Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary

Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary lies on Lake Victoria about 23 km south-east of Entebbe and is home to more than 50 orphaned and rescued chimpanzees living in a forest habitat. One of them, Sunday, was confiscated from a circus. It is managed by the Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust, usually called the Chimpanzee Trust, a non-governmental organisation founded in 1998 and accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. Its work rests on three programmes: sanctuary care, environmental education and wildlife conservation. Beyond the island, the trust runs school outreach, radio drama and community projects, and supports conservation in the forests of the Albertine Rift, working with partners such as the Uganda Wildlife Authority and the Jane Goodall Institute.

Getting there is part of the trip. Boats leave Entebbe at 09:00 and 12:45 every day. A speedboat takes about 45 minutes, while a traditional motorised canoe takes about 90 minutes, slower but a good way to see the lake. The chimpanzees are fed at 07:30, 11:00, 14:30 and 18:30, and visitors watch the sessions from a viewing platform, which is the closest most people will get to these animals.

The trust offers half-day and full-day trips, and you can also stay overnight at the Ngamba Ecolodge in tented cottages, with a sunset cruise and an evening bonfire. Staying lets you see the early or late feeding and enjoy the island once the day visitors have gone. Pre-booking is required for every visit, so contact the reservations team before you travel to Entebbe.

The trip suits anyone interested in primates and conservation, and it is a good option for travellers who cannot fit chimpanzee tracking in western Uganda into their itinerary. The experience is controlled rather than wild: you are watching sanctuary animals in a protected setting, not tracking them in the forest. Bring a hat, sun cream and a light waterproof for the boat, and a camera with a zoom lens for the feeding platform.

From Kampala, allow time for the road to Entebbe before your boat departure; the trust's office is on Lugard Avenue, close to the Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre, so you can combine the two in one day.