The best wildlife filming locations in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Looking for the best wildlife filming locations in the Democratic Republic of Congo? For most visitors who wish to blend with nature through filming of the untamed wildness, the Democratic Republic of Congo is not exceptional. The Democratic Republic of Congo features more wonderful and beautiful scenery that allows you to produce very high-quality videos appealing to the international scene. The beautiful places are reflected in the various landscapes, forested areas, wild animals, and plant life dominating the central African country. However, most of the places and destinations are far away as a result of the regional states’ increased security measures. Our responsibility to monitor security situations and get back to our clients who have arranged with us the filming safari in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In terms of filming, the Democratic Republic of Congo might be the best choice, if not the best location for filming. Remember that this country features various species of gorillas, and these include the endangered mountain gorillas, the eastern lowland gorillas, which are the biggest subspecies of gorillas, and the western lowland gorillas. The endangered mountain gorillas in the Democratic Republic of Congo can be filmed in Virunga National Park, while the rest of the gorilla species can be filmed in both Maiko National Park and the Kahunzi Biega National Park. The interaction of the culture, landscapes, and weather in Congo will not be complete without the interaction of the culture, landscapes, and weather in Congo, which can all be reflected in your wildlife footages in Congo. Additionally, most of the wildlife species, such as the zebras, the bonobos, the forest elephants, the giant forest hogs, the giraffes, and others, call the Democratic Republic of Congo home.
All the above highlights have made the Democratic Republic of Congo one of the top African wildlife destinations for filming where you can arrange a filming trip and go make your documentary so much more interesting. In this article, I have critically and examined for you the best destination in the Democratic Republic of Congo where you can go and film wildlife. Please feel free to get back to us in case you have any questions that you would like us to help you. Our offices are open all the time, and we will receive you and give you feedback as soon as possible. The following are the best wildlife filming locations in the Democratic Republic of Congo; Let us investigate these discoveries together.
Wildlife filming in Garamba National Park
Garamba National Park is the Congo’s largest national park and the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The park is dominated by extensive savannah grasslands, rivers and forests. The filming adventures here are so interesting and visitors will get a good chance to film large prides of lions found in this park. There are also large herds of forest elephants and buffaloes that can be filmed, the endemic Congolese giraffes, spotted hyenas, giant forest hogs, chimpanzees, hippos, and it is the only park where you can find the Northern white rhino in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This park is so wonderful and all those wild and wonderful species can easily be filmed, and it is all thanks to the African Parks’ management.
Wildlife Filming in Upemba National Park
In the south-eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, there is the serene and untamed wildness enthroned in the famous Upemba National Park, which is the biggest national park in this section. You will be able to film a lot of the wildlife that calls this park home, and the wildlife films here include filming the cheetahs, buffaloes, lions, and the wonderful Katanga Impala, which can only be found within this park. Visitors can as well film the birds within the park, and these include the shoebills, wattled cranes, and spotted ground-thrust, among others, and this is very interesting.
Wildlife filming in Salonga National Park
Salonga National Park is located on the Congo basis and is the largest national park on the African continent. The park can be traced between Kinshasa and Kisangani, and it is also known as the UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are a lot of wildlife species which you can film in the Salonga National Park and you will be able to film the Congo peacocks, leopards, African golden cats, Bonobos, Salonga monkeys, long-tailed pangoline, and the rare Okapi, Angolan slender mongoose, among others. Among other filming activities that you can film include: cattle egrets, yellow-billed stork, black stork, and all these provide wonderful filming scenes.
Wildlife in Kudelunga National Park
Similarly, the Kudelunga National Park is found within the South Eastern part of the country in the Katanga province. The park features a lot of the interesting features which you can film and these among other include the hippopotamuses, leopards, lions, the small sized primate, jackals, porcupines, snakes, zebras and other several creatures,. The park features the Kudelunga falls which is the star filming attraction in Kudelunga National Park
What to bring for wildlife filming in the Democratic Republic of Congo?
The film crew members are requested to come along with their filming equipment. They can as well add on the food, refreshments, a tent or sleeping bag if you want to bring your own, repellant, you can also get a night spot light, and games are all recommended.
What do you need for filming in the best wildlife locations of 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 wildlife, 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 wildlife filming in the Democratic Republic of Congo. 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 the wildlife in 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.
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 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 wildlife filming in Democratic Republic of Congo.
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 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 for wildlife filming in Democratic Republic of Congo 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 wildlife in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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 the interests, budgets, and 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 4×4-wheel-drive vehicle that will be able to navigate the terrain. 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 to the Democratic Republic of Congo and knows all the corners of the country from the point of arrival for the wildlife 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 wildlife filming safari in Congo with Africa Adventure Vacations.
What is the cost of wildlife filming in the best locations of 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.
Is wildlife filming in top locations of the Democratic Republic of Congo safe?
Filming wildlife in the Democratic Republic of Congo is 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 wildlife filming in Congo is safe. As for Africa Adventure Vacations, we keep tracking and monitoring any security threats 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 wildlife filming starts. Always contact us at African Adventure Vacations for more information about wildlife filming in the Congo.
What to wear during wildlife filming in the best wild locations of Democratic Republic of Congo?
In order to have a successful wildlife filming safari 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 wildlife filming in the top locations of DR Congo?
Wildlife filming in the Democratic Republic of Congo is done throughout the year. However, it has been established that the best time to film wildlife 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 wildlife 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 waterfalls, 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.
