Ngamba Island
Ngamba Island is located on Lake Victoria, and it is known for the population of traumatized chimpanzees that dwell on it. Ngamba spans on an area of about 100 acres and it is an isolated island in the largest lake in Africa, lake victoria. The Island is found at a distance of about 24km from Entebbe and can only be reached by boat. The boat from Entebbe takes about 30minutes to reach the island. Alternatively you can also use a canoe to reach Ngamba Island, however, it takes more minutes than the boat ride, about 90 minutes. The location of Ngamba, proximity to the equator, is the factor determining the growth of lustrous trees on which the chimpanzees love to play during the day.
This chimpanzee sanctuary is a non- profit conservation project and it is coordinated and managed by the chimpanzee sanctuary and wildlife conservation trust (CSWCT); it is a merger of a number of organizations committed to upholding the welfare of wild animals and other wildlife species. You can choose to visit this Island at any time of the year; it is always open throughout the year. The trips to Ngamba Island are mainly one-day excursions; however, some visitors can stay overnight since the island is supplied with luxury tents.
The weather experienced on the Island helps in the ripening of fruits on which the chimpanzees feed. The chimpanzees are allowed to move around the island during the day, this is done to allow the healing process from the traumas and also to enjoy their freedom in the new world. Even though the experience at ngamba island cannot be compared to visiting the chimps from the natural forests, the moment with the orphan is such a rewarding time, plus the work done at ngamba island of rescuing the chimpanzees from the poachers and traders is such a remarkable pillar in the conservation of chimpanzees, not only in Uganda but the entire African continent.
Activities at Ngamba Island
Besides the main and renowned chimpanzee activities at ngamba island, there are also other interesting activities that you can engage in to have full primate experience dirung your visit at this peaceful primate sanctuary at Ngamba.
- The ngamba island forest walks are mainly conducted by the guests that chose to stay overnight at the island. The opportunity to walk through the forest offers you a chance to see a lot of juvenile chimpanzees. The forest walks are also an opportunity for you to see other wildlife on the island like birds, rats, mice, lizards, snakes among other creatures.
- Chimpanzee caregiver for a day is another activity you can engage in during your visit to ngamba Chimpanzee Island. The chimpanzee caregiving opportunity for a day can be such a rewarding moment. It involves taking care for the chimpanzees through giving them medical help, research and monitoring the development of the chimpanzee, feeding the chimpanzees among other interesting stuff. The whole day of taking care of the chimpanzees is an opportunity for you to know more about the orphan chimpanzee.
- The infant chimpanzee integration program is another interesting activity one at Ngamba Island. It is aimed at initiating the young rescued chimpanzees into the social system at Ngamba Island. The integration does not actually take one day, but you can enjoy sometime training the young chimpanzees with how to cope up with the natural forest life at Ngamba Island. The integration period depends on a number of factors including age, sex, and level of trauma, among others.
- You can also enjoy viewing the chimpanzee from a raised platform, this is the main activity done by the daily visitor to this Island. Chimpanzee viewing offers an opportunity to see the primates at a closer look. You can also take clear and close photos to add to your primates’ gallery. Watching the chimpanzees feed enlightens about how great the chimpanzees relate to humans in ways they socialize.
Accommodation at the island
At Ngamba Island, there are no large accommodation facilities like the safari lodges in the national parks. However, the management of Ngamba Island provides small cottages for a few guests who might request to sleep over. Few guests are allowed to stay on the island. The Island is quite a large area and it accommodates about 48 orphaned chimpanzees from the different rescue points throughout the country. The Island was found by the chimpanzee sanctuary and wildlife conservation trust (CSWCT). Tighter with the help from the government of Uganda through the rescue team deployed by Uganda wildlife authority, Ngamba island has managed to live its purpose of caring for the orphaned and rescued chimpanzees. It has also improved to be one of the best chimpanzee sanctuaries in Uganda and other parts of Africa.
