budget and luxury travelers can expect the greatest level of service at reasonable prices.

What is the cost of filming in Kahuzi Biega National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo?

All the visitors going on the filming adventure in the Democratic Republic of Congo must obtain valid filming permits. If you’re filming for personal use, you will just need to pay the park entrance fees and then the fees and do the activity, while if you’re filming for commercial purposes or a documentary, it will be the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature that will issue the filming permit, depending on which destination you’re going to do the filming from. But generally, you will need to pay the park entrance fees and then a percentage levied for filming, as it will be well explained by the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature. We engage with the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature to ensure that we get for you the right and affordable Congo filming permit.

Requirements for filming gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National Park

The first requirement is to obtain filming permits and clearance.

For any related filming activity to be done in the Democratic Republic of Congo, especially in Kahuzi Biega National Park, all the filming crew members have and possess the filming permits, which are provided with permission by the authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo in order for you to continue with your filming in Kahuzi Biega National Park. Other than the filming permits, you will also need to have your filming equipment cleared at any point of entry in the Democratic Republic of Congo, whether through the international airport or by using the land borders. The filming equipment is supposed to be cleared by the customs department, which is always stationed at the point of entry.

Therefore, as Africa Adventure Vacations, this is where we can help you a lot. By merely informing us of your intentions to film in Kahuzi Biega National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, we are very experienced in organizing for you the whole adventure activity, including processing for you the filming permits required, organizing for you the accommodation facilities, transportation, help in obtaining for you the local authorities’ permits, as well as aiding you in clearing your filming equipment with the customs department of the Democratic Republic of Congo at your point of entry.

With the Democratic Republic of Congo filming procedures, there is no formal process for the filming permits allocation, and thus this is handled by negotiations between the parties, and at Africa Adventure Vacations, we are experienced in doing this. Also, the DR. Congo government doesn’t authorize filming in the areas of interest, especially filming the military installation projects, filming of government buildings, as well as filming along the border areas, and this is illegal, and you may be penalized in the courts of law or even have your equipment confiscated. If you want to do filming that will require you to shoot using drones, market filming, or filming alongside the road whereby you will inconvenience traffic, such as filming in the cities or in the national parks, then you will also need to get permission from the local authorities. To avoid inconveniences, you will need to contact Africa Adventure Vacations so that we can advise you accordingly when to film in Kahuzi Biega National Park.

Visas and work permits are required as part of the second requirement.

As you are aware, it is illegal to enter another country without a visa. It is important that all the film crew members obtain the visa to be allowed into the DR. Congo. For the neighboring Congo countries of Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda, you can get the visa immediately on arrival. For the DR Congo Visa, it’s a different story. Rather, you must apply for the visa in advance through your nearby DR Congo Embassy. The single entry visa in Congo costs $100 and is valid for one month. The one valid for two months costs $135, while for the one valid for six months, you will need to pay $400. The important thing to note is that the DR. Congo Visa will need to be applied for in advance, about 3 weeks or a month before your planned dates of travel to Congo for filming, since this visa cannot be issued on arrival as it is in its neighboring countries. The film crew members will not be allowed to enter the Democratic Republic of Congo to do filming activities in Kahuzi Biega National Park without a visa. Another document here is the yellow fever vaccination card, and thus, please contact us at Africa Adventure Vacations for the best filming opportunities in the DR. Congo.

You need to hire vehicles for filming in Kahuzi Biega National Park.

Yes, at Africa Adventure Vacations, we make sure that we make transport arrangements for you such that when you are in the Democratic Republic of Congo filming bonobos, you don’t get stranded. We have got our own fleet of cars, and we book and arrange the vehicle services for the film crew members depending on their interests, budgets, and the terrain of the area that is going to be filmed. For the film crew members going to film in the rough terrain, we advise them to use a 4×4 wheel drive vehicle that will be able to navigate the hilly terrain, especially in Kahuzi Biega National Park. We shall be able to tell you how much it cost in terms of the furl and the mileage covered in order to determine how much you will spend on the vehicle per day. Africa Adventure Vacations also organizes both chartered and scheduled flights within the Democratic Republic of Congo, especially for visitors who are interested in flying and do not have the time to drive long distances on the road.

Our hired vehicles will be manned by a well-experienced driver guide who has been in the Democratic Republic of Congo and knows all the corners of the country from the point of arrival up to the Kahuzi Biega National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The driver fixer will be able to share with you the basic information about the Democratic Republic of Congo and will give you all the solutions required when it comes to film fixing, so you are lucky to book your Kahuzi Biega National Park safari with Africa Adventure Vacations.

Is filming in Kahuzi Biega National Park in Congo safe?

It is very safe. Well, we all know that over recent years, DR. Congo has been affected by instabilities that have threatened investors as well as the tourism industry in the country. Such instabilities and disasters have come because of Ebola and other rebellion conflicts that have halted the filming process in the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, as of recently, the Congo has returned to peace, with only a few cases of insecurity, and the filming industry in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is safe and thriving, so we can assure you that filming in Kahuzi Biega National Park is safe. As Africa Adventure Vacations, we keep tracking and monitoring any security threat from time to time, and we are very cautious in that anytime we feel a threat, we can let you know. This advisory service is always given before the filming in Kahuzi Biega National Park starts. Always contact us at African Adventure Vacations for more information about filming in Kahuzi Biega National Park.

What to wear during filming in Kahuzi Biega National Park in Congo?

In order to have a successful filming safari in Kahuzi Biega National Park in Congo, there are some of the items that you should not miss from your packing list, especially the right dressing code depending on the conditions available. Therefore, our visitors or the film crew members should put on or come with the following during filming:

• You need to wear long-sleeved shirts or long trousers while filming. It is good when they are waterproof, as this will protect you from being harmed by sharp tree branches and stones as well as thorns while in the Congo wildness filming.
• You need to wear water-proof shoes during filming. This will help you to navigate through the slippery trails that you will be following while filming in Congo, as these will give you stability on the ground.
• Don’t miss out on putting on the gardening gloves when filming, which will be very helpful in protecting your hands, and you can put them off when you feel you no longer need them.
• You also need to come prepared with a rain jacket because, in most cases, filming is done in the tropical rain forests that are always wet, and this is why putting on a rain jacket is of great help to you.
• Since filming is always done in the wild, it is good that you have insect repellent with you to safe guard against various insects, such as mosquitoes and any other biting insects.

Other clothes that you should not leave out are the water-proof safari back and jacket, as these will help protect your filming equipment from getting in touch with water. You can also put on the African safari hat, safari socks, and shorts that you can sometimes put on, among others.

What is the best time for filming in Kahuzi Biega National Park?

Filming in Kahuzi Biega National Park is done throughout the year. However, it has been established that the best time to film in Kahuzi Biega National Park is during the dry season, which runs from June to October and then from December to February. The Democratic Republic of Congo is covered with tropical rain forest and this has influenced the country to experience the tropical rain climate, meaning that at times you can also experience certain rains unexpectedly. Therefore, you need to prepare accordingly for the changing weather conditions.

Why should you choose Africa Adventure Vacations for your filming safaris?

Africa Adventure Vacations is a local company based in Uganda but operates in East African countries that include Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, and South Africa, and we have over 10 years’ experience in aiding filming and production companies, especially those interested in filming nature-related wildlife and the culture of Africa. We provide services such as booking for the filming permits, clearing of the filming equipment, booking for the accommodation facilities, organizing transportation to the filming companies, all in the shortest period of time. We organize other wildlife packages to all of the above-mentioned countries, including gorilla packages to Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Therefore, you should not hesitate to choose us to be your film fixers in East Africa.