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1. Gorilla permits for tracking in Rwanda before the end of 2012 can be bought at the current rate of $500 per permit if booked and paid for in full by the end of May 2012.

2. All Rwanda gorilla tracking permits purchased after 1st June 2012 will be priced at $750.

3. Permits for tracking gorillas from 1st January 2013 onwards will be priced at $750 regardless of when they have been deposited.

The Far Horizons will be increasing the price of all tours that track gorillas in Rwanda after 1st June 2012 accordingly, but we do plan to release details of an Early Bird promotion for safaris booked and deposited with us by 15th May. Stay tuned for more information.

The piece goes on to make the normal travel recommendations, and who should they name as their recommended tour operator for Uganda but The Far Horizons? A big thank you from everyone at TFH to British Airways and Steve Cunliffe!

• All new gorilla tracking permits for Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda, will be priced at $750 for tracking from 1st June 2012
• For any permits already booked and deposited for tracking after this date, tour operators can ‘top up’ and clear the balance by 15th March 2012 in order to benefit from the old $500 rate
• After the 15th March, any permits already booked and deposited must be topped up in full to the new $750 rate
• Until deposit details and top up deadlines for the new permit rate have been agreed, no new permits are being currently booked for tracking after 1st June
• These final details are due to be announced on Monday 30th January

According to the RDB, the increased revenue from the permits will help sustain a growing need to protect these endangered primates and their natural habitat. Today, Volcanoes National Park has 10 habituated gorilla families used for tracking by up to eight visitors per group per day – almost double what it was 5 years ago.

Any clients with prior bookings in Rwanda from 1st June 2012 will be contacted directly by our Tour Consultants in due course. In the meantime, we would like to reassure clients that as long they have paid deposits for their booking as per our standard terms & conditions The Far Horizons will settle any permit balance payments in time to avoid any incremental charges.

The new service will be known as Aero Link Uganda Ltd, and will use a variation of the existing Air Kenya logo and tail-fin designs but adapt these to reflect the Ugandan national colours. Aircraft used, at least initially, with be Cessna Caravans, with seats for up to ten passengers and two pilots. There will be two daily departures from Entebbe, one in the early morning and one around lunchtime. The morning loop will fly from Entebbe-Bwindi-Kasese-Entebbe, returning before noon, whereas the afternoon loop will run from Entebbe-Pakuba(MFNP)-Kasese-Entebbe, returning by around 5pm.

Management are considering stopping at both Kisoro and Kihihi airstrips near Bwindi, which will lengthen the morning loop but will offer better access to all the Gorilla tracking sites in Bwindi itself, as well as the Batwa Trail and Golden Monkey tracking in Mgahinga, nearby Lake Bunyonyi, and the remote Ishasha sector of QENP. By stopping at Kasese, customers are ideally placed to access both the main sections of QENP and nearby other attractions such as the Rwenzoris, Kibale Forest NP and Fort Portal. With their proposed afternoon schedule, clients could fly back from the Gorillas in Bwindi in the early morning, enjoy lunch overlooking Lake Victoria in Entebbe, and continue onto Murchison Falls National Park in time for an afternoon game drive.

Full details, including pricing and confirmation on whether or not Kisoro will be included as a stop, will be released in due course. Along with Air Kenya’s domestic services in Kenya, and their Tanzania operations, this new service will ‘join the dots’ between some of the key destinations within the region, and offer great opportunities for flying safaris across all of East Africa.

This latest arrival is the sixth rhino to be born at the Sanctuary and brings their total population of Rhino to a dozen, which means the population of Rhino in the wild in Uganda has doubled since May 2009. The breeding programme at Ziwa is managed by Rhino Fund Uganda, who aim to raise enough Rhino to be able to relocate groups from the Sanctuary into certain national parks in Uganda, whilst keeping a core group of around 20 Rhino at Ziwa for ongoing conservation purposes. With these two latest births, Rhino Fund Uganda are a couple of steps closer to that objective.

You can help support the rhinos in Uganda by donating money (see www.rhinofund.org) or by visiting the Sanctuary itself and tracking the Rhinos on foot, a thrilling tourism experience which raises income for Rhino Fund Uganda. The Far Horizons offers a 4 day set departure itinerary to Murchison Falls National Park, called ‘Nile Adventure’, which includes rhino tracking and a night at Amuka Lodge, a new upmarket property at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.

John J King II, wildlife photographer and videographer, and the expedition leader, professional wildlife guide Jonathan Rossouw, captured the entire event on video. ‘Touched by a Wild Mountain Gorilla’, their film of this unique encounter, was subsequently uploaded to YouTube, where it became an overnight internet sensation. It has now been viewed an amazing 2 million times.

King had been videoing the gorilla group from a safe distance, as having already been on two days gorilla tracking he understood the risks of getting too close. However, the gorillas suddenly changed their direction and approached him directly, so he was left with no alternative but to immediately adopt a submissive pose and crouch down in the undergrowth, avoiding eye contact. This approach is advised by wildlife rangers if a gorilla approaches tourists whilst they are observing them during their tracking experience, but normally a safe distance is maintained at all times. Avoiding direct interaction with these endangered animals is extremely important as contagious diseases can be transmitted from humans to gorillas all too easily. Indeed, if you find yourself suffering from a cold or flu at the time, you will not be allowed to track gorillas at all.

Thankfully King was in perfect health, but nevertheless he kept still and crouched low, keen to avoid attracting any sort of aggressive reaction from the group’s leader, a massive Silverback. The video then shows the group settling behind him, with the younger gorillas starting to groom him, and a female gorilla comes to give him an inquisitive sniff. King keeps his head bowed but is talked through what is happening by the Zegrahm tour leader and wildlife expert Jonathan Rossouw.

John J King II was part of a tour group visiting Uganda with Zegrahm Expeditions, an international operator specialising in adventure travel to some of the world’s most inspiring destinations. The Far Horizons was the Uganda ground operator for the group, and our Uganda Guest Relations Officer Judith Amanio was lucky enough to be among the first people to see this amazing video footage directly after the clients finished their safari. The filming took place at Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, where the chance encounter with these gorillas took place.

The YouTube film has caused such a sensation there has been a significant increase in gorilla safari enquiries, which ultimately means more income for gorilla conservation. So with Uganda named no 1 destination in the entire world by Lonely Planet, and gorilla tracking a regular favourite on bucket lists, 2012 looks set to be a good year for the Gorillas.

The recent birth brings the total number of Rhino at Ziwa to 11, with 6 adults, 3 adolescents and 1 baby calf born last year joining this new addition. The breeding programme at Ziwa is part of vital conservation efforts undertaken by Rhino Fund Uganda. The Far Horizons would like to extend their congratulations to all the team at Ziwa and Rhino Fund Uganda for all their hard work. In the face of daily news bulletins about the rise in Rhino poaching, it’s great to hear such good news from the world of Rhino conservation. Rhino Fund Uganda is supported by income from rhino tracking and other activities on the sanctuary, as well as corporate and private donations. To find out more about Rhino Fund Uganda and how to make a donation, visit their site here.

What was your initial inspiration to become a photographer?

I was given a ‘Box Brownie’ camera when I was about 10 years old, but my pictures were rubbish. A few years later I saved up my paper round money and bought an SLR. The bug stayed with me into adult life, but I found I had less and less time to indulge my passion as the pressures of a career in sales & marketing took hold.

By the time I came to Uganda I had not picked up a camera properly for a good few years. But I was lucky enough to get a job based in Kabwoya Wildlife Reserve on the shores of Lake Albert. My role involved a lot of driving across the Reserve’s grassy plains filled with wildlife, and I could not bear to spend any time there without taking up photography again. So I invested in a decent digital camera, kept it on my passenger seat and would stop whenever I saw something interesting.

What do you love about Uganda?

The people, the scenery and the wildlife. It is such a beautiful country and most people walk around with a big smile on their face. Ugandans are naturally so warm and kind as people – I have lots of friends here. My favourite parts of Uganda for wildlife photography are the Northern parks and game reserves, like Murchison Falls National Park and Kabwoya Wildlife Reserve. It’s my dream to travel to Kidepo Valley National Park to document the amazing wildlife and scenery there.

Describe some of the projects you’re working on…

I published ‘Uganda – The Beauty and some Beasts’ in 2010 – a glossy coffee table book featuring some of my best work from across the country. After its success I wanted to take the opportunity to focus on more specific species from the region. So I am currently working on a book about primates, based on my images of the numerous different species of primates in Uganda and Rwanda, from the famous Mountain Gorillas to the lesser known Golden Monkeys.

I have other book concepts that are in various stages of completion – from one about birds of the region to another about the River Nile’s passage through Uganda.

What is the intention behind your work?

I want to reflect the beauty of Uganda with its great scenery, smiling people and abundant wildlife. It’s one of the most biodiverse areas on this planet, and incredibly beautiful in its rich variety of habitats and game, and I want my books to provide a visual testament to this. With Lonely Planet voting the country the no 1 destination for 2012, and NatGeo voting the Virungas in the south west as one of the top ten trips of a lifetime, it feels like I’m not alone in my feelings. It’s a very special place.

How many photos have you taken in Uganda?

I recently calculated that I have taken around 60,000 pictures in the last six years living in Uganda. But most of those are of empty branches where a bird was sat only moments before. So I’ve deleted most of them and remain with a collection a tenth of that size.

What are your tips for budding wildlife photographers to get the best out of their shots?

Wildlife photography is a game of patience and opportunism. You might need to spend days driving around the bush or sitting under a tree waiting for something to happen. So be patient. But a perfect shot may just ‘happen’ and you need to be ready to click that shutter. Often you will be looking for a particular subject and something else will come along – or something totally unexpected will occur. That’s the nature of wild animals – they are never predictable.

‘Uganda – The Beauty and some Beasts’ can be bought at the departures bookshop in Entebbe International Airport. It is also sold in Aristoc and Banana Boat outlets in Kampala as well as in several lodges around Uganda. Look out for Andy’s other books, ‘Mountain Gorillas’ (available with captions in several different languages) and ‘East African Birds’, which will be available in all good bookshops in the region from sometime in June 2012.