Filming in Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park

Filming in Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park: This is one of the best safari destinations in Kenya, and it is the park where you can go and do filming for both the mountains and the wildlife that call this habitat their home. The Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park is often called the “mountain of the buffaloes” because of the buffaloes that are usually seen within this park on the ancient rocks and can be seen high above sea level. The national park is evergreen due to its densely forested environment and the Kikuytu Mountain, which is commonly referred to as the big mountain by the Masai. The summit of the Ol Donyo Sabuk Park, which offers breath-taking 360-degree views of the Athi River, the pineapple fields of Thika, and the snow-capped peaks of both Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya, is accessible only by one road. This small, picturesque National Park is conveniently located near Nairobi, and its lush vegetation and cool air make for an excellent day trip or camping weekend. The Machakos district of Eastern Province is where the Ol Donyo Sabuk national park is located, about 85 kilometers northeast of Nairobi. Except for a small area at the top, the ecosystem’s mountain is entirely covered in dense montane forest.

What to film in Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park

Filming wildlife in Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park: The dominant animal in the ecosystem is the buffalo. Aardvark, porcupine, mongoose, python, and monitor lizards are some of the other animals that can be found in the area, along with bushbuck, leopard, olive baboon, colobus monkey, vervet monkey, Sykes’ monkey, Kirk’s dik-dik, common duiker, reedbuck, rock hyrax, bushbaby, tree and ground squirrel, and bushbaby. The park is home to 45 different species of birds, but some of the more easily spotted ones are the following: the white-browed sparrow weaver, the grey-headed sparrow weaver, the African pied wagtail, the mourning dove, the augur buzzard, the African hawk eagle, the purple-breasted sunbird, the yellow-vented bulbul, the speckled mousebird, the helmeted guinea fowl, and the black-headed Oribi, among others. These provide visitors with outstanding filming adventure safaris, making the filming trip very interesting. 

Filming butterfly in OL Donyo Sabuk National Park: There is a vibrant display of butterflies on the mountain at specific times of the year, typically after the beginning of the rains, especially of the swallowtail and charaxes species. The relatively uncommon (haraxes nandina is sometimes commonly seen within the park).

Filming of different bird species in Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park: Species that are simple to spot include: the white-browed sparrow weaver, the grey-headed sparrow weaver, the African pied wagtail, the mourning dove, the augur buzzard, the African hawk eagle, the purple-breasted sunbird, the yellow-vented bulbul, the speckled mousebird, the helmeted guinea fowl, the black-headed oriole, the grey tit,and the ring-neck among others.

How to access Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park for filming

 The park is 85 kilometers northeast of Nairobi by road. Continue 22 kilometers (km) along the main Garissa road from Thika town to the Makutano junction. Follow the KWS sign at Makutano and turn right to travel 3 kilometers on an all-weather murram road to Donyo town. Turn right at Donyo and continue for another 2 km to the main gate.

Accommodation during filming in Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park

Budget, mid-range, and luxury lodge and hotel options are available for guests while Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park is being filmed. Depending on your interests and financial situation, you will decide where to stay. To make a reservation, please contact us here. Sabuk House is one of the options.

Requirements for filming in Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park.

Filming permits

To film in Ol Donyo Sabuk 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 Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park.

Filming fees and costs for Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park.

For any person interested in filming in Ol Donyo Sabuk 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 Ol Donyo Sabuk 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

1. 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)

1. (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.

1. 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 of Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park

Press Accreditation

To film in Ol Donyo Sabuk 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 Ol Donyo Sabuk 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 Ol Donyo Sabuk 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 Ol Donyo Sabuk 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 Ol Donyo Sabuk 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 USD51.0

When is the best time to do filming in Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park?

Filming in Ol Donyo Sabuk 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 at Ol Donyo Sabuk 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).

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 Nasolot 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.