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Filming Mfangano Island in Kenya

Filming Mfangano Island in Kenya: This is the largest island on the Lake Victoria and the best location to retreat to and from the hustles

Filming Mfangano Island in Kenya

Filming Mfangano Island in Kenya: The Mfangano Island in Kenya is the one of the best locations to retreat to and from the hustles of this great modern world. The Mfangano Island in Kenya is known as the largest island on the Lake Victoria and thus it is good that you can film this great island. The island is unique in a way that it is comprised of very many olusubu people which are known as the one of the Kenya smallest tribes.

Because it is customary for kids to learn their “mother tongue,” or the language of their mother, olusuba is becoming less common, in part due to intermarriage between Suba men and Luo women from the mainland. Luo, Swahili, and English are some of the additional languages used on the island.

On the eastern side of the island, the Luo tribe is primarily represented by its fishermen and subsistence farmers. Some of the people who live in Mfangano are thought to be decedents of people who immigrated from the Buganda kingdom in Uganda following the contentious killing of the kabaka juju in the early nineteenth century. Therefore as the film crew members, you will be able to film this gre4at island with a lot of history as well as the culture of the people around this great island.

There are a lot of birds here and therefore, it would be bad to miss filming of different species of birds which are found on Mfangano Island in Kenya. Over 350 different bird species have been identified in the area of Lake Victoria and Mfangano Island, which has an abundant bird population. Visitors can go bird watching around the island with the ornithologist who lives there, both on foot and by boat. Along the lakeshore, it is possible to film the magnificent Fish Eagles nesting in the enormous fig trees. Still on Mfangano Island, you can go film the prehistoric rock art. There are two prehistoric rock art locations with some significant cave art.

Filming Mfangano Island in Kenya

Accommodation during filming on Mfangano Island in Kenya

Like any other places that are found on Lake Victoria, there are a lot of accommodation facilities where the film crew members can spend their night as they are filming on the Mfangano Island. These can as wells include the midrange lodges, budget lodges as well as the luxurious lodges. Some of the lodges where you can stay during filming on Mfangano Island in Kenya include; a luxurious island hideaway lodge where you can unwind is called Mfangano Island Camp. It has six cottages with double beds that are located directly on the lakeshore. Each room was constructed using natural clay and banana thatch in the Luo tribal style. It provides opulent rooms with en suite bathrooms, private verandas, and sun loungers.

How to get to Mfangano Island Camp for filming

 One can get to Mfangano Island through car: It takes about 6 hours to drive from Nairobi to Mbita (Lake Victoria), and then it takes about 45 minutes to get to the camp by boat. Further, direct flights to Mfangano are offered from Nairobi, Kisumu, and the Maasai Mara. The flight from Nairobi to Kisumu takes 45 minutes, and the charter flight to the camp takes 10 minutes. There is a frequent motorboat ferry service between Mbita and Mfangano, and boats are also readily available for hire.

Requirements for filming on Mfangano Island

Filming permits

To film Mfangano Island 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 Mfangano Island.

Filming fees and costs for Mfangano Island

For any person interested in Mfangano Island, they will have to pay some costs and fees to be granted permission to do any filming activity. As such, the filming charges for Mfangano Island 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 film Mfangano Island.

Press Accreditation

To film Mfangano Island 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 filming Mfangano Island

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 filming on Mfangano Island 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 on Mfangano Island 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, 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 the best time to film Mfangano Island in Kenya?

Filming on Mfangano Island 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 film on Mfangano Island 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 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.

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