Filming safaris in Odzala-Kokoua National Park in DR Congo

Are you looing for exciting filming safaris in Odzala-Kokoua National Park in DR Congo? Odzala-Kokoua National Park is one of the best national parks in the Democratic Republic of Congo and is home to the western lowland gorillas. The park is found in central Africa and features a lot of wildlife and primates. Odzala-Kokoua National Park is the second oldest national park and it was established in the year 1935 after the Virunga National Park in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, which was declared a national park in the year 1925. Odzala-Kokoua National Park is a recreational area that spans 13,500 square kilometers in the Congo Basin’s heart. The basin is the world’s second largest tropical rainforest, spanning millions of square kilometers over six countries and accounting for eighteen percent of the world’s excess tropical jungle. Natural diversity and endemism are exceptional in this area, especially considering that people have lived in the area for almost 50,000 years. Odzala-Kokoua National Park has seen its share of highs and lows, including clean lakes and boat paddling, which is done as a separate safari activity from gorilla trekking.

The park is home to lowland gorillas, woodland elephants, and over 400 bird species. Odzala-Kokoua National Park is home to over 100 warm-blooded animal species and one of the most diverse primate populations on the mainland. There is plenty to shoot in the recreation area, including highly evolved mammals, birds, reptiles, and land and water critters, as well as other wild species.

Because of the beautiful attractions, Odzala-Kokoua National Park offers the best places for filming opportunities and these include the following;

Filming wildlife in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park

The park has the highest concentration of western lowland gorillas in Africa, making it more interesting and appealing to wildlife film makers. Other than the western lowland gorillas, the park is home to numerous herds of forest elephants and rare chimps, both of which can be filmed. Primates that can be filmed include spotted hyenas, and a few others, certainly north of 100 vertebrate species, and a rich bird untamed life. Gorilla trekking in Odzala National Park is the most popular tourist safari activity among those who visit Congo for a safari. This gorilla trekking follows the same rules and regulations that you need to follow even while filming in this national park. For example, travelers should be aware of those for mountain gorillas in the Virunga Mountains and Eastern Lowland gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National Park in Eastern Congo for the protection of endangered species in African tropical jungles.

Filming the plant species

The vegetation and the plant species are also very interesting and can be easily filmed to provide the quality of the film and the wildlife safari. There are around 4,500 plant and tree species in Odzala National Park. The open-overhang Marantaceae make up the vast majority of the recreation area’s backwoods, and they are the reliant realities for the rundown of things to do in Odzala National Park Congo.

Filming the bird species in Odzala-Kokoua National Park

There are various bird species in Odzala National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Odzala National Park in Congo features more than 430 species of birds, which can be seen during the filming. The African fish hawk, dark-backed cisticola, dark-throated Apalis, dark-winged pratincole, eastern wattled cuckoo shrike, backwoods robin, timberland wood hoopoe, extraordinary kill, green pigeon, dim parrot, dim-headed broadbill, lesser kestrel, Pel’s fishing owl, pied kingfisher, red-covered crombec, red-throated The goliath heron, black bantam hornbill, and monster kingfisher are among the herons, hornbills, and kingfishers that can be found and filmed in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park.

Other primates that can be filmed here include reptiles such as lizards, crocodiles, frogs, and other various insects that include butterflies, termites, bees, and other insects that can be seen during the filming in this wonderful national park.

What is the cost of filming in Odzala-Kokoua 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 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.

Essentials for Filming in Odzala-Kokoua 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, all the filming crew members have to possess the filming permits and these are provided with permission by the authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo in order for you to continue with your filming in Odzala-Kokoua 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 do help you a lot. By merely informing us of your intentions to do filming in Odzala-Kokoua 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 clearance of 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 Odzala-Kokoua 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 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 activities 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.

You need to hire vehicles for filming in Odzala-Kokoua 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 for filing, 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 the Odzala-Kokoua 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 River before and knows all the corners of the country from the point of arrival up to the Odzala-Kokoua National Park for filming 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 Odzala-Kokoua National Park filming safaris with Africa Adventure Vacations.

Is filming in Odzala-Kokoua National Park safe?

Yes filming Odzala-Kokoua National Park 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 filming in Odzala-Kokoua 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 the threat, we can let you know. This advisory service is always given before the filming in Odzala-Kokoua National Park starts. Always contact us at African Adventure Vacations for more information about the safety of filming in Odzala-Kokoua National Park.

How to get to Odzala-Kokoua National Park for filming safaris?

As you are heading for filming in the Odzala National Park, it can be exhausting, so many adventurers begin by learning more about the travels to Congo’s Odzala National Park, as well as the location of Odzala and how to get to Odzala National Park in Congo. I am writing to inform you about the extensive airlines and nearby automobile rental companies, as well as visit administrators to Congo, how to move through Congo, and more. There are a few journeys to the Republic of Congo, but all aircraft will arrive in Brazzaville and then take ground transportation to Odzala National Park. The flights are as follows: For anyone flying from Europe, Air France via Paris and Kenya Airways via Nairobi are the best options. Please keep in mind that, because of scheduling, a short-term stay in Paris is occasionally required on the Air France flight. Associating with the recreation area should be possible using local flights that the Odzala National Park Congo administration may arrange. Odzala-Kokoua National Park is located in the heart of the Congo River’s Central Basin, where it is exceedingly isolated and only accessible by road and water. You most likely cleared your gear for entry into the country because they have no control over security or your well-being while working on your film.

What to wear during filming in Odzala-Kokoua National Park Congo?

In order to have a successful filming safari in Odzala-Kokoua 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 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.

Accommodation during filming in Odzala-Kokoua National Park

The film crew members can at least get to know where to put up around the Odzala-Kokoua National Park. There will be no exceptions at Lango and Ngaga Camps. Each camp has only six carefully designed quarters that draw inspiration from the hearts of the local dwarfs or wood tenants. Privately delivered, decently acquired resources were widely used in the construction of the camps, and they were designed to blend in perfectly with the surrounding nature. Each room was raised 3–4 meters off the ground to reduce the impact on sensitive ground flora, and a wraparound path was built to allow full enjoyment of the forest shade.

When is the best time to shoot in Odzala-Kokoua National Park?

Filming in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Odzala-Kokoua National Park is done throughout the year. However, it has been established that the best time to film in Odzala-Kokoua 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.