The area surrounding Lake Victoria has a lot to offer visitors who land at Entebbe; for example, the capital city of Kampala. If you would like to get closer to the primates here, you can visit the young and old chimpanzees that are being cared for at the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary.
Many people wishing to explore Uganda or Lake Victoria arrive in the country at Entebbe International Airport. Entebbe means 'chair' in the Lugandan language and it is believed that this is place where the King of Bunganda administered justice. The National Zoo and the National Botanical Gardens are also located in Entebbe.
Kampala has long been the capital and the largest city in Uganda. The old part of the city was built on more than seven hills, yet only a handful of buildings remain from the Bagandan era, owing to the devastation caused by the war with Tanzania at the end of the 1970s. The Kasubi Tombs, which are the lasting resting place of the four Bagandan kings, have great spiritual significance for the Ugandan population and other remnants of the Bugandan era include the Bugandan parliament building, the courthouse and the place where the Kabaka was crowned. The National Museum of Uganda is located in the centre of Kampala. Further places of interest include Ssezibwa Falls and the markets of St Balikuddembe and Nakasero.
If you're longing to see even more primates, you may also like to visit Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Lake Victoria. In collaboration with the Jane Goodall Institute, the sanctuary houses dozens of chimps and baby chimps that have been orphaned or, for example, intercepted by customs during attempts to smuggle them out of the country as babies. Why not take the opportunity to take part in the 'forest walk', during which a guide will help you get even closer to these primates. This is guaranteed to be a truly unforgettable experience.
Poachers and smugglers pose a serious threat to the chimpanzee population: around 5,000 disappear from Africa's forests every year, and it is estimated that there are now only 150,000 living in the wild.
The orphaned chimps are no longer able to live in the wild, so they are taken into care. With this aim in mind, the Ugandan Wildlife Authority ordered the chimpanzee sanctuary on Ngamba Island to be set up in 1998. Ngamba Island covers 40 hectares of rainforest in Lake Victoria and is home to rhinos, crocodiles, monitor lizards and 120 different species of bird. Chimpanzees are able to survive well on the food found in their natural here; despite having this supplemented - an activity that you will be allowed to watch - by their carers. The number of chimpanzees living here has increased from 30 to 35.
Besides providing care and a safe habitat for the chimpanzees, the institution is also responsible for protecting the island's environment, providing visitors with information (aided by the Jane Goodall Institute) and looking after the interests of the local communities that manage the island and the reserve.
During this extraordinary walk, you will have the opportunity to spend an hour - in the early morning or late afternoon - with a group of young chimpanzees (ranging in age from 1 to 8 years) in their natural habitat in the forest. A maximum of four people at a time are allowed to take part in such walks, and these groups are always accompanied by an experienced member of staff from the reserve. This will give you the opportunity to come into close contact with the chimpanzees. Rules apply with respect to clothing, photography and conduct, yet the chimpanzees are very accustomed to seeing people and are certainly not shy.
