The JGI SA Chimpanzee Eden is within the 1000 hectare Umhloti Nature Reserve, and is a home to chimpanzees that have been misplaced from their natural habitats in Central Africa. The world renowned Jane Goodall Institute has made this tranquil venue their South African sanctuary and is committed to the rescue and care of chimpanzees in need of refuge. Being the first and only chimpanzee sanctuary in South Africa, this brings the world of chimpanzees closer to humanity through education and tourism. Entering the reserve, a mere 15 km from the bustling city of Nelspruit, visitors are captivated by the beautiful bush surroundings with plains game species free roaming. The reserve is located in a low risk malaria area
The goal of the JGI SA Sanctuary is to rescue some of the chimpanzees that have survived the bush meat trade; others have been orphaned and are traded in the illegal pet trade to zoos, circuses and medical research facilities. These chimps are the lucky ones, living out their lives in a risk free environment and provided with the necessary attention to recover from the trauma that they have experienced.
Visitors have a unique opportunity to see chimpanzees in semi-wild surroundings that are close to their natural habitat. The chimps now show normal social interaction and behavioral patterns. The enclosures also have viewpoints overlooking the forest and ‘foraging areas’ These areas provide the chimps with endless hours of fun and are essential for keeping boredom at bay, they also help to positively reinforce natural behaviour. Chimps, like other great apes such as gorillas and orangutans, are a constant source of interest and amusement to the general public. Viewing platforms provide visitors with a great opportunity to view at our closest relatives!
The Jane Goodall Institute South Africa
It was a fun and informative experience. Tour guide kept things interesting and the chimps were nice to see. - Andile
We visited the Jane Goodall Chimpanzee Eden in June '25 during a week long safari trip to the Kruger and thoroughly enjoyed the visit, The work of these wonderful guardians is amazing and gave a real insight into the life of the chimpanzees. The chimps kept here have invariably been rescued from the cruelest and most inhospitable circumstances imaginable - their salvation has resulted in a safe, kind and natural environment in which they can live out their lives happily. Being around them also demonstrated their incredible similarity to ourselves and was very amusing. If you are nearby and want a wonderful experience whilst supporting a worthwhile cause I can highly recommend a visit. - Keith
The tour was excellent. Zack is very knowledgeable and clearly loves the Chimps. Thank you for allowing us to have the privilege is seeing the amazing work being done for the Chimps. This was my second visit and it will certainly be back as well as advise all my Family and friends to visit the Sanctuary. - VALERIE
Good morning, My friends and I had the most amazing time during the Chimpanzee Tour at Chimp Eden. We found the tour to be incredibly informative and enjoyable, we were actually in awe of how little we knew and how much we learned in such a short period of time. I am a major fan of your organisation and we will definitely be back, should we be passing by/in the area again. Thank you for the experience and for everything you do in the name of conservation, I am definitely a fan of Chimp Eden. - Martilize
Excellent enjoyed very much and learned a lot - Lomie
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