Discover Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, imagine going for a walk through the bush with a chimpanzee by your side. The Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary is a 100-acre home for over 50 rescued and orphaned chimps. This is just one of the fun things that people can do with these amazing animals. You can learn about our primate cousins and help care for them in their natural environment on this rainforest island in Lake Victoria.

Any of these chimps could have been killed by hunters, sick, or mistreated, and they have all been saved. They can never go back to the wild. But here on Ngamba Island, they are loved and cared for. They are free to roam, fed twice a day, and given medical care.

When you get to the island by speedboat or canoe, one of the sanctuary’s caregivers will give you a special presentation about the chimps. People here know the names of all the chimps and a lot about their pasts.

The chimps will also be fed, and you will have the chance to help feed them and get close to the playful apes as they try to get your attention.

There is a project called the island refuge run by the Chimpanzee refuge & Wildlife Conservation Trust. They let people book chimpanzee safaris for half a day, a full day, or even three days. It only takes 50 minutes to get to and from the island on a speedboat. You can also take a motorized canoe ride that lasts 90 minutes to get to this island that sits on the equator.

The island is mostly made up of tropical forests, but there are also large areas of farmland. Besides the world of playful rescued chimps, you might also see crocodiles, hippos, large monitor lizards, and more than 120 different kinds of birds.

The trips to the island last for half a day and start from the Entebbe dock at 9 am and 12:45 pm. The trips back leave at 12:45 pm and 4:45 pm.

Climate: Getting close to the equator means warm weather and a lot of rain from March to May.

Ngamba Island is southeast of Entebbe, 27 km (17 mi) away by boat.

Should You Go? You can visit the island any time of the year, but the best times are from June to August and from December to February, when it is dry. From March to May, it rains a lot, which could make it harder to see and do some things on the island.

How to Get There: You can take the road and book a tour with African Safari Kenya from Entebbe.

Things to see and do

Giving the Chimps Food
Every day, they are fed twice, in the morning and in the afternoon. People walk up onto a raised stage that makes it easy to see the chimps. You can also offer to feed the chimps yourself as part of a volunteer group.

One Day as a Caregiver
You’ll be able to get close to the chimps and help prepare and feed them in this special show. You could also help the staff with study, medical exams, and keeping track of what the chimps are doing. In general, you would learn how to take care of these animals.

Three-Day Chimpanzee Adventure
You can go on many small-group trips and interact with the chimpanzees. Your tents will be self-contained and set up on wooden decks with beautiful views of Lake Victoria.

Sunset Cruise
Take in the last few bright hours of the day over the beautiful Lake Victoria. A great way to end your time on the island.

Seeing birds
More than 120 kinds of birds live on the island. You can enjoy these bright kinds by the water or in the trees along the Ngamba trail.

Fishing
You can fish in the area from the island or your boat as you sail Lake Victoria.

Check out the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary.

Ngamba Island is a great place to see these amazing monkeys and help protect them. It’s an easy and fun half-day, full-day, or overnight trip. Learn their names and stories to bring back special memories of your tour in Africa.

African Safari Kenya can take you to the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary.

Come with us on a boat to this one-of-a-kind wildlife haven and spend the day getting to know the chimps. We will plan a wildlife tour that is just right for you. Every day, tours leave from Entebbe for Ngamba Island and a lot of other fun Kenyan parks.