Travel writer of the year 2013: Call for entries

Banish the winter blues by reliving an incredible wildlife journey in the form of a short story. Who knows – it could lead to further adventures... 

Get on the write track

• Your entry should be a piece of travel writing (no more than 800 words) that includes an encounter with a wild animal.

• This experience need form only a part of the overall story, but the narrative must have cohesion and there should be a clear reason for including the encounter in the piece.

• Think about what distinguishes travel writing from other forms of writing. Some people would say that it is the journey, not the destination, that counts; others might say that all good travel writing involves some element of self-discovery.

• Read the rules very carefully.

First prize

• The winner will receive a 10-day Expert Africa safari for two to Tanzania. Starting with a flight from London to Kilimanjaro, you’ll then hop by light aircraft to the northern Serengeti.

• Starting at Sayari Camp, you’ll explore the kopje-strewn landscape for three days. Predators such as lions and leopards are numerous here, and there’s a chance of spotting a rare black rhino. Game drives will be in open-sided 4WD vehicles, and short walks on the plains will also be available.

• You’ll then fly to Rubondo Island in Lake Victoria and spend four nights at Rubondo Island Camp, the only accommodation on this lush and largely unknown haven.

• Rubondo Island’s lakeshore, forests, wet marshes and remoteness make for a very different, yet equally compelling, experience to the more familiar plains wildlife of the Serengeti.

• As well as game drives, other activities on offer on Rubondo include hiking in search of wild chimpanzees, boat safaris and fishing for Nile perch.

• This safari usually costs £3,962 per person, based on two people sharing a double or twin room. All international and internal flights are included. More details from Expert Africa or you can call 020 8232 9777. 

• The winning story will be published in the July 2013 issue of BBC Wildlife, and also online along with one runner-up and up to three commended stories.

Other prizes

• One runner-up and up to three commended entries will each receive two Lonely Planet guidebooks of their choice. 

The Judges

Hilary Bradt co-founded Bradt Travel Guides and ran the business for 35 years before retiring to focus on writing and sculpture. Her latest book is Connemara Mollie.

William Gray is a writer and photographer specialising in wildlife, adventure and family travel. His latest book, Wildlife Travel, was published in 2011.

James Fair has been running the travel-writing competition for some 12 years and has written extensively on travel and conservation for BBC Wildlife.

Brian Jackman has been a travel writer for 40 years and is best known for specialising in African safaris, though he also has a soft spot for the UK’s peregrine falcons. 

Chris McIntyre has been an Africa specialist for more than 20 years. He runs Expert Africa and writes Bradt’s travel guides to Namibia, Botswana and Zambia.