Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary 2021
Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary 2021, which is surrounded by the tranquil waters of Lake Victoria, is home to 49 orphaned chimps rescued from all around Uganda. Day tours and overnight visits are available from island facilities, providing an amazing opportunity to watch and interact with these intriguing great apes in this unique location in Uganda Safaris tours.
Despite their initial trauma, the chimps at Ngamba have a safe and semi-natural environment in which to recuperate and eventually thrive over the course of their long lives, which can last up to 60 years. The island, which was founded in 1998, has 95 acres of natural woodland where chimps can roam and forage.
Their meal is supplemented many times a day to the joy of tourists who can watch the feeding from a viewing platform. The chimps can also choose to spend the night in the forest or return to their nightly enclosures, where they can build nests and eat.
The sanctuary’s objectives are to:
- Provide a secure haven for rescued chimps while simultaneously caring for the island’s ecology and other species; provide tourists with a high-quality educational experience
- Support the local communities.
Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary has committed team of more than 22 care givers, vets, volunteers, and island personnel offer 24/7, year-round care for the chimps.
The Koome group of islands in Lake Victoria includes Ngamba Island which also includes Kiimi, Nsazi, Koome, Bulago and Damba Islands. Ngamba Island is about 23 kilometers south of Entebbe.
It covers about 100 acres, with 95 acres of woodland and an electric fence separating it from the human camp.
The northern half of the island is mostly flat, rising gradually to an elevation of around 3800 feet above sea level in the south. The island is mostly forested, with small patches of grassland occupying around 10% of the surface.
Just before the chimps arrived in October 1998, a trail system was laid out. Trails go east to west and north to south, forming 50 × 50 meter blocks. Chimpanzees and other wildlife species such as fruit bats, spiders, fish eagles, otters, and monitor lizards thrive in the secondary forest on Ngamba Island.
The Chimpanzee Trust is in charge of running the sanctuary and obtaining all of the monies required to run, feed, and care for these long-lived, highly sophisticated social animals.
While it is our goal to become completely self-sufficient through tourism, we now rely on grants, prizes, and generous supporters like you to keep the high quality of service we provide.
Activities Offered in Ngamba Island.
This one-of-a-kind experience allows you to learn about chimp behavior by feeding/throwing fruits and vegetables from the raised viewing platform and water edges, entering chimp data into a computer database, participating in chimp environmental enrichment, monitoring chimp behaviors, and maintaining the facilities.
Sunset Cruise
Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary provides unique sunset cruises for our overnight visitors, which are known for their breathtaking sunsets. Enjoy the unique sight of fisherman throwing their nets, fishing communities winding down the day, and, of course, the golden round site of nature’s eye sleeping.
The joy comes from knowing that you are crossing the globe on the equator, from the southern to the northern hemisphere, while sipping cool drinks in a natural state of bliss. When booking your Ngamba Island adventure, be sure to inquire about this activity.
Fishing
The chimpanzee sanctuary also provides half and full day fishing excursions on Lake Victoria. If you enjoy fishing, you won’t want to miss the chance to capture a Nile Perch on this famous lake, which is one of the world’s largest. When booking your Ngamba Island adventure, be sure to inquire about this activity.
Volunteer Programs
Make a difference in the lives of the 49 chimps today by becoming one of the crucial chimp champs for man’s closest relative by taking care of their welfare, which includes meal preparation, environmental enrichment, cleaning, behavior monitoring, record keeping, and community service.
Accommodation on Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary.
If you are planning to spend a night or two at the chimpanzee Sanctuary on Ngamba Island, you can stay at Ngamba Eco Lodge. The lodge is located just above the lake’s edge and overlooks the gorgeous Lake Victoria. It features full amenities such as power, restrooms, hot water showers, and a private deck. The lodge has four permanent luxury cottages with double rooms, 10 standard camping tents with double occupancy, and five standard camping tents with single rooming occupancy.
How to Get to Ngamba Island.
Travel time by speedboat from Entebbe to Ngamba Island is 45-50 minutes; travel time by traditional powered canoe is 90 minutes; and travel time by air is 20 minutes from Entebbe Airport or Kajjansi Air strip.
Visits to the island are also available through independent operators. You can arrange your own transportation, but to avoid disappointment, confirm availability with the Ngamba Island Reservations Office. To protect your safety, we strongly advise you to arrange your lake journey directly with Ngamba Island Reservations Office or go with a reliable tour operator company like Explore Rwanda Tours.
