Filming in Tsavo East National Park

Filming in Tsavo East National Park: The joint mass national parks of Tsavo East and the Tsavo west national Park to form the largest national park in Kenya known as Tsavo National Park and the park cover 4% of the total land area in Kenya. The larger of the two, Tsavo East, is equidistant between Nairobi and Mombasa and offers a vast and unexplored arena of arid bush that is washed by the Galana River’s azure and emerald meanders, guarded by the Yatta Plateau’s endless lava reaches, and patrolled by some of the largest elephant herds in Kenya. One of the biggest national parks in Kenya, Tsavo East National Park is a part of one of the world’s largest wildlife conservancies. The Maneaters of Tsavo, a pair of man-eating male lions in the Tsavo region, are another well-known aspect of the legend.

What to film in Tsavo East National Park

Filming wild animals in Tsavo East National Park: filming becomes so much interesting in Tsavo East National Park since this is one of the park with very many predators.  Most of the larger mammals that  you will film  include  the big Five with large herds of red elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion, leopard, pods of hippo, crocodile, waterbucks, lesser Kudu, and gerenuk, reside in the park, which is the largest protected area in Kenya. They stand out against the dry environment thanks to their red dust coating. Lions are the most visible of the big cats. Other animals you might see include buffalo, zebra, and a lot of Masai giraffes. There is a wide variety of unusual antelopes in Tsavo East. The fringe-eared oryx can only be seen in a few places, including here. Although the lesser kudu is very shy, occasionally you can see it scurrying off into the bushes. In order to reach the scant foliage of trees and bushes, the long-necked gerenuk is often seen standing on its hind legs. If you’re lucky, you might see the Hunter’s hartebeest or the hirola, both of which are in grave danger.

Filming birds in Tsavo East National Park: you will also be able to do filming of the various species of birds that are found in Tsavo East National Park. Tsavo has a thriving birdlife with over 500 species known to exist. Numerous dry-country specials, such as the magnificent golden-breasted starling, golden pipit, and vulturine guineafowl, are present and simple to spot. The park serves as the Somali ostrich’s southernmost bastion as well.  Filming in Tsavo East National Park also takes you to semiarid plains covered in dormant vegetation (which blooms luxuriantly after a light rain) and acacia and baobab trees, and is drained by the Tsavo, Galana, and Tiva Rivers in the north. Three different types of grasses can also be found in Tsavo, including grouped-tree grassland, scattered-tree grassland, and shrub or dwarf-tree grassland, which can be seen in Tsavo East. The scattered-tree and shrub or dwarf-tree Grasslands are, however, the most widely distributed.

Requirements for filming in Tsavo East National Park

Filming permits

To film in Tsavo East National Park 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 Tsavo East National Park.

Filming fees and costs for Tsavo East National Park

For any person interested in filming in Tsavo East 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 Tsavo East National Park 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

1. 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)

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 in Tsavo East National Park.

Press Accreditation

To film in Tsavo East 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 Tsavo East 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 Tsavo East 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 Tsavo East 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 Tsavo East 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 USD51.00.

When is the best time to do filming in Tsavo East National Park?

Filming in Tsavo East 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 filing at Tsavo East National Park -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 Tsavo East National Park for filming

Accessing Tsavo East National Park by road transport: On the main Nairobi – Mombasa Road, The Park (Mtito Andei Gate) is located 232 kilometers south of Nairobi and 250 kilometers north of Mombasa. Note: Mombasa is 157 km from Voi Gate, and Nairobi is 325 km away. There are the following entryways: lthumba, Manyani, Mtito Andei, Voi, Buchuma, Buchuma, and Sala

Accessing Tsavo East National Park by Air transport: Tsavo East does not have any regularly scheduled flights, but there are a number of airstrips that can accommodate chartered flights. Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, located 15 km/9 mi southeast of Nairobi, and the smaller Moi International Airport are Kenya’s two most important international airports.

Where to stay during filming in Tsavo East National Park

It is possible to stay inside the Tsavo East and Tsavo West, but lodging costs can differ greatly. Prices primarily depend on the time of year and the type of lodging, with camps, opulent tents, and lodges only in Tsavo. The typical nightly rate for lodging is $200 to $1,000 per person. The Kenya Shilling (KES), a small quantity of which should be carried, is advised for use in places where credit cards aren’t accepted to pay for groceries and other smaller purchases. A few examples of the opulent lodging options in Tsavo East are Kiboko Camp, Finch Hattons, Kilalinda Safari Camp, Satao Camp, and others. Large, luxurious tents with raised wooden floors, first-rate guest services, and delicious meals are these sophisticated buildings, which are frequently found in front of breathtaking views. Examples include the Manyatta Camp, Leopard Lodge, Red Elephant Safari Lodge, Galdessa Camp, and Nguthuni Lodge.

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 Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy, 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.