Filming in Mount Kenya National Park.
Filming Mount Kenya: The park is one of the adventure parks in Kenya that the visitors and travellers can enjoy while on an adventure trip and is primarily found on the eastern side of the Great Rift Valley, about 175 kilometres northeast of Nairobi. Mount Kenya National Park is the second-highest peak in Africa at 5199 meters and has proven to be one of the leading filming destinations in Kenya, where one can go and film different activities carried out in the park, making the safari experience so much more interesting.
It is believed that 50% of the Kenyan population receives water from Mount Kenya National Park, and this shows how the park is greatly significant to the people of Kenya as well as the tourists and the filming crew members at the park. Mount Kenya National Park is regarded as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its importance and what it has got to protect.
Filming Mount Kenya.
What to film in Mount Kenya
Filming wildlife in Mount Kenya National Park.
The park features diverse and altitude-based habitats harbouring significant wildlife, including elephants, buffaloes, leopards, rhinos, lions, giant forest hogs, and rare species like the bongo antelope. Mount Kenya National Park also harbours about 130 species of birds, including endemic high-altitude species, alongside montane forest animals like monkeys and hyraxes, and this offers both simple and difficult climbs with breathtaking scenery.
Filming the vegetation in Mount Kenya National Park
The park’s distinct vegetation zones change with altitude, ranging from dense montane forests and bamboo belts to Afro-alpine moorland with unique giant plants. People are attracted to Mount Kenya National Park by its pristine wilderness, glaciers, geographical variety, forest mineral springs, and distinctive mountain alpine vegetation with 11 species of endemic plants that appear well in filming masterclass documentaries.
Filming communities within Mount Kenya.
The mountain is surrounded by different communities, such as the Kikuyu, Meru, Embu, and Maasai, who live on the slopes and depend on its resources for water and grazing. Also, the mountain is said to be a resting place of the Supreme Being Ngai, the god of the Kikuyu people. These communities all have deep-rooted spiritual connections to the area, which favours the filming crew to film the most interesting documentaries.
Requirements for filming in Mount Kenya.
Filming permits to Mount Kenya
Filming Mount Kenya requires securing a filming permit from the Kenya Film Commission and the authorities by writing an application letter requesting filming with a copy of your screenplay, a summary of your program, and a filming schedule, which are forwarded to the Kenya Film Commission’s Licensing Officer.
Permits for feature films, documentaries, short films, music videos, corporate videos, and commercials are all issued in minutes, whereas television series and feature film applications are processed within 48 hours of submission.
Filming fees and costs for Mount Kenya National Park.
For any filming service in the mountains, a person will need to pay a fee to be granted permission to do the activity. Therefore, the filming charges in Mount Kenya National Park include:
Filming fees (Per week/part of the week)
· 1-5 people: Ksh8,000 ($80)
· 6-10 people: Ksh12,000 ($115)
· More than 10 people: Ksh20,000 ($200)
Key filming costs in Mount Kenya
a) Kenya Shillings (Kshs/USD)
· Advertisements, documentaries, dramas, short features, still photos cost Ksh5,000 ($50)
· TV series and feature films in their entirety cost Ksh.15000 ($150)
· Daily filming fees of Ksh1,000 ($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 performing the filming, each guest must pay Ksh2000 ($20) to the Department of Immigration Services for a special pass. While the special filming 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 of 30,000 ($300) (whichever is less) is payable to the Customs Department.
In addition, you will need to pay for press accreditation, lodging, and transportation to successfully shoot the video in Mount Kenya National Park.
Press Accreditation for Filming Mount Kenya
To film in Mount Kenya National Park, a letter from the filming company indicating the name of the film company, the reason for the filming, the location of the filming, and the film crew’s contact information is required. This letter is subsequently forwarded to the Kenya Film Commission for the film license to be processed within 2-3 business days.
All crew members must be accredited by the Kenya Film Commission; that is, 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.
Vehicle hiring services to Mount Kenya National Park
A 4×4 vehicle is required when going for the filming of Mount Kenya. The vehicle has to be based on the preferences of the client, their budget, and the location where the filming is to take place, which will help to determine the type of vehicle. All vehicles should include a driver who works as the location fixer since most of them have visited practically every section of Kenya and are thus familiar with local conditions. They can also provide relevant information and resolve any local issue and can also work as liaisons between clients and major offices.
Visa recommendation
You can obtain a visa at the Nairobi International Airport for USD51.0. Visas are easily obtained upon admission into the country, whereas film crews prefer to get the visa before visiting Kenya.
Where to stay during filming safari to Mount Kenya National Park
To make reservations during filming in Mount Kenya National Park, you will need to check the variety of options of lodges and hotels available depending on the interests and the financial situation of the client. Some of the available options include Serena Mountain Lodge, Batian Guesthouse, and Sirimon Bandas. The Mount Kenya climbing route includes a number of bunkhouses and climbing huts.
What is the best visit Kenya for a filming in Mount Kenya
The best time for filming is during December and then from June to October, as the weather conditions are dry, and this makes the filming activities fantastic. However, the best time to do filming in Mount Kenya National Park is during the rainy season when the green vegetation blossoms and provides an amazing scenic view (November to May), whereas the dry season offers the best photo opportunities, both on short and long hikes (May to October).
How to get to Mount Kenya National Park for filming
The park is closest to Nanyuki, a commercial airstrip to the park. You can also access Mount Kenya National Park via the Sirimon track on the Nanyuki-Isiolo road, which is 175 kilometres from Nairobi, or via the Nyeri-Nanyuki road close to Naro Moro or Chogoria, located 150 kilometres north of Nairobi on the Embu-Meru Road.
Conclusively, therefore, filming Mount Kenya offers an exceptional experience that everyone would prefer to have in Kenya. It helps one to get exposed to Kenya as a country and its beautiful scenery, animals, birds, and different cultures. Through the arrangements and processes taken to have the best filming experience in Mount Kenya National Park, the client’s safety and satisfaction are the major factors.
