Ngamba Chimpanzee Island sanctuary

Imagine a beautiful tropical island, covered with a soft excellent forest garden with greenery everywhere. For any planned Uganda Safari, Ngamba Island Uganda must be the first impressive island that comes to any tourist’s mind. Ngamba Island itself is like a fairy tale garden, with manlike animals (chimpanzees), whistling and singing birds, fresh air, green views all over the place, makes you feel awesome living in another world that’s is situated in the middle Lake Victoria, Uganda’s biggest fresh water lake and Africa’s largest Tropical lake. Take a Tour to Uganda and be among the few discoverers of Ngamba’s hidden treasures.

Ngamba Island is bounded by the fresh peaceful waters of Lake Victoria with over 100 acres of land where by 98 acres are forested, protected and this is where the chimpanzees wander all day. Ngamba Island is a safe haven that habits over 49 chimpanzees that were rescued from all over Uganda after surviving poachers. These chimpanzees tally to 20 male and 29 females.

Ngamba Chimpanzee Island Sanctuary was established in October 1998 to take care of the orphaned chimpanzees that were rescued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Scheduling a Chimpanzee trekking Uganda Safari to Ngamba Island Uganda, whether for a day, 2days, 3days or even longer offers tourists stimulating chimpanzee experiences where you will look at these intelligent chimpanzees’ face to face as they roam in their environment.

Getting there

The finest starting point as tourists set off to Ngamba Chimpanzee Island Sanctuary is at Lugard Avenue Entebbe just outside Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (Zoo) because it is easier, safe with ample parking space.

By road, From Kampala; Uganda’s capital city, to Lugard Avenue while using the Kampala-Entebbe road, it is about 39km taking a drive of around one and a half hours. At Lugard Avenue, tourists are led down to the pier where they depart from on a boat cruise to the only Chimpanzee Island in the world. The boat cruise takes about 50 mins when using a speed boat and 90 minutes when using a traditional canoe boat with an engine.

From Entebbe International Airport, it’s about 5Km and it takes about 10minutes while driving.

By air, there are charter flights that are arranged to Ngamba Chimpanzee Island Sanctuary at Entebbe International Airport and at Kajjansi airstrip therefore tourists who would wish to safari in Uganda by air, must make arrangement prior their Uganda tour. Tourists who are non-residents arrange flights to Entebbe international airport in Uganda after which they are directed to the aircraft they will be using as they tour in Uganda.  A flight to Ngamba Chimpanzee Island Sanctuary takes about 20 mins from Entebbe airport or from Kajjansi airstrip.

Safari Attractions in Ngamba Chimpanzee Island Sanctuary, Uganda

Everything is so lovely in Ngamba Island. As visitors take their first step to the Island, they feel great because as they guise around, it gets hard to understand where the end of the water and the beginning of sky is.

The most famous attraction in Ngamba Island are the famous black beauty chimpanzees. Ngamba Island has 95% protected as a natural habitat for the chimpanzees. This Island habits over 49 chimpanzees that were rescued from all over Uganda after surviving poachers and these chimpanzees tally to 20 male and 29 females. Safaris to Uganda’s Ngamba Island enables you watch these closest relatives of man. This is so because science notes that the chimpanzees have 98% human genes. The chimpanzees care for their off springs and are social just like human beings.

The amazing bit of it all is that most of these chimpanzees have been given names for example one of the famous chimpanzee here is named Connie. It is the famous for the its motherhood experience. For they have confidence that baby chimps brought in the sanctuary, Connie happily caters for them regardless of the sex.

Alongside the chimpanzees, Ngamba Island also has several bird species that enjoy their stay its protected forests. Common birds in Ngamba Island include, Cormorant birds, Cattle Egrets, singing black headed weavers, the Spin winged Lapwings, African Open Sullied Storks, Sacred Ibis, Egyptian Yellow Billed Dark, King Fishers, Goose, and Fish Eagles, and the list continues. These birds are easily seen as they come to feed along the shores of Lake Victoria.

Safari activities in Ngamba Chimpanzee Island Sanctuary Uganda

Chimpanzee trekking

Uganda Chimpanzee trekking Safaris are now available in Ngamba chimpanzee Island Sanctuary/Queen Elizabeth National Park/Kibale National Park. Brand change in their lives by taking a rare and unforgettable experience to view the chimps in their wild setting while help of the trained rangers. These chimpanzees have been habituated for human interaction. In fact, they are so human like, entertaining and full of fun.

Furthermore, tourists that don’t get chance to trek the chimpanzee, have chance watch them and feed them. Take a close look at chimpanzees take their mid-morning breakfast sitting down like human beings. Food that they normally feed on includes, the carrots, mangoes, jackfruits, passion fruits, tomatoes, onions among others.

Chimpanzee trekking time table.

• Half day 9am-1pm and 12:45pm-5pm
• Full day 8am-3pm and 10:30am-5pm

Forest birds and Bird watching

While enjoying nature walks in the forests of Ngamba Island, tourists on Uganda birding safaris appreciate listening to the sweet birds softly sing and whistle in the trees above which normally makes tourists normally feel relaxed and delighted. Birds to encounter while on a Uganda birding safari in Ngamba forest include; Cormorant birds, Cattle Egrets, singing black headed weavers, the Spin winged Lapwings, African Open Sullied Storks, Sacred Ibis, Egyptian Yellow Billed Dark, King Fishers, Goose, and Fish Eagles, and the least continues. These birds are easily seen as they come to feed along the shores of Lake Victoria.

Boat cruising and stopping by the equator

Book a boat cruises are normally booked with the Ngamba Island offices as wells the wild frontiers. While on a boat cruise, tourists get chance to watch local fisher men with their tools on the lake, make a stopover at the point where the equator crosses Lake Victoria. While at this point, tourists take time to observe how the boat is pushed by the south pole while the north pole tends to keep the boat in one position. On a close observation, as the boat crosses the equator, the boat engine tends to use more energy in order to beat the equator line. Its also interesting to swim at the equator. Happy and smiling tourists jump into the water, play, splash water all around. Its fun but only advised for people who know how to swim.

Caregiving lessons

Care giving lessons are taught at the sanctuary at a certain fee. During these lessons, tourists are taught how to feed the chimpanzees, how to prepare food for them, how to do medical checkups, join research teams, help in monitoring the chimpanzees and interact with all chimps on the only chimpanzee island. The chimpanzees feed twice a day; feeding hours at Ngamba Chimpanzee Island Sanctuary are 11am and 3pm.

 Safari accommodation/where to stay in Ngamba Island Uganda

Safari accommodations in Ngamba Island are not many however feel comfortable resting in one of the prominent accommodation facility there; Ngamba Island tented camp having its tents overlooking Lake Victoria. This enables the tourist watch the sanctuary wake in the morning.

When to Safari/Visit/ Tour Ngamba Island Uganda

Tourists takes safaris in Uganda to the sanctuary throught the year however the it is more fun in the dry months because it’s easy to see the chimpanzees and boat cruises are also more interesting because the lake is always calm compared to the wet seasons. The dry months are April-June, July-September while the wet months are Jan-March, October-December.

Other activities enjoyed by tourists on Ngamba Island include; Sunbathing and relaxation, Fishing and Photographic experiences

In conclusion, I can’t explain the privilege and joy of participating in chimpanzee trekking tourists feel while undertaking Uganda safaris. Enjoy the exclusive Uganda chimpanzee trekking safari packages that will offer you a face to face encounter with the man’s closest relatives at a very close distance.