WFA-27 · Tanzania Southern Circuit
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Program No. WFA—27 · Southern Circuit

See it.
Film it.
Protect it.

Field-based wildlife filmmaking workshops deep inside the wildest, most remote national parks of Southern Tanzania — where every frame can change a mind.

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Field Note 01 — Mission

Film as a tool
for conservation

Never has the moment been more critical for filmmaking to make a difference in the natural world. Every conservation practitioner needs access to the most powerful tools available to confront extinction, warming, and habitat loss.

Film is one of those tools. It tells stories that change how people think, feel, and act. We run hands-on training that pairs technical craft with conservation education, in the field, in Tanzania's wildest places.

03
Workshop levels
04
National parks
10
Max participants
100%
Field-based
Elephants in Tanzania
NYERERE N.P. — TZFRM 0114

Field Log — Programs

Three levels
of immersion

From first steps behind a camera to advanced field cinematography — each entry below is logged for a different stage of the journey.

ENTRY / 01 LVL
01

Ground Zero Workshop

For Tanzanian guides, drivers, and local conservation practitioners with a passion for filmmaking and wildlife — combining theory with hands-on practice from day one.

Duration4 days
SeasonWet — Apr / May
Open toTZ guides · drivers · conservation
Group5–10

Core Modules

  • Introduction to filmmaking
  • Equipment & maintenance
  • Filming techniques & composition
  • Filming for social media
Scholarship available
ENTRY / 02 LVL
02

Base Workshop

The safari for photo lovers — hobby or next pro

A field-based wild experience for local and international students. Four days at the Hub, four days deep inside Mikumi National Park shooting for real.

Duration8 days (4+4)
SeasonDry — Jul–Feb
Open toLocal & intl.
Group4–8

Core Modules

  • Film as a conservation tool
  • Storytelling & narrative
  • Fieldcraft & animal behaviour
  • Editing & post-production
  • Ethical filmmaking
Scholarships for Tanzanians
PROS ONLY LVL
03

Advanced Workshop

Immersive training in Nyerere or Katavi with world-class mentors. Open only to career filmmakers, conservation scientists, and science communicators with prior field experience.

Duration10 days (8 field)
SeasonDry — Jul–Feb
Open toProfessionals only
ParksNyerere · Ruaha · Katavi
Group4–8

Core Modules

  • Advanced storytelling & narrative
  • Specialist camera & lens mastery
  • Drones, gimbals & cinema cameras
  • Fieldcraft in remote habitat
  • Editing & rough cut creation
Expert mentors on-site
Lion face close-up Serengeti Tanzania
2027 Dates Coming Soon

Immersive cinematography safari

A private expedition into Africa's most untouched wilderness — built for serious filmmakers and photographers who want unfiltered access, expert local guidance, and footage no one else is getting. Spaces are extremely limited. Be first in line.

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Field Note 03 — Why It Matters

The crisis demands
witnesses

Tanzania holds some of the last truly wild places on Earth. But climate change, poaching, and habitat loss are erasing them faster than the world knows. What people cannot see, they cannot protect.

That is where film becomes a weapon. A single frame — a mother elephant's eye, a lion at dawn, a river that almost ran dry — can move a policymaker, shift public opinion, or fund a decade of field work.

We train the people who will shoot those frames.

01 /
Witness
Train local and international filmmakers to document what is disappearing before it is gone.
02 /
Amplify
Give conservation biologists and local guides the language of cinema to reach a global audience.
03 /
Act
Create a generation of Tanzanian storytellers who will carry this work long after we leave.
60%
of Tanzania's wildlife has declined in the last 40 years
38k
square km of Nyerere — Africa's largest protected area
1 film
can reach more people than a decade of field reports
"
The camera is not just a tool. It is a voice for every species that cannot speak for itself.

Evidence Log — Previous Sessions

Inside the field

Lion in tree Nyerere National Park Tanzania
Hippo Ruaha Tanzania
Elephant Tanzania
Pride of lions Serengeti Tanzania
Elephants Serengeti Tanzania

Ready to Join — Book Your Place

Choose your level

ENTRY / 01 LVL
01
Ground Zero
4 days · Apr–May · 5–10 participants
TZ guides, drivers & conservation
Apply now More info
ENTRY / 02 LVL
02
Base Workshop
Safari for photo lovers
8 days · Jul–Feb · 4–8 participants
Local & international · Mikumi N.P.
Apply now More info
PROS ONLY LVL
03
Advanced
10 days · Jul–Feb · 4–8 participants
Career filmmakers & scientists only
Apply now More info
Very wild.
Very remote.
Way less touristic.

Why the Southern Circuit?

The Southern Circuit remains one of Africa's last undiscovered frontiers — vast, raw, and almost entirely to yourself. For filmmakers, fewer tourists means undisturbed animals, uncluttered compositions, and footage that doesn't look like everyone else's. This is where the extraordinary becomes possible.

Nyerere· Ruaha· Katavi· Mikumi

Coordinates Logged

Southern Circuit
National Parks

07°45'S, 38°12'E

Nyerere N.P.

Advanced · Safari

Africa's largest national park — a labyrinth of waterways and enormous elephant herds along the Rufiji River. Barely explored.

07°55'S, 35°00'E

Ruaha N.P.

Advanced · Safari

Tanzania's largest park. Famous for big lion prides, leopards, wild dogs, and landscapes designed for cinema.

06°50'S, 31°04'E

Katavi N.P.

Advanced · Safari

One of Africa's most remote parks. Legendary hippo concentrations and buffalo herds that few cameras have recorded.

07°24'S, 37°00'E

Mikumi N.P.

Base Workshop · LVL 01 & 02

The Gateway to the South — accessible, rich in wildlife, and the ideal first field experience before going deeper.

Manifest — Academic Partners

Accredited institutions

United Kingdom

University of the West of England

MA in Wildlife Filmmaking, co-designed and accredited by BBC Studios Natural History Unit.

Visit programme →

United Kingdom

National Film & Television School

Directing and Producing Science and Natural History, accredited by BBC Studios Natural History Unit.

Visit programme →

United States of America

Montana State University

Terminal MFA in Science and Natural History Filmmaking — one of the premier programmes in the country.

Visit programme →

United States of America

New York Film Academy

International filmmaking workshops and programmes for aspiring filmmakers worldwide.

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Final Entry — Join Us

Ready to tell
wild stories?

Applications reviewed by the Academy committee. Tanzanian participants may qualify for full scholarships. International participants are welcome in all three programmes.

Always included

Accommodation & all meals
Coffee, tea & soft drinks
Professional camera equipment
Park fees & field transport

Not included

International & local travel
Medical & trip insurance
Pre / post accommodation
Personal laptop & hard drive

Requirements

Good command of English
Passion for wildlife & film
Prior experience (LVL 02 & 03)
LVL 03: proof of professional work
Apply now

Network — Partners

Made with great people

Branding & Creative
Nakupenda Creative
Branding, social media, visual identity, and creative direction for WFA Tanzania and its conservation storytelling.
nakupendacreative.com →
Film Production
UQ Produzioni
Film production partner supporting WFA Tanzania's on-the-ground filming operations and content production.
Content & Strategy
Mr. Bianco
Strategic content, editorial direction, and storytelling expertise aligned with WFA Tanzania's mission.
mrbianco.com →
Destination Partner
Essential Destinations
Local travel expertise and destination management across Tanzania's Southern Circuit — logistics and access for every programme.
essentialdestinations.co.tz →