Filming in Elsamere Nature Reserve
Filming in Elsamere Nature Reserve: This is a great destination combining both the nature reserve and the museum. Filming in Elsamere Nature Reserve gives you a feeling of conservation and you will enjoy the great things by following the conservation attributes. You cannot talk about the Elsamere Nature Reserve without mentioning the Joy Adamson story and also filming the great museum. White settlers used the Elsamere Conservation Center as a getaway during colonial times; it was originally built as a vacation home for colonialists. When the colonial era came to an end, the location was left vacant, and the Adamsons bought it. They used it as their retirement home, where they began their work conserving wildlife, which later transformed the location into a conservation center. Joy and George Adamson spent their final years at the Elsamere Conservation. When they passed away, the community in Lake Naivasha received the entire Elsamere Conservation Center. After Joy Adamson’s book “Born Free,” which highlighted her and her husband George Adamson’s experience rescuing and raising a cub, the Elsamere Center gained popularity in the 1960s.
You will definitely enjoy and film the Elsamere Center once you decide to go to the Elsamere Nature Reserve. The Elsa Conservation Trust operates and manages all of the Elsamere Center’s activities, which include wildlife conservation, tourism, education, and informational endeavors. The Elsamere Center is located on the shores of Lake Naivasha. Originally named after the lion in the Born Free story, the Elsa Conservation Trust was first known as the Elsa Wild Animal Appeal. Later, the name was changed to Elsa Conservation Trust. There are a lot of things to film in the Elsamere Nature Reserve
Elsamere National Reserve features colobus monkeys, hippo, zebra, and eland that live there and frequent the center which they film and these makes the safari experience for filming trips which is extremely interesting. There are guided nature walks you can take around the compound to see the wildlife and birds which can be extremely interesting and wonderful. Elsamere also serves filming place for a hub from which to explore nearby sights like Nakuru National Park, Hells Gate National Park, or Mount Longonot via a hike. Also nearby is Crater Lake. With more than 200 different bird species, Elsamere is a bird watcher’s paradise where the film crew members will be able to film especially during the boat cruise safari.
Where to stay during filming in Elsamere Nature Reserve
Your lodging at Elsamere guarantees that you have a genuinely peaceful setting perfect for unwinding outside on the lawns or inside the walls of your cottage, or just enjoying a good book. Each cottage has an attached bathroom, a roomy, cozy interior, and a veranda from which you can see Lake Naivasha. Day visitors are also welcome and can browse the museum and shop while also eating a lunch outside and taking part in what many consider to be the best afternoon tea in all of Kenya.
Requirements for filming in Elsamere Nature Reserve
Filming permits
To film in Elsamere Nature Reserve 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 Elsamere Nature Reserve.
Filming fees and costs for Elsamere Nature Reserve
For any person interested in filming in Elsamere Nature Reserve, they will have to pay some costs and fees to be granted permission to do any filming activity. As such, the filming challenges in Elsamere Nature Reserve include:
- Ksh 8,000 ($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 expenses
- a) Filming rates in Kenya Shillings (Kshs/USD)
- 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 Elsamere Nature Reserve.
Press Accreditation
To film in Elsamere Nature Reserve, 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 Elsamere Nature Reserve. 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 Elsamere Nature Reserve 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 Elsamere Nature Reserve 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 Elsamere Nature Reserve, 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 USD51.00.
When is the best time to do filming in Elsamere Nature Reserve?
Filming in Elsamere Nature Reserve 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 at Elsamere Nature Reserve -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)
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 Giraffe Manor, 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.
