Welcome to Uganda the Pearl of Africa, with some of the interesting places to visit while on your Ugandan tour like the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary a protected area gazetted for keeping the orphaned Chimpanzees.
It was established in October 1998 with the aim of providing care to the orphaned Chimpanzees rescued by Uganda Wildlife Authority. This Sanctuary is located on an island found on Lake Victoria, it is a home to over 49 rescued orphaned Chimpanzees.
It is part of Kome group of islands including Kiimi, Nsazi, koome, Bulago and Damba Islands, it is approximately 23km south east of Entebbe which lies on the mainland.
This Sanctuary consists of 100 acres of which 95 acres are forested and separated from the human camp by an electric fence, the northern part of the island is generally flat and this island is generally forested with gaps of grasslands covering approximately 10% of the island.
Its northern part was until 1997 inhabited by a local fishing community and the community had cleared approximately 2 acres of forest plus selectively logging large trees from the more proximal parts of the forest.
One acre of this area is now used as camp quarters for staff and researchers, whilst the remaining area, located between the forest and the viewing platform is where the chimpanzees are fed during the day time.
The trail system was cut just prior to the chimpanzees’ arrival in October 1998. Trails span from east to west and north to south creating 50 x 50m Blocks.
Ngamba Island provides an excellent secondary forest habitat for the chimpanzees and other wildlife species including fruit bats, spiders, fish eagles, otters, and monitor lizards.
How to reach Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary? Since this Sanctuary is located on an island you will reach it either by boat or an Aero plane.
The Journey to this sanctuary is usually started from Entebbe and traveling by a speed boat from Entebbe to Ngamba it takes approximately 45 – 50 minutes, traveling by local canoes takes about 90 minutes, traveling by air from Entebbe airport or Kajjansi airport it takes about 20 minutes to reach Ngamba. Pre-purchased tickets from Ngamba Island reservations offices should be presented on arrival.
What to do in Ngamba Island? When you reach Ngamba couple of activities for you to engage in including Chimpanzee feeding, care giving, volunteering and more. The feeding involves visiting these orphaned Chimpanzees in the cages and feed them with some eatables.
Another unique activity available to our overnight visitors is the Caregiver experience for a day. This program enables visitors to be with the opportunity experiencing the life of a chimpanzee caregiver by being caregivers themselves.
As a chimpanzee caregiver, you will get the exciting opportunity to not only view these primates feeding, but to participate in preparing their food and feeding them.
You can assist the staff with any activities happening at the sanctuary that day: medical checkups, research and monitoring, preparing the holding areas for the chimpanzees and other activities.
This program is aimed at helping our visitors understand and appreciate what it takes to look after our orphaned chimps on Ngamba Island, as well as being a campaign for raising funds to support their lives.
