Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary was established to care for these orphaned chimpanzees that have been rescued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority from poachers and traders, with no chance of survival back to the wild.
It is a project of the Chimpanzees Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust (CSWCT), established in 1997 by the Born Free Foundation (UK), International Fund for Animal Welfare (USA), the Jane Goodall Institute (Germany and Uganda), The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre Trust (UWECT) and the Zoological Board of New South Wales (Australia) and it provides these orphaned chimpanzees with a secure home to live out their lives, since a return to their natural habitat is not possible, while educating visitors and local communities about their remarkable species and the importance of conserving their fragile forest habitat.
Located 23 km offshore from Entebbe, Ngamba Island is 100 acres (approximately 40 hectares) near the equator in Lake Victoria, Uganda.
It supports a rich diversity of natural wildlife (over 120 species of bird, hippos, a crocodile, monitor lizards) and provides a variety of natural foods for the chimpanzees. The island is set up as an eco-friendly project with compost toilets, rainwater collection, proper waste management practices and solar energy (for electricity and hot water).
When young chimps first arrive on the island, they are not immediately mixed in with the adults. New comers need to be protected from the adults because chimpanzees will not instantly accept a stranger into their group. New arrivals are kept in a large cage and every day a few of the resident adult chimps are brought in to become acquainted with them. Ngamba offers the traveller the opportunity to observe these great apes in their natural habitat. Saved from a life in captivity they have been bought to Ngamba for care and rehabilitation. For their safe keeping the chimpanzees are fenced into an area of the island where they are free to roam in the forest but are also fed twice a day from the viewing platforms. Day trips, overnight stays and also walks with the chimps in the forest can be arranged.
To walk with the chimps is quite an experience with them play biting and pulling your hair! Please note however that travellers require extensive inoculations to walk with the chimps. Accommodation on the island is in smart self-contained tents with views out over Lake Victoria.
People all over the world enjoy exclusive boat rides to the sanctuary to view the chimpanzees at close range from a raised platform in a day tour at either 11:00am or 2:00pm feeding.
Visitors can choose to enjoy a guided trip around the island to view its beauty and richness closely. Other activities include; volley ball, badminton, darts, shopping at the island shop, sun bathing, hammock relaxation, and reading.
The satisfaction comes from the fact that your visit directly contributes to the orphaned chimpanzees’ welfare as well as conservation of the endangered species.
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2 Comment
Ruthielark, London, 2016-10-25 at 5:53 PM
This was just one of the best places I have ever been! Started off here on an animal-based charity trip around Uganda in 2012 and remember it fondly. The accommodation was much more plush than I expected and even a warm shower can be arranged inside the large tents. Food was great and all the staff very friendly and happy to show you the work they do with the chips, rescuing them from often truly horrible situations and providing excellent care.
This is really the only way I would want to get up close to these animals, in their natural habitat and what a privilege it was
Sofia, Montreal, 2016-05-07 at 3:48 AM
I would recommend everybody visiting Uganda to take this chimpanzee trails at Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, So well organized, i loved the feeding time, The guides know every Chimp by name. It was an experience of a lifetime for me. Thank you to Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary Staff.