Places to find and film Hyenas in Malawi
Places to find and film hyenas in Malawi. Hyenas belong to the carnivore mammals and of the family Hyaenidae . They are commonly known for being scavengers that feed on the left overs of prey of other predators. The most common type is the spotted hyena and this is followed by the brown and stripped hyena. These animals are very vocal and usually make sounds of laughter. Hyenas can be found in the following places in Malawi
Vwaza marsh reserve
Vwaza marsh is a national game reserve in Malawi located in the north west of mzuzu along the Zambian border making it part of the Malawi Zambia Transfrontier conservation area. This reserve has a variety of wildlife ranging from herbivores to predators including the hyenas. Elephants, buffaloes, Hippos, antelopes and elands that are also commonly sighted bathing and drinking from the lake. The lions, leopards, and wild dogs are also in the premises also not as common as the latter.
Nkhota kota reserve
Nkhota kota is the oldest reserve in Malawi. It is located in the eastern part of central Malawi and is in close proximity to Lake Malawi. It is also the largest reserve in the country covering an area of about 700 sq. miles. It is one of the places where the hyenas can be seen in abundance. While filming buffaloes, you will encounter other wildlife like buffaloes, elephants, elands, impalas, warthogs, sables, zebras and waterbucks. All these are very common and can easily be spotted. On a rare occasion, visitors may able to see lions, leopards.
Liwonde national park
Liwonde national park are located in southern Malawi. It was established in 1973 and it is the most popular park of Malawi. The park has a variety of wildlife including some of the big five. Animals that are common and can be easily seen are elephants, buffaloes and zebras. The park also has lions, cheetahs, leopard and hyenas which are not as common but can be spotted. The park also has the black rhino specie also seen on rare occasions.
Majete game reserve
Majete game reserve is located in southern Malawi. It was set up as a protected area in 1955 for wildlife. When filming hyenas in this reserve, you will have the opportunity to film a variety of animals including the big five, buffaloes, elephants, giraffes, antelope, hippos and zebras are common ad easy to film compared to the leopards and that are rare but also available.
Lengwe national park
The national park is located in southern part of Malawi near Blantyre and covers an area of 350sq. miles. Although popular for the Nyala antelope, the park is also a habitat for other animals such as the hyenas. These include buffaloes that are seen occasionally, bush bucks, impalas, duikers, tiny suni, greater kudu and the leopards.
Requirements to film in Malawi
In order to film in Malawi You will need to acquire permission. The process of securing a filming permit in Malawi can be time-consuming so it needs enough time before the filming in order to complete the necessary process and secure the filming permit. National park fees and charges are also required of you if you intend to film in national parks
Media accreditation is also vital for filming in Malawi and the application is made to the media council of Malawi. Once applied for, and payment given the media cards are then processed. Contact film crew fixers to help you will filming permits and media accreditation
Drones can also be used while filming and can be imported but you need to have acquired permission from Malawi’s department of civil aviation. Key factors to note if you’re planning to use a drone
- Permission is needed for each flight
- Do not fly near aircrafts airports, and airfields. if operating near these spaces stay 10 kilometers away
- Do not fly near groups of people, social gatherings, private property , schools and road races unless you have been given permission
- You’re not allowed to fly the drone vertically higher than 45 meters
- The drone should be registered with the department of civil aviation
- The operator should obtain an operator certificate from the department of civil aviation
Filming equipment also needs to be cleared and this can be done through a bonded agent or securing a 5% percent of the value of equipment, however this is not advisable and the preferred procedure is that of using a bonded agent. Film crew fixers has all the necessary connections with a number of bonded agents that can clear your equipment on entry and exit. Contact us for any help with kit clearing.
Malawi visa and work permit advice
A tourist visa or business visa can work for your entry into the country. Film crews prefer getting there visa before coming into the countries and this is possible through the evisa system of Malawi. Proof of yellow fever and vaccination and a Covid 19 free negative certificate are necessary for entry. The prices of visas and work permits change regularly. For updated information regarding travel to Zimbabwe, you can contact us or your embassy.
- A passport is required for all foreign visitors and has to be valid for at least six months
- Passports must have at least three empty pages
- Citizens of most countries require a visa, which can be obtained at arrival
- A list of countries who don’t require visa here https://visaindex.com/visa-requirement/malawi-passport-visa-free-countries-list/ .
- A list of countries who need a visa can be found here https://www.onlinevisa.com/visa-policy/malawi/ the application can be made online.
- When arriving from a yellow-fever-infected country, a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required
Malawi transport services
Film crew fixers organizes transportation for film crews to film. Depending on their interest and Budget and the nature of roads to the destination. We organize both road and air transport for film crews. We recommend customized 4×4 safari land cruisers for vehicles because of the nature of roads in Malawi. These land cruisers cost USD200-250 per vehicle per day. Fuel is estimated on the number of days that are scheduled by the filming schedule. We will need to look at it for establishing the mileage and distance to be traveled.
Film fixers in Malawi to help you film
All our vehicles come with drivers who act as location fixers and most of them have been to most of the parts in Malawi and are very conversant with the local situations .they provide relevant information and fix any situation on ground. They also act as intermediaries between you and our office while on location. Contact us if you need a film fixer in Malawi.
What is the best time to film Hyenas in Malawi
The best time to visit these park for wildlife is during the dry months from June to October the roads are also much easy to navigate compared to the wet season. Another advantage is the thinning of vegetation that makes it easy to spot these animals. During this time, the water sources are always crowded with the animals in search of water
Why use film crew fixers to film in Malawi
Film crew fixers is a company based in Uganda that assists production agencies and filming companies in South, central and East African countries as a whole. We handle all fixer services required with our professional team of local fixers and driver guides. We have all the relevant connections with other service providers and government agencies to make sure that accreditation and filming permits are processed in a short time. Contact us for details and all relevant information you would like to know for successful filming in Malawi.
