Ngamba Island is one of best place to visit by primate lovers in Uganda. Half day trips available from Entebbe to Ngamba Island. The Ngamba Chimpanzeee Sanctuary is surrounded by the peaceful waters of Lake Victoria enabling visitors to access the sanctuary – it is approximately 32 km from Entebbe water front club – The sanctuary is home to 48 orphaned chimpanzees rescued from different parts of Uganda. Island facilities offer day and overnight visitors an exceptional opportunity to closely observe and interact with these fascinating great apes in this unique setting.
Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust is a non Government Organization responsible for all aspects of the sanctuary at Ngamba Island. Deeply committed to and involved in the conservation education of local communities, also works with the Ugandan government and wildlife authorities in their rescue operations of orphaned and confiscated chimpanzees. They are amazing apes and most of them were rescued from Gulu, Arua, Nebbi and others from out side Uganda- democratic Republic of Congo and African Central republic.
Chimp Trust is aiming at securing the chimps in their natural habitats. Chimpanzee Trust is among the leaders in chimpanzee-focused environmental conservation, providing excellent care of rescued chimpanzees, contributing to public awareness and understanding of conservation issues, and engaging with communities living alongside chimpanzee populations.
The Sanctuary
This island is surrounded by the peaceful waters of Lake Victoria; Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary is home to 48 orphaned chimps rescued from throughout Uganda. For those who love primate tours, the sanctuary is the ultimate destination to see chimpanzees in Uganda.
Island facilities offer day and overnight visitors an exceptional opportunity to closely observe and interact with these fascinating great apes in this unique setting. So after securing your booking, set off for this island and make sure that by 9am, you are at water front waiting to go to Ngamba Island with a speed boat such that by 10 am you are already there. This island is known for chimpanzees which were rescued from poachers.
At the sanctuary, the chimpanzees are enclosed in the 95 acres with a fence and remaining five acres are for administration. According to the care taker, they started with 19 chimpanzees and now they are 47 chimpanzees. Females are injected implants to prevent them from breeding. This is because the land is small and food is not enough that’s why besides the natural food in the forest, they are fed on fruits and vegetables by cares takers like thrice a day.
You will participate in the feeding sessions of these primates where they come down from the forest and it is at this time that you will view them at length. Only 25 visitors are allowed per session, the first one starts at 11:00am and the second starts at 2:30 pm.
Besides chimpanzees, there are so many other attractions which make the place unique. The island is gifted with 120 species of birds like weaver birds, comerands, and Egyptian goose. On top of birds, there is a big monitor lizard around the compound, it comes and bask in the sun shine.
The island is small and the chimpanzees are increasing in number, so there is a plan of transferring some chimpanzees to Budongo Forest close to the Murchison falls National Park. Since these primates were rescued from poachers, every chimpanzee here at Ngamba Island has history of where it was rescued, and they are named according to such situations.
By this time you will have exhausted everything you would like to know about this island. You will jump on to the boat and return to the water front in Entebbe where you will jump on to your car and drive back. This will mark the end of this one day self-drive trip to Ngamba Island Island Chimpanzee sanctuary.
Activities at Chimpanzee island sanctuary:
Chimpanzee viewing – fenced and viewers stand on the raised plat form for clear seeing and excellent photographing.
Forest walks with the chimps – The Forest Walk experience offers you an opportunity to join a group of infant chimpanzees on a one hour walk through their forest habitat, either in the late afternoon or very early morning.
Chimpanzee Care giving experience for the day – Care giving is a unique program where our visitors get the opportunity to experience a day in the life of a Chimpanzee Caregiver by being Caregivers themselves! As a chimp caregiver, you will get the exciting opportunity to not only view the chimps feeding, but to participate in preparing their food and feeding them.
Birding- the sanctuary is endowed with a variety of birds to see include common sand piper, water thicknee, Spur winged Lap wing, Hammer Kop, Black headed Heron among others.
Infant chimpanzees Integration Program -It is a unique program that provides opportunity for visitors to participate in the integration of the infant chimps to the bigger individuals and group at Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary. Visit http://ngambaisland.org for more information and bookings to Ngamba Island.