Is it OK to Film Mountain Gorillas in Volcanoes National Park? – Mountain Gorilla Filming Tips in Volcanoes National Park
Are you a journalist or a wildlife enthusiast and are interested in Mountain gorilla filming for your documentary? Instead of the normal gorilla trekking experience where tourists can only take photographs or short films, you can actually visit Rwanda for a wonderful gorilla filming adventure and make TV documentaries on these primates. This helps in the promotion and conservation of the Mountain gorillas.
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for you because the activity is possible in Volcanoes National and the Park offers favorable grounds for mountain gorilla filming. You can venture into the Jungles of Volcanoes National Park and film some of the Mountain Gorillas that appeared in the “Gorillas in the Mist” film. There are currently more than 880 Mountain gorillas living within only four National parks in the whole World, and the Parks include Mgahinga National park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park of Uganda, Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda and the Virunga National Park of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Volcanoes National Park is located in the North-Western side of Rwanda and covers an area of about 160 square kilometers of Montane rainforests mixed with vast expanse of Bamboo Forest which make it more interesting and easier to film the Mountain gorillas from Volcanoes National Park than the dense and Impenetrable Forests of Bwindi National Park in Uganda. This wonderful Park is found at around 105 kilometers/65 miles from Kigali City and is about 2-3 hours’ drive to reach the Park. With over 300 Mountain gorillas sheltered within the Forests of Volcanoes National Park and 10 habituated Gorillas families available for tracking and filming, Permits can be booked from the Rwandan Development Board office-the body in charge of the Park and all the activities conducted within the Park.
How Much Does Gorilla Filming in Rwanda Cost?
Mountain gorilla filming and professional photography costs $5000 as a filming pass valid for three consecutive days in Volcanoes National Park. You will also be required to pay another $2000 that will act as security and will be refunded at the end of the trip once copies of the film are given to the Rwanda Development Board. This is done to give evidence that the filming was done for Tourism or promotion of these critically endangered Mountain gorillas of Volcanoes National Park. The filming fee includes the Application fees for the filming permits, clearance of your filming equipment, transport and film ideal Safari Lodges within and around the Kinigi Park Headquarters in Musanze district. But this cost excludes the price of gorilla permits.
Whether you are 8 individuals or less, you will also be required to purchase 8 Gorilla permits that will allow you to visit an entire gorilla family, hence 1500X8 is $12,000 for an entire filming and photography crew per day (with a maximum of 8 persons per gorilla group).
Gorilla filming guidelines in Rwanda
All the individuals or filming companies have to first book for gorilla filming permits at least 6 months in advance to avoid being disappointed
The filming equipments to be used must have been cleared at the Kigali International Airport Customs for you to be allowed to use them. This will help in establishing the process of filming while incorporating the cost of permits, transportation of the filming equipment and the amount of time spent while filming in the Jungles. This also provides an impression that Mountain gorilla filming is a costly activity, as well as the carefully accepted Conservation and Tourism industry, which gives thought to Rwanda’s Peace and stability and the tremendous economic progress of the past 15 years
Accepted requirements for Mountain gorilla filming in Rwanda
Therefore, the recommended requirements for Mountain gorilla filming include following filming guidelines, filming fee/permits, import duty, clearing of immigration Visa, having the filming facilities and equipments and transport.
You can also hire Porters from the Park Headquarters to carry your hefty filming gadgets, as a way of conserving the habitat of the critically endangered mountains gorillas and also supporting a family of former poachers (who now earn a living by working as porters).
What to Wear/carry for the Mountain Gorilla Filming in Rwanda
Just as Mountain gorilla trekking, tourists on a gorilla filming adventure have to wear long sleeved shirts, long trousers, waterproof hiking boots, hats and sunglasses, gardening gloves, rain jacket and carry a backpack (for drinking water and lunch/snacks) and a walking stick.
In conclusion, Mountain gorilla filming is another enthralling adventure that tourists participate in when in the Volcanoes National park. There is nothing life changing as spending over three days filming these Giant Apes.