Located just 23 km off the Entebbe mainland, the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary is a home to over 52 orphaned and rescued chimpanzees from the illegal pet traders and bushmeat traders. Established in 1998, the 100-acre Ngamba island is covered with a natural tropical forest that offers a safe semi-natural environment for these rescued chimps to recover and live a full lifestyle. Chimpanzee here have the freedom to roam and forage daily in their natural forest home but its small size isn’t sustainable and so at designated times during the day, caretakers supplement their diet with fruit. When evening falls on the island, chimps are free to overnight in the forest or return to their holding enclosures to spend the night.
Chimpanzee Viewing Experience at Ngamba Island Sanctuary.
A visit to Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary is an extraordinary experience of meeting man’s closest relative sharing about 98.7% DNA. The chimpanzee island sanctuary is convenient and accessible especially for day trip visitors with limited time to travel far on the countryside to watch these species in their natural rainforest homes. And to visitors with ample time the sanctuary has quality accommodation on site.
Visits to Ngamba Island Sanctuary coincide with the chimp supplementary feeding times in the mornings and evenings where chimps come up-close the raised viewing platform, offering rare and up-close opportunity to view or photograph these charismatic apes. Here you get to watch individual behavior, facial expressions and reactions, human-like gestures, playfulness, and begging calls as chimps try to gain attention of caregivers for fruits. The caregivers also give you deep insights into their complex behaviors and relationships to enrich your experience.
Support the Sanctuary efforts on Chimpanzee Conservation
While on your visit to Ngamba Island seek to be involved in a long-term vision to safeguarding the Chimpanzee by supporting them on this uphill vision. From rehabilitating and resettling rescued chimps, the sanctuary is extremely involved in conservation education to local communities about the importance of protecting the environment notable the natural forests that’s a home to chimpanzee and other flora. Find out on how you can lend a hand to protect and preserve this man’s closest relative.
Getting to Ngamba Island Sanctuary
Scheduled motor boats leave Entebbe mainland for Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary at 09.00am and 12.45 daily taking between 40-60 mins.