Lion Filming Tours in Uganda

A complete guide to planning unforgettable lion filming tours in Uganda; unique facts about filming lions, best places, costs, best time/season, procedures, and guidelines. Uganda is one of the best destinations in Africa that rewards nature enthusiasts with lifetime opportunities to film lions. Lion filming tours in Uganda allow visitors to capture live videos of lions as they freely roam in their natural environment.

In Uganda, lions can be filmed in the various beautiful savanna national parks. Approximately 400 lions live in the different parts of Uganda, and filming these big cats is a rare opportunity that comes once in a lifetime. The actual day of lion filming tours in Uganda involves navigating through the stunning savannas and different distinct ecosystems while spotting other species.

Uganda stands out as an exceptional destination for filming lions in the wild. Visitors are accompanied by an experienced guide from Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). While the focus is on capturing unique moments of lions, filmmakers or documentarians should also ensure that they respect the conservation practices in place.

Uniqueness of Lion Filming Tours in Uganda

Lion filming tours in Uganda are unique that you have a rare opportunity to capture videos of the tree-climbing lions. The tree-climbing lions in Uganda reside within the Ishasha sector. Filming the tree-climbing lions at the Ishasha sector rewards filmmakers/documentarians with dramatic encounters and rare footage. Filmmakers also have a chance to capture amazing moments of lions on rocky landscapes of Kidepo Valley National Park.

Where to go for Lion Filming Tours in Uganda

Discover exceptional places in Uganda that offer the best lion filming experiences. Each destination promises captivating filming adventures with lions in the savannas. Explore the complete list of best places you can visit to experience the most of Uganda lion filming;

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Lying in Western Uganda, Queen Elizabeth National Park still stands out when it comes to lion filming experiences. The park extends 1978 sq. km and features an exceptional landscape perfect for capturing incredible moments of lions. About 40-52 lions are estimated to be in Queen Elizabeth National Park alone. The remarkable part about Queen Elizabeth National Park lion filming tours in Uganda is that visitors can capture incredible moments of the tree-climbing lions.

The popular sites to consider for filming lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park include Ishasha sector (in the Southern part) and Kasenyi plains (Northern sector). The park is also famous for its enriching sector/sites like the Mweya Peninsula, which comes with breathtaking views of the Kazinga Channel.

Places to stay after/before filming lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park include Buffalo Safari Lodge, Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge, or at the Luxurious Mweya Safari Lodge.

Kidepo Valley National Park

Kidepo offers the most exceptional lion filming tours in Uganda. Situated in northeastern Uganda, Kidepo is endowed with diverse landscapes, unique from others, making it an exceptional spot for filming lions. Kidepo’s landscape is characterized by rugged, semi-arid landscapes that reflect the true, authentic wilderness of the Karamoja region. Lion filming tours in Uganda’s Kidepo is best conducted on a game drive.

Kidepo Valley National Park also features golden savanna plains and mountain ranges. The park’s primary rivers comprise the Kidepo & Narus. Lucky filmmakers can also capture amazing moments of lions as they are relaxed on the rocky outcrop.

Available lodging options in and around Kidepo include Katurum Lodge, Kidepo Savanna Lodge, Apoka Safari Lodge, and Adere Safari Lodge.

Murchison Falls National Park

Visit Murchison Falls National Park to enjoy more than the breathtaking views of the powerful waterfalls. The park is also popular for its sensational lion filming experiences. A guided lion filming excursion in Murchison Falls National Park introduces you to some of the amazing game tracks, including the Albertine and Queen’s tracks.

Beyond lions, filming tours in Murchison Falls National Park also allow you to encounter a diversity of other wildlife such as elusive leopards, oribis, Uganda Kobs, warthogs, bushbucks, and more. Visitors with adequate time can also explore primates in the Kaniyo-Pabidi forest of Budongo Forest. The common primates to be spotted include chimpanzees, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, and black & white colobus monkeys.

Visitors interested in filming lions in Murchison can drive from Entebbe or Kampala and reach the Park in 7 hours. While in Murchison, the available lodges to consider for overnight stay include Murchison River Camp, Paraa Safari Lodge, Twiga Lodge, Pakuba Safari Lodge, Chobe Safari Lodge, and more.

Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve

Still in the Northeastern part of Uganda the stunning Pian Upe is an exceptional place to do lion filming tours. The reserve is known to offer authentic wilderness lion filming experiences. A significant lion population resides in Pian Upe, although not much as in other destinations like Queen Elizabeth National Park or Kidepo.

Essentials or Procedures for Lion Filming Tours in Uganda

Essential procedures that are involved with lion filming include applying for the lion filming permit in Uganda. During the initial stages of planning for lion filming, you are required to write to the Executive Director of Uganda Wildlife Authority expressing your intention to film lions.

The must-haves in your write-up include the size of the film crew/filmmakers and individual roles played by each filmmaker. The specific location or national park that you intend to carryout lion filming tours in Uganda. Filmmakers or documentarians should also be clear on how long they plan to be in the destination when filming lions.

The press accreditation is an essential item when it comes to planning for a successful lion filming tour in Uganda. Each crew member requires the accreditation card, which is to be obtained at USD 175 and can be valid for a month. If you intend to do filming for about 60 days, approximately 2 months, then expect to pay USD 225. The 2-year valid accreditation card can be secured for US Dollars 325.

Filmmakers also need to apply for the media card- fill in the Form G, and you can attach a copy of a valid passport, 2 colored passport-sized photos, a certificate of good conduct from your home country, an introduction letter, and more.

Clearance of the filming gear. This should be done in the customs offices, and your local expert can assist you, given that the process is tiresome.

Best time to go for lion filming tours in Uganda

Lion filming tours in Uganda can be planned and enjoyed at any time of the year. But the dry months offer excellent conditions for filmmakers to carry out lion filming. This can be from June to September, which mark the longest dry months, and December-February for the shorter dry season. Embarking on lion filming tours in Uganda during the peak dry seasons/months is a great way for you to safely navigate through the game tracks or trails of your dream destinations.

The rainy/wet season often comes with the lush landscapes, but the challenge it is when heavy rains can disrupt the normal movement of visitors as they film lions. The wet or rainy season in most of the lion filming destinations in Uganda falls from March to May and from October to November.

Sándor Jakubinyi

14:31 22 Feb 24

2019 megigazulás

12:45 21 Feb 24

We went on a two-week trip with my family, organised by Coleb from Standard Safaris.

I had my concerns about organised trips, but this one didn’t justify any of those. Everything went very smoothly, even when some problems arose with one of the cars it got fixed by next morning, the accomodations were clean and comfortable, the programs were exciting and well-balanced - everything was done to a truly high standard.

If you plan to visit Uganda and are looking for a guide, I warmly recommend Coleb and his team. In case you have a choice of drivers, go for Godwin, his presence made this trip even more enjoyable - cheerful, helpful, good sense of humour, generally a great person. Just look for the guy with a big smile and big heart:)

Bert Simoens

09:38 08 Jan 24

We recently embarked on a safari adventure with Standard Safaris in Uganda, which was truly exceptional. Our guide, Yonah, was outstanding - his kindness, knowledge, and discretion significantly enhanced our experience. He was the heart of our trip.

The local company's planning was offering a tailor-made journey that matched our interests. We saw an array of wildlife in Murchison, enjoyed rafting at Jinja, and experienced mountain biking at Sipi. A visit to Kidepo National Park was a highlight and comes highly recommended.

The vehicle provided was comfortable and reliable. We highly recommend Standard Safaris for anyone seeking an unforgettable safari in Uganda. Their professionalism and the exceptional guidance of staff like Yonah make them an great choice.

Michał Kostrzewa

00:41 15 Nov 23

We are all extremely grateful Standard Safaris for an incredible East Africa experience. I recently booked a custom trip for group of 8 people, including an 8-year-old boy, from Kampala through Queen Elizabeth National Park and on to Rwanda and Burundi. Coleb delivered on everything that was discussed and agreed upon beforehand.

The car provided was in great condition and our driver Meddy went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable, informed, and had the best possible time. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. All local services were inlcuded in (reasonable) price that we agreed, so there was no need to worry about payments during the 6 day trip. Also Standard Safaris agreed took care about safety and security by helping us organize armed ranger while in the park.

The whole trip was hassle-free and smooth. We saw amazing wildlife in Queen Elizabeth NP, took in the sights of Rwanda and Burundi, and made lifelong memories.

I would happily book with Standard Safaris again in a heartbeat and recommend them wholeheartedly to anyone looking for the best East Africa trip. They provide top-notch service while ensuring you have an incredible, customized experience. If you want a hassle-free, flawlessly organized African adventure, Standard Safaris is the tour operator to book with.

Ivan Nammanda

18:31 27 Oct 23

Very organized travel operator who chose awesome guide to make our trip wonderful.

We booked a nine days trip with Standard Safaris and all was perfect from start to finish. Coleb was very prompt at replying and easy to liaise with ahead of the trip. We had done a lot of research and had an itinerary in mind and Coleb helped us to put everything together to make this happen for a very reasonable price.  On the trip we had a private vehicle for the whole tour which was exactly what we wanted. Bryan was our driver and an amazing guide - really friendly and knowledgable, working hard to find the things that we wanted to see and quickly understanding what was of interest to us/how much information to give.

Would highly recommend a trip to Uganda with Standard Safaris. We are definitely coming back soon!

MUGAIGA KENNETH

18:01 27 Oct 23

The company has very courteous tour guides with wide knowledge of fauna and frola in the whole of East Africa.
The choice of safari Lodges is good with first class treatment.
Game drive security is assured.
Almost The whole of September I was traversing through DRC, Uganda,and Rwanda on a gorilla tour and wildlife expedition.
Everything was arranged and booked perfectly by Standard Safaris.
The owner, Coleb was always helpful whenever we needed to ask questions about this gorilla safari in Uganda and beyond.
It was a complex expedition but Standard safaris and Coleb made it look amazingly easy.
I’ll recommend Standard safaris 200%, for all gorilla safaris in Uganda, Rwanda and wildlife tours in east africa.

travel uganda

16:35 27 Oct 23

This is so far the best gorilla trekking company in Uganda, and africa, by far. I had a wonderful time with Standard Safaris as a solo traveler.
My guide was excellent and our safari planner, Coleb was quick with responses and the prices were very friendly.
I’ll definitely book with Standard safaris on my next gorilla tour in Rwanda and Uganda.