Mgahinga National Park – best destination for gorilla filming tours in Uganda

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is Uganda’s best destination for gorilla filming tours. The ecosystem’s lush jungles and rugged terrain present a perfect setting to capture films of the majestic mountain gorillas in the wild. Visitors and crews alike will surely experience unparalleled gorilla moments while exploring the park’s rich natural wonders. Mgahinga National Park is situated within the Virunga Conservation Area and shelters only one habituated gorilla group. This is the Nyakagezi Family.

Requirements for gorilla filming tours in Mgahinga National Park

For any filming tours in Uganda you must secure a valid filming permit. This is got from the Uganda Media Council. You and the entire filming crew must complete a form from the council or the Uganda Media Center. Write an official letter indicating your film production company, project synopsis, filming location, date of filming and role of each member. Submit this together with copies of passport details plus passport photos for everyone involved. Wait for 2-5 working days for your permit to be processed. Fees are based on the duration of your planned filming.

Also, anyone planning to film in Uganda’s national parks requires to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Uganda Wildlife Authority. You will have to apply for a filming permit by submitting an application to the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Details in this includes your company, filming location (Mgahinga), wildlife (gorillas), date of filming, film crew size, filming equipment and theme. You will also have to send a copy of your passport and passport size photo as well as for each member of your filming crew. The authority will respond to you in less than 48 hours. The authority will then issue and send you a filming contract or an MoU. Processing of either document will take a few weeks, and you will pay the full fees afterwards.

However, if you wish to film the gorillas using drones, the rules are quite different. You will need a letter of no objection from the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities. Clearance from the Chief of Defence Forces through the Uganda People’s Defence Forces is a significant requirement. A declaration from The Uganda Revenue Authority for temporary importation of your drone is needed. Then the Civil Aviation Authority will have to offer you an operating permit. But first they will require your technical spec, pilot license, medical certificate, insurance and the filming location map. These procedures take between 3 to 6 months.

NB: all fees do not include park entrance or camping/accommodation.

Why apply through Standard Safaris?

Since Uganda gorilla tours are in such high demand all over the world, you will have to secure a filming permit in advance. To make the processes much easier, use a reputable tour operator like Standard Safaris. This is because we have a strong professional relationship with Uganda Wildlife Authority to ensure that the application process is streamlined and all legal requirements are handled correctly. With such efficiency, delays in acquiring the MoU will be avoided to ensure that your filming schedule is not disrupted. We also offer drones for hire plus seasoned pilots to operate them for you.

How gorilla filming tours in Mgahinga National Park are done?

Early in the morning, you will meet the park warden at Ntebeko for briefing to learn about the rules of filming in Mgahinga. Together with your filming equipment and crew, you will be guided by expert trackers into the dense forest. This is to search for the gorilla family that you will film. Once you find the family, you will be allowed to start filming without interruption for a specified duration. You will capture raw footage of the gorillas feeding, mating, playing grooming etc. You will return to the starting point for debriefing to end your filming tour.

Best time for gorilla filming tours in Uganda

The dry season is the best time to go for gorilla filming tours in Mgahinga National Park. It is not a surprise that this is the same as the best time for gorilla treks. Filming tours during this time is advantageous because you are presented with drier weather and lower rainfall. This makes movement through the dense forest with your filming equipment and crew easier. Low rains cause a low vegetation density in the forest to enhance visibility. This period occurs in Mgahinga between June to August and between October to November.

How to travel there?

Traveling to Mgahinga National Park for a gorilla filming tour can be done by either road or air transport. The destination is situated in the southwest of Uganda almost 500 kilometers away from Kampala. In a well-maintained 4X4 safari land cruiser your scenic drive may take 9-10 hours. To travel much faster, while avoiding the risk of damage from driving on long rugged roads, choose air transport. Scheduled domestic flights are offered daily to Kisoro Airstrip from Entebbe International Airport. Travel time to reach Kisoro is 1 hour and 15 hours. After arriving at the airstrip, complete your journey to Mgahinga by road in around 45 minutes.

What else to film in Mgahinga National Park?

Mgahinga National Park offers a lot of natural wonders beyond mountain gorillas. These can be captured on film to make interesting documentaries. The jungle is also home to the interesting old-world monkeys known as golden monkeys. These share some habitats with the mountain gorillas. With their energetic movements and cute physical appearance, filming these primates is a worthwhile choice. Each film will look more beautiful thanks to their vividly golden-orange far that creates a sharp contrast against the bamboo forest.

Other fascinating subjects to capture on film are the Virunga volcanoes, birds, mammals and flora. Filming the towering Sabyinyo, Muhabura and Gahinga volcanoes offers breathtaking views of their rugged slopes and summits for raw beauty. Mgahinga National Park is situated in the Albertine Rift region therefore shelters plenty of Albertine endemic bird species. Filming the regal sunbird, white-necked raven, Rwenzori apalis, Kivu ground thrush and Rwenzori turaco offer colorful beauty amidst the dense green foliage.

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.