Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary

Chimpanzees are an endangered species of great apes found in Africa, they share about 98% DNA with humans those who get a chance of encountering human close relatives in the wilderness have never regret the magical experience and Ngamba island is the best place for seeing chimpanzees especially for busy visitors who can’t access national parks because of time.

Ngamba Island is an island situated in the stunning Lake Victoria found in the southern end of the country; Lake Victoria is one of Africa’s great lakes, Africa’s largest lake by area, the world’s second largest fresh water lake and the largest tropical lake in the world. The chimpanzee sanctuary at Ngamba island was established in October 1998 to care for the orphaned chimpanzees that were rescued by the Uganda wildlife from poachers or being illegally exported abroad to be used as pets.

Ngamba island sanctuary is managed by wildlife conservation trust and chimpanzee sanctuary co coordinating with other organisations like Uganda wildlife society, born free foundation, Jane Goodhall institute, Uganda wildlife education center, international fund and animal welfare and environmental conservation trust of Uganda.

Ngamba Island has got about 50 chimpanzees with some that have been born on the island and has now turned out to be one of the most visited destinations in Uganda for seeing chimpanzees apart from Kibale forest national park, Budongo forest, Kalinzu forest and Kyambura gorge.

At Ngamba Island, visitors have the chance of participating in feeding chimpanzees during their feeding hours; the chimpanzees in Ngamba Island have been habituated and can therefore interact with humans. Tourists can have better views of chimpanzees on raised platforms.

Chimpanzees have been known as very intelligent apes they can adapt to use of human sign language, they also use tools like sticks for collecting termites in holes, they use stones for breaking hard nuts and also use leaves for colleting water. The chimpanzees at Ngamba Island know their feeding time and always move to their feeding location during those hours and this happens at 11:00 am, 2:30pm and 6:00 pm.

A visit to Ngamba island can be combined with a tour to the nearby fishing village, visit the locals and learn about their ways of lives of you can just decide to take nature walks around the forest, relax by swimming and sand bathing. Ngamba Island is home to various bird species so bird should not forget to carry their binoculars. At around 6pm the chimpanzees walk to a big cave where they always spend their nights from.