What Your Package Costs Cover
Vehicle fuel (20 km · 2 litres · $1.70/L)$4
4×4 vehicle hire (1 days × $90/day)$90
Expert driver-guide (1 days × $50/day)$50
Permit: $50 (Ngamba Island entry and chimp viewing fee)Included
Accommodation, meals, park fees & activitiesIncluded
Total package price per person$350
1-Day Itinerary — Day by Day
Morning
Entebbe Hotel → Entebbe Pier → Ngamba Island (Boat: 45 min)
Depart your Entebbe hotel early morning (8:00am). Short drive to Entebbe pier (20 km round trip by vehicle, negligible cost). Board your dedicated boat for the 45-minute cruise across Lake Victoria — Africa's largest lake — to Ngamba Island. Arrive at the sanctuary dock. Island introduction from the Ngamba Island Conservation Trust staff.
Midday
Ngamba Island — Chimp Feeding Platform + Conservation Centre
The highlight of Ngamba Island is the scheduled chimp feeding sessions at the viewing platform. Rangers call in the chimps and distribute fruit across the platform — the chimps arrive confidently, assert their hierarchy, and feed with the uninhibited energy that makes them such extraordinary animals to observe.
Because Ngamba's chimps are rescue cases — confiscated from illegal pet trade, found orphaned after poaching, or surrendered by well-meaning but illegal keepers — each chimp has a story. The sanctuary staff will introduce you to individual chimps by name, explain their backstory, and give you insight into chimpanzee personality and social complexity that wild tracking rarely provides.
Visit the conservation centre: learn about the illegal wildlife trade in Uganda, the challenges of releasing chimps, and the sanctuary's breeding programme.
Afternoon
Island Walk + Return to Entebbe (Boat: 45 min)
After lunch (island café or return to Entebbe pier for lunch at a local restaurant — your choice), take a guided island walk through the sanctuary's protected forest zone — home to monitor lizards, various bird species, and the forest backdrop against which the sanctuary chimp territories are set. Return boat to Entebbe pier. Transfer back to your hotel. Full day back by 4pm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ngamba Island suitable for children?
Yes — Ngamba Island is one of the most child-friendly wildlife experiences in Uganda. The viewing platform is safe and managed. Children of all ages are welcome. It combines education with remarkable close-up animal observation and a fun boat trip on Lake Victoria. We highly recommend it for families.
Can I stay overnight on the island?
Yes — Ngamba Island has basic overnight accommodation (bandas and a small lodge). Overnighting allows you to experience the chimps at dawn and dusk — feeding times when they are most active. Overnight supplement is approximately $180 per person including all meals. Contact us to add this.
How does Ngamba Island compare to Kibale tracking?
They are completely different experiences. Kibale is wild tracking — finding chimps in their natural forest habitat with no barrier between you and them. Ngamba is a managed sanctuary — rescued chimps in a protected forest environment, viewed from a platform during feeding. Kibale is more 'wild'. Ngamba is more educational, more suitable for families and non-hikers, and excellent for close-up photography. Many Uganda visitors do both.