1 Day Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary Tour
1 Day Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary Tour: Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary is situated 23 kilometers offshore in Lake Victoria, near Entebbe. The island spans approximately 100 acres, with 95 acres designated as forest, and is home to over 49 orphaned and confiscated chimpanzees, comprising 20 males and 29 females. Established in 1998, the island is a component of the Koome archipelago situated in Lake Victoria, comprising grassland that constitutes approximately 10% of its area. The chimpanzees were salvaged from poachers, traffickers, imprisonment, and conflict zones associated with the illicit pet and game meat trade.
Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary welcomes guests to see the chimpanzees and gain insights into their social systems. It is among the most frequented tourist destinations in proximity to Kampala and Entebbe. Revenue generated from tourism is allocated to the care of the chimpanzees and the preservation of the island. The chimpanzees on the island can live beyond 60 years, despite their traumatic history, owing to the care and supervision provided by vets, volunteers, and island workers.
The 1 Day Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary Tour provides visitors the opportunity to observe chimpanzees during supplementary feeding sessions, when they emerge from the forest to a clearing where caretakers distribute fruits, while tourists are positioned on a raised platform behind a wire fence surrounding the forest.
Given that the island possesses more than 50 flora species, the chimpanzees often feed inside the forest; nonetheless, supplementation aids in sustaining and enhancing their health. Supplementary feeding occurs twice daily: first at approximately 10 AM and again at around 3 PM. Supplementation entails administering foods such as tomatoes, pineapples, and carrots. The Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary tour is suitable for families with children, as there are no age restrictions for the chimpanzee encounter.
The Ngamba Chimpanzee Island Sanctuary also hosts many species and natural elements, including monitor lizards, snakes, and birds. Examples of such avian species include kingfishers, the Egyptian geese, and singing black-headed weavers. Tourists experience tranquility and serenity away from the city’s hustle and bustle while appreciating the stunning vistas of Lake Victoria. This Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary Tour includes a boat tour, birdwatching, photographic opportunities, and additional activities.
Transfer to Ngamba Island for the Chimpanzee Experience
You will be collected from your residence by our tour guide at either 7:30 AM for the morning session or at 10:30 AM for the afternoon portion of the half-day program.
Travel to Entebbe to locate the speedboat and the sanctuary representatives who will accompany you to Ngamba Island for the chimpanzee encounter. Throughout the journey, you will observe several birds and individuals engaged in commerce on the lake. Upon arrival at the Island, you will be escorted to the visitor or interpretation center, where you will receive a briefing on the project, its history, the chimpanzees, and the many activities available on the island. You will be positioned at the visitors’ platform, an elevated observation area from which you will observe the chimpanzees being fed and supplemented. Remember to capture photographs.
Return post-experience to locate your driver and proceed homeward.