Your Uganda’s Safari Starts Here
Located 27 km southeast of Entebbe on Lake Victoria, Ngamba Island is a 100-acre tropical forest refuge home to over 50 orphaned and rescued chimpanzees. The sanctuary offers an intimate, ethical, and educational experience for visitors to interact with chimps in their natural habitat.
All resident chimpanzees have been rescued—some from poachers, others from mistreatment—and cannot return to the wild. Here, they live freely, receive dedicated medical care, and are fed twice daily under the care of expert staff. A visit includes a briefing from caregivers who know each chimp by name and backstory, followed by close-up viewing from raised platforms during feeding sessions. Guests may even join the team to help with feedings.
The sanctuary also supports other wildlife including large monitor lizards, crocodiles, hippos, and over 120 bird species. Accessible by speedboat (50 minutes) or motorized canoe (90 minutes), the sanctuary is open year-round. However, the best times to visit are during the dry seasons—June to August and December to February—to avoid disruptions due to rain.
Book a tour with Walk With Maa Tours from Entebbe for half-day, full-day, or 3-day safari packages. Departures leave at 9:00 am and 12:45 pm daily from Entebbe’s dock.
View the morning and afternoon feedings from a raised platform or volunteer to assist caregivers in preparing and distributing food.
Step into the role of a chimpanzee caregiver—help with food prep, medical checkups, behavioral tracking, and learn how the sanctuary operates.
Enjoy immersive, small-group guided interactions and stay in comfortable, self-contained tents with views of Lake Victoria.
Wind down your day with a golden-hour boat ride across Lake Victoria—a magical end to your island adventure.
Explore the island trails or shores while spotting any of 120+ bird species that call Ngamba home.
Try local fishing on Lake Victoria from the island or aboard your boat during the journey.
