Menu
Menu
Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary is a primate conservation project located in the Northwestern corner of Lake Victoria. This chimp sanctuary was created in 1998, and the primary reason for its establishment was to offer refuge to the rescued orphaned and confiscated chimps from the illegal pet & bush meat trades throughout East Africa.
Over 52 chimpanzees currently survive within the Ngamba Island chimp sanctuary. It requires enough resources to have chimpanzees in the sanctuary survive, and you can contribute towards the course by donating to the chimpanzee trust. The orphaned chimpanzees roam freely in the 95 acres of dense forest on Ngamba Island. The sanctuary plays an important part in making these primates recover from the initial trauma, and as a result, they can live up to 60 years.
The Ngamba Island chimps can live in the forest at night or return to their night-time enclosures. On arrival at the island, a briefing about the guidelines is done by the site guide/official. The actual day experience involves exploring the unique history, discovering the conservation efforts, and interacting with residents at the site.
You can have a personal tour led by a chimpanzee caregiver, and you will observe how these primates behave and engage in feeding exercises with the caretaker. You will also have a chance to take pictures. After feeding chimpanzees, you return to have lunch and relaxation.
If you consider spending a night at the lodge, perhaps Ngamba Eco Lodge, you will have more activities to engage in the following day. These include a boat cruise, which allows you to see interesting birds and some faunal species.
There is also an option for you to undertake volunteer programs. This is available for 1 (one) day or 4 week long volunteering program. This is one-way guests can contribute towards chimpanzee conservation efforts. A day experience with a caretaker/giver costs USD 200, and this applies to guests who will have a night stay at the island and explore the chimp sanctuary.
Other experiences include a long-stay visitor program where you join the trained caregiver on the day taking care of chimpanzees, cleaning, cooking food for chimps, shopping, constructing projects, data entry and analysis.
Forest walk –explore Ngamba Island through the designated forest trail. As you walk through, expect to come across other species, including fish eagles, fruit bats, monitor lizards and more. Sunset cruise – this is perfectly done in the evenings on Lake Victoria and fishing safaris- half-day or full-day fishing excursions.
Places to stay
Ngamba Eco-Lodge is located at the edge of Lake Victoria, overlooking the lake. You should consider this place for a night stay after the long day excursion in Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary. The lodge has 10 double standard camping tents and 4 permanent luxury cottages.
Ngamba Island welcomes tourists at any time of the year, but the dry season is the most favourable period for you to experience what this chimp sanctuary holds. The dry months in this sanctuary begin from late June to October.
Leave Entebbe for Ngamba Island for a 45-minute ride on a speed boat and 90 minutes using a motorized canoe ride from Nakiwogo Dock. You may also take a ferry from Entebbe to Bugala Island and then connect to Ngamba Island.
Suppose you need to see chimpanzees in their natural habitats. In that case, the best places to explore include Kibale Forest National Park (home to 13 species of primates, including 1500 chimpanzees, red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons, red colobus monkeys, mangabeys, colobus monkeys, etc.), Kalinzu Forest Reserve, Kyambura Gorge, and Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve.
Location: Plot 124, Kikumbi
P.O Box 100667, Kampala
+256759033541
+447 572778124
[email protected]