Filming in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo

Are you looking at filming in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo? Kinshasa is the capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo, which was formerly called Leopoldville. It is the largest city located along the Congo River near Brazzaville and close to Kisangani. The city has a boulevard that connects the old business district to the La Gombe in the city’s south-western corner.

Kinshasa city is one of the beautiful cities in Congo that is important for filming because of the features within the city that include the filming of the trading villages and the fishing sites. Kinshasa also has cultural aspects, as well as being the intellectual center of Central Africa, with a thriving community of session musicians and artists performing within the city.

Musicians in Kinshasa, Congo have a long history with innovation and socially-meaningful music depicting the culture of the Democratic Republic of Congo. As you pass through the city, you will hear the music crated within the Kinshasa sound track blaring from most of the cities’ bars.

What will be in your Kinshasa city filming mix?

While filming in Kinshasa city, you will get shots of various features of the city, and these include the Kinshasa zoo, the Royal Albert Hall, blends of dancehall, hip-hop, rumba, street level shops, museums, and you can also film the Lola Ya Bonobo sanctuary, among other species that will be included in your filming mix.

What to see and film in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo

Filming in the National Museum of Congo in Kinshasa City: This is one of the oldest museums in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which was opened in 1970, providing a chance for you to shoot the traditional traditions and culture of the people of Congo, which is more interesting and wonderful for you as you do filming in Kinshasa City, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Filming the Lola Ya bonobo sanctuary in Kinshasa city, filming the Loya Ya Bonobo Sanctuary should not be missed by the film crewmembers while on safari in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Bonobos are great attractions in Kinshasa, Congo, and the sanctuary was named Loya Ya Bonobo Sanctuary, which means the Home of Bonobos in the Congo’s frequently used Lingala language. Filming bonobos is a great achievement since they are among the great apes behaving like human beings. These ages can only be found in the Congo Basin Rainforest in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is the second largest forest in the whole world. The Bonobos are so passionate, and they are peaceful apes, so welcoming to strangers and visitors.

Other important features that you need to film in Kinshasa include, among others, the several markets, especially the Kinshasa market. Filming of the small villages, Jardin d’Eden restaurant and bar lying on the shores of the Nsele River as you eat and listen to the original Congolese music being played in the bars and shops, and if you have time, you can also take a boat cruise on the river Nsele.

What is the cost of filming 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 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.

What do you need to film Kinshasa city in the Democratic Republic of Congo?

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 Kinshasa city, all the filming crew members have and possess the filming permits and these are provided with the permission by the authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo in order for you to continue with your Kinshasa city filming. 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 do help you a lot. By merely informing us of your intentions to do elephant filming in Kinshasa, 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.

There is no formal process for the allocation of filming permits in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, so this is handled by negotiations between the parties, which Africa Adventure Vacations is experienced in.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 by the use of drones, market filming, or filming alongside the road whereby you will inconvenience traffic, such as filming in the cities or those 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 do filming in Kinshasa city.

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 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 the filming, since this Visa cannot be issued on arrival as it is in her neighboring countries. The film crew members will not be allowed to enter the Democratic Republic of Congo to do filming in Kinshasa 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 DR. Congo.

Requirement 3: You need to hire the vehicles for filming in Kinshasa city.

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 for filming, 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 the 44 wheel drive vehicle that will be able to navigate the hilly terrain, especially in Kinshasa city. 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 Kinshasa, the capital of 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 also give you all the solutions required when it comes to film fixing, so you are lucky to book your Kinshasa city stay with Africa Adventure Vacations.

Is Kinshasa city filming in Congo safe?

It is very safe. Well, we all know that over recent years, DR. Congo has been affected by instabilities which 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 which 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 it is safe to film in Kinshasa, Congo. 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 the threat, we can let you know. This advisory service is always given before the filming in Kinshasa starts. Always contact us at African Adventure Vacations for more information about filming in Kinshasa City.

What to wear during filming in Kinshasa city?

In order to have a successful filming safari in Kinshasa, 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 these 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 so influential in protecting your hands, and you can put them off when you feel you no longer need them.

• You also need to come 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 this 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.

Where to stay while filming in Kinshasa city in DR. Congo

There are several accommodation facilities in Kinshasa city where you can stay while filming in Kinshasa, and these range from budget, mid-range, and luxury lodges in the city; these include the Green Lodge, Erige Lodge, and the JJ Lodge. What you need to do is notify us ahead of time, and we will book the wonderful lodges or accommodation facilities where you will stay while filming in Kinshasa.

What is the best time for filming in Kinshasa City?

We can say that filming in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, is done throughout the year. However, it has been established that the best time to film in Kinshasa 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.