Filming on the Kazinga channel

Filming on the Kazinga channel: The channel is located inside Queen Elizabeth national park and crosses through it to form two sections. The largest channel in the world crosses through Queen Elizabeth national park as it links lake Edward to lake George. Kazinga channel is very famous for different activities among which include boat cruises and bird watching.

Kazinga channel is said to be the home to the highest number of hippos in the world and it’s home to several wildlife species within the park. The boat cruise is the main activity done on the Kazinga channel however we would love to inform tourists that are interested in filming that the Kazinga channel has gotten a lot to offer. Tourists can film animals such as hippos, birds, and different wild animals that roam in the vegetation around the channel

What to film on the Kazinga channel?

The hippos

Hippo filming is the most done activity on the Kazinga channel and this is because a lot of hippos do live within this area. Kazinga channel is said to be the largest water channel in Africa with the highest number of hippos. Over 2000 hippos do live in the waters of Kazinga channel and these are seen or filmed in schools.

Hippo filming in Kazinga channel is done on stationed grounds or slow boat movements where the film crew is able to capture the best videos. The best time to film these hippos on the Kazinga channel is always in the afternoon hours when they are in only places and in groups called schools. During the hippo filming, film crew members will see other wildlife like crocodiles and birds.

Birds

Kazinga channel is surrounded by different vegetation covers which are home to different species of birds. Some of the 600 species of birds of Queen Elizabeth national park do live in the areas of the Kazinga channel. Tourists that love filming birds can visit the Kazinga channel and film them on boat cruises or nature walks on the walking trails around the channel.

Bird filming on the Kazinga channel will give you an opportunity to capture bird species such as rare shoe bill, secretary bird, African jacana, giant heron, swamp flycatcher, black-headed lapwing, back-bellied bustard, Abyssinian ground hornbills, marabou stork, giant heron, giant kingfishers, grey crowned crane, palm nut vulture, pel’s fishing owl, and collared pratincole among others.

Wild animals

Kazinga channel is surrounded by riverine vegetation which is home to different wildlife species of Queen Elizabeth national park. The vegetation around Kazinga channel hosts the highest number of wild animals during the dry season from June to September and December to February when the vegetation is dry in most areas of the park and when the water drinking areas are dry.

Tourists that are interested in filming wild animals around the Kazinga channel will capture animals such as elephants, Uganda kobs, buffaloes, Nile crocodiles, hippos, sitatungas, waterbucks, and much more. Filming the wild animals around the Kazinga channel can go for 2-3 hours and we guess you would have captured what you want.

Banded mongooses

Film the Banded mongooses on Kazinga Channel

Banded mongooses are small mammals living in the Mweya peninsula of Queen Elizabeth national park. The area is on the Kazinga channel therefore tourists that are looking at what to film around the Kazinga channel can do the banded mongoose filming. The filming crew should never exceed 4 people and these are led by researchers who know the behaviors of the mongoose as well as armed ranger guides whose role is to protect you from dangerous wild animals.

Filming banded mongoose can take any time you want because you will be with a filming permit to allow you to do the activity. The filming activities come with extra activities like learning about their habits, knowing how they live, and their life span among others. Tourists will meet different park animals during the search and after filming for example elephants, antelopes, buffaloes, lions, and much more.

What is required to do filming on the Kazinga channel?

For any tourists to film anything on the Kazinga channel they must get permission from Uganda Wildlife Authority. If allowed, the Uganda wildlife authority will issue filming permits which you will present into the park authorities to allow you to film on the Kazinga channel. Apart from the filming permits, tourists also need to process media cards from the Uganda media council and they will also need to clear their filming equipment with the customs at Entebbe international airport.

How much does it cost to film on the Kazinga channel?

The cost of filming on the Kazinga channel depends on what to film, the number of days you want to film as well as the number of the filming crew. The price for filming hippos, wildlife, and birds defers as these activities are of different processes. To know how much it costs you to film on the Kazinga channel requires you to get the price of the activities and add on 40% of the park entrance fees.

Tourists who are looking at filming on the Kazinga channel should use local tour operators to help them with bookings. The local tour operators can help with booking each and everything that is needed during this safari and they charge a lot of fees. Africa Adventure Vacations is here to help you with the whole booking process as well have well-trained travel consultants.

Accessing the Kazinga channel for filming

Accessing the Kazinga channel for filming activities is easy and at any time of the year using road transport ad air transport.

Accessing the Kazinga channel for filming by road: transport in 7-8 hours from Kampala/Entebbe via Masaka, Mbarara, Bushenyi, and Rubiziri through the southern sector of the park. There is a second route from Kampala/Entebbe via Mubende, Fort Portal, and Kasese through the northern sector of the park.

Accessing the Kazinga channel for filming by air transport, the Kazinga channel can be accessed using chattered flights of Aerolink Uganda and Bar Aviation Uganda. These airline companies organize daily flights to different national parks including Queen Elizabeth national park from Entebbe international airport or Kajjansi airstrip. The flights take 1 hour and 15 minutes to get to Mweya airstrip or Kasese airstrip where tourists are picked up and driven to booked accommodation or Kazinga channel.

Where to stay while on a filming safari in Kazinga channel?

While on a filming safari on the Kazinga channel in Queen Elizabeth national park, tourists stay in any of the accommodation facilities in the area based on their travel budget. There are accommodation facilities like Mweya Safari Lodge, Buffalo Safari Lodge, Bush Lodge, Bandas Kazinga Channel, Kazinga Channel View Lodge, Katara Lodge, Engiri Game Lodge, Kyambura Gorge, Mazike Safari Lodge, Kikorongo Safari Lodge, and Tembo Safari Lodge.

Best time for filming on the Kazinga channel

Tourists can do filming on the Kazinga channel at any time of the year but the dry season is the best time for filming on Kazinga channel. The dry season happens from June to September and December to February when the park is receiving little or no rainfall. During the dry seasons, water levels on the Kazinga channel are very low which makes clear views of aquatic animals and the vegetation around the channel attracts a high number of animals that come to feed on the vegetation as well as drink fresh water.

Tourists can still do filming on the channel during the rainy season which is from March to May and October to November however this favors budget travelers as they get discounted accommodation facilities. The rainy season is not good for filming because the water levels are high which gives unclear views of hippos and crocodiles, the vegetation around the channel is tall and thick with unclear views of the wildlife and the game tracks leading to the Kazinga channel are muddy and slippery.