Filming in Central Island National Park
Central Island National Park Filming: Africa Adventure Vacations provides visitors with the ideal filming experience in Central Island National Park. The Central Island National Park is found in Turkana, and it can be accessed by road from Nairobi, which is about 800 kilometers away. Members of the film crew can also reach the Central Island National Park by boat from Sibiloi National Park or Lodwar. Filming in Central Island National Park is an interesting adventure, as you will be able to film many of the animal and bird species. Central Island National Park houses a crocodile island comprised of more than a dozen craters and cones, as well as three crater lakes, Crocodile Lake, Flamingo Lake, and Tilapia Lake, which provide breeding space for the world’s largest population of Nile crocodiles. All these offer the film crew the perfect documentary.
What to film in Central Island National Park
Visitors to Central Island National Park can film a variety of interesting features. Thus, here we look at some of the things that you can film in Central Island National Park.
Filming crocodiles in Central Island National Park: Central Island National Park is known as the crocodile hub since it is the breeding place for the crocodiles, and this makes it one of the best destinations where you can film crocodiles in Kenya. The park provides the perfect picnic for the film crew members and ensures the best safari experience, which is intriguing. Lake Turkana’s estimated 12,000 crocodiles have not changed in 130 million years, surviving a time before humanity. Despite their monstrous size and intimidating appearance, they are generally harmless creatures that live in perfect harmony with their surroundings and feed on the lake’s abundant fish. Further, between April and May, crocodiles breed on the shores of the island’s crater lakes. The squeaking of baby crocodiles in their eggs, which are buried deep beneath the sand to avoid the predatory attentions of monitor lizards and raptors, can be heard. Their cries send their parents scrambling to dig them out and transport them to the water’s edge, where they spend their first months.
Filming venomous reptiles and prehistoric fish in Central Island National Park: Turkana is home to some of the most venomous reptiles on the planet, including the saw-scaled viper, night adder, puff adder, and cobra. There are also numerous fish species, including massive Nile perch and large tilapia. Puffer fish, which are typically found in seawater, indicate Turkana’s prehistoric link to the Red Sea, and all these are available for filming when you decide to take your filming trip to Central Island National Park.
Filming various species of birds in Central Island National Park: Central Island National Park is home to a plethora of birdlife (over 84 species of water birds), including 34 species of European migrants, which can be seen in spectacular numbers between March and May. At least 23 species, including the Goliath heron and the African skimmer, breed here, while African open-billed storks, ducks, and gulls feed on the shores and lesser flamingos flock to the volcanic island lakes. Predators abound, particularly swallow-tailed kites. All these are available for filming, and believe me, you will get the best photography and documentation that you have ever seen.
Requirements for filming in Central Island National Park
Filming permits
To film in Central Island National Park you will need to secure a filming permit from the Kenya Film Commission and the authorities by writing a letter requesting and filling out an application letter and providing a copy of your screenplay, a summary of your program, and a filming schedule with your application. These will be forwarded to the Kenya Film Commission’s Film Licensing Officer. Permits are issued in minutes for feature films, documentaries, short films, music videos, corporate videos, and commercials. Television series and feature film applications are processed within 48 hours of submission. Contact us at Africa Adventure Vacations and we will assist you in obtaining filming permission from Kenyan officials to ensure successful filming in Central Island National Park
Filming fees and costs in Central Island National Park
For any person interested in filming in Central Island National Park, they will have to pay some costs and fees to be granted permission to do any filming activity. As such, the filming challenges in Central Island National Park include:
- 8,000 shillings ($80) per person, per week or part-week;
- For six (6) to ten (10) people, the weekly or part-week rate is Ksh 12,000 ($115).
- 20,000 (2.00) for more than ten (10) people for one week or part of the week.
Kenya filming costs
- a) Kenya Shillings (Kshs/USD) filming rates
- Adverts, documentaries, dramas, short features, still photographs, Khs. 5, 000(50 dollars)
- TV series and feature films in their entirety cost Ksh. 15, 000 ($150).
- Daily filming fees of Ksh. 1,000($10)
- (b) Liaison officer’s service charges
- The Ministry charges Ksh. 400 ($5) per day to cover the Liaison Officer’s services provided by a government Liaison Officer to be attached to the crew.
- C) Other charges
- Before participating in any filming, each guest must pay Ksh. 2,000($20) to the Department of Immigration Services for a special pass. While the filming special permission is being processed, artists may enter Kenya on a visitor’s pass.
- On presentation of a film license, a small non-refundable fee of 1% of the equipment’s worth or Ksh 30, 000 ($300) (whichever is less) is payable to the Customs Department.
In addition to the above, you will need to pay for press accreditation, lodging, and transportation to successfully shoot the video in Buffalo Springs National Reserve.
Press Accreditation
To film in Central Island National Park, all film crew members must be accredited by the Kenya Film Commission. Local filming agencies and private production companies or individuals must apply through a local agent registered with the Ministry. This is a prerequisite for all applications to make feature films and documentaries. Each crew member must fill out the Kenya Film License Form (which we normally send), scan it, and return it to us along with a copy of their passport and one photo for the filming license. We will then require a letter from the filming company specifying the name of the filming company, the reason for filming, the location of filming, and the film crew’s contact information. This letter is subsequently forwarded to the Kenya Film Commission for the film license to be processed. A film license is usually awarded within 2-3 business days.
Vehicle hiring services
You need a 4×4 vehicle when going to do filming in Central Island National Park. When you trust Africa Adventure Vacations as your film fixer, then you will get the opportunity to book for yourself a strong vehicle that will transport the crew members to and from Central Island National Park in Kenya. We offer the vehicle based on the preferences of our clients and their budget, but also the location where you are going to film, because it may also determine the kind of vehicle that you might need. Because of the nature of the terrain, which might make you travel long distances, we kindly urge you to book our customized tour.
Daily, these cost about $200 to $250 per vehicle, and this price includes the fuel and the driver. You can also opt for our 4×4 safari van, which is available for $200 daily. By contacting us, we shall make sure that we calculate everything, and thus we shall inform you and give you the inclusive price. Each of our vehicles is accompanied by drivers who work as area fixers, and many of them have traveled to nearly every part of Kenya, so they are familiar with the local conditions and can provide critical information and resolve any situation on the ground. While in Kenya, these serve as intermediaries between you and our office. And please contact us for any film fixers in Kenya. We are available 24 hours a day to be able to help you with all the information relating to filming in Central Island National Park in Kenya.
All of our vehicles include a driver who serves as the location fixer. Most of them have visited practically every section of Kenya and are thus familiar with local conditions and can provide relevant information and resolve any local issues. While on location at Central Island National Park, they work as liaisons between our clients and our office.
Visa recommendation
You’ll need to get a tourist visa. Many film crews choose to get a visa before visiting Kenya. Visas, on the other hand, are easily obtained upon admission into the country. In this situation, you can obtain a tourist visa at the Nairobi International Airport for USD5100.
When is the best time to do filming in Central Island National Park?
Filming in Central Island National Park is an adventure that is done all year round, but the best time for filming is during December and then from June to October. This time, weather conditions are dry and this makes filming activities so much more fantastic. However, the best time to do filming in Central Island National Park in Kenya is during the rainy season, when the green vegetation blooms and provides an amazing scenic view (November to May), while the dry season offers the best photo opportunities, both on short and long hikes (May to October).
How to get to Central Island National Park for filming
By Road; The Central Island National Park is a long drive from Nairobi, passing through Mars bit and North Horr or South Horr. Another option is to drive from Nairobi to Kalokol on the lake’s western shores, passing through Kitale and Lodwar. When arriving in Kalokol, visitors can hire boat services to Central Island. Kalokol Gate is the park’s only entrance.
Travelers can reach Lake Turkana via domestic flights because the park has two airstrips.
Where to stay during filming in Central Island National Park
 The film crew members to Central Island National Park are advised to stay at Central Island Campsite where visitors to the island can spend the night while listening to nature sounds and watching the moon and stars on steaming craters. Come visit the unspoiled wilderness and enjoy the rewarding experience of its remoteness, famously known as Crocodile Island.
Why should you book your Kenya filming safari with Africa Adventure Vacations?
Africa Adventure Vacations is a popular tourist company based in Uganda that operates in East African countries such as Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, and South Africa. We have more than ten years of experience assisting filming and production companies and individual travelers who are interested in filming Lake Kamnarok National Reserve, nature-related wildlife and African culture. We offer services such as obtaining filming permission, clearing filming equipment, reserving lodging, and arranging transportation to filming businesses, all in the shortest amount of time possible. Other wildlife tours are available in all of the countries mentioned above, including gorilla tours in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. As a result, you should not hesitate to choose us as your East African film fixers, especially in Kenya for your Kenyan filming experience.
