Queen’s Track Game Drive Guide
The Queen’s Track is the shortest game road on Murchison Falls National Park’s northern bank — and one of the most useful. In roughly ten to thirteen kilometres it cuts through the heart of the Buligi peninsula, linking the Victoria and Albert tracks without the long detour that a full Buligi loop demands. Guides treat it as a tactical corridor: a way to switch between open savannah and riverine edge, to dodge vehicle queues on the busier southern loop, and to squeeze a productive drive into a morning when a delta cruise or falls launch is booked for later.
This guide explains where the Queen’s Track sits in the northern circuit, what wildlife and birds you can reasonably expect, how long it takes to drive, and when it works best. Pair it with our Buligi game drive guide, the Albert Track guide and the Buligi area overview for the wider picture.
Where the Queen’s Track sits on Buligi
Murchison’s prime game-viewing country lies on the Buligi Peninsula — a triangle of grassland bounded by the Victoria Nile entering Lake Albert and the Albert Nile flowing north out of the lake. Uganda Wildlife Authority describes this northern sector as the park’s main wildlife concentration, and the track network spanning it covers roughly 120 to 170 kilometres of graded murram roads.
The Queen’s Track occupies the central Buligi sector. It begins near the northern loop of the Victoria Track — a roughly 17-kilometre route running between Buligi and the delta side — and connects westward into the Albert Track, which parallels the Albert Nile for about 11 to 14 kilometres. The main Buligi spine starts about seven kilometres north of Paraa; the Queen’s connector lets you move between interior grassland and lakefront driving without retracing your steps.
The track takes its name from Queen Elizabeth II, who visited Uganda in April 1954 to inaugurate the Owen Falls Dam at Jinja — the same visit that prompted the renaming of Kazinga National Park as Queen Elizabeth National Park. Rangers also use the road for anti-poaching patrols, which helps keep the surface maintained even when visitor traffic is light.
What the drive feels like
At ten to thirteen kilometres depending on entry and exit points, the Queen’s Track is the shortest established game road in Murchison. Most vehicles complete it in 30 to 45 minutes at safari pace. The corridor runs through acacia-dominated woodland with patches of whistling thorn and bush thicket — medium-density cover that supports grazers without the heavy canopy of the southern bank.
Unlike the delta fringe, the route lacks permanent water points, so large herds concentrate less here during the driest weeks. Guides value it because it is quick, quiet and strategically placed — a connector rather than a rival to a full Buligi loop for sheer density of game.
Wildlife and birds along the route
Despite its modest length, the Queen’s Track consistently delivers mid-range sightings. Uganda kob and Jackson’s hartebeest graze the open glades; Defassa waterbuck appear near thicker drainage lines; and buffalo herds — often attended by cattle egrets, piapiac and red-billed oxpeckers — work the grassland edges. Nubian giraffe browse acacia along the corridor; Murchison holds one of the largest wild populations of this endangered Rothschild’s subspecies, and Buligi remains their stronghold.
Lions range across the Buligi junctions, and the Queen’s–Albert–Victoria intersection is a known crossing point for prides moving between interior shade and the Albert Nile fringe. Scan termite mounds and lone figs at first light; a stationary cluster of kob often signals cats nearby. The track leads toward the old Pakuba Safari Lodge ruins, where lions and leopards now rest among cracked foundations that once hosted state guests in the 1970s.
Bird activity peaks in the first hour after dawn. Swallow-tailed bee-eaters, lilac-breasted rollers and black-headed gonoleks are regular, while the rarer black-billed barbet turns up in thicker bush. Carmine, blue-breasted and red-throated bee-eaters all occur in the wider Buligi sector — worth scanning even on a short connector drive.
How guides use the Queen’s Track
Experienced operators treat the Queen’s Track as a routing tool first and a wildlife destination second. A clockwise Buligi loop might run the outer spine eastward, drop south on the Victoria Track toward delta country, then cut west on the Queen’s connector to regain the Albert Nile edge without doubling back. A Pakuba morning — for guests flying into Pakuba Airstrip or staying near Tangi Gate — often uses the Queen’s Track to link the Pakuba and Albert routes into central Buligi before returning to lodge.
Visitors with tight schedules — one game drive before a 09:00 or 14:00 launch from Paraa Jetty — benefit most. The track delivers genuine sightings in under an hour. Rangers also note lower vehicle density here than on Buligi’s southern loop, where multiple operators converge at a single lion sighting.
When to drive and how to reach it
Early daylight is the Queen’s Track at its best. Rangers recommend being on the northern tracks before 07:00, or returning after about 16:30 for late-afternoon light. Sightings fall away sharply between roughly 12:00 and 15:00. Dry seasons from December to February and June to September deliver the firmest murram and thinnest vegetation; wet months bring excellent birding but softer western tracks after rain.
Most southern-bank visitors cross at Paraa via the Paraa Bridge (opened February 2021), though backup pontoon ferries still run on a fixed schedule when active. North-bank guests skip the crossing: Tangi Gate — about three kilometres south of Pakwach and roughly 25 kilometres from Paraa — lands you on the Pakuba and Albert routes with a short link into the Queen’s connector. Fly-in travellers at Pakuba Airstrip, about 19 kilometres from Paraa, reach the track within minutes of leaving the apron.
Park entrance under the July 2024–June 2026 UWA tariff runs US$45 per adult for foreign non-residents; a UWA ranger guide costs around US$25 and materially improves predator tracking on unfamiliar junctions. Gate hours run 07:00 to 19:00.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How long is the Queen’s Track?
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It spans roughly ten to thirteen kilometres depending on which junction you enter and exit. At safari pace, most drives take 30 to 45 minutes — longer if you stop for sightings or extend west onto the Albert Track.
- Is the Queen’s Track worth doing on its own?
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It works best as part of a wider northern-bank loop rather than a standalone half-day drive. Pair it with Buligi, Victoria or Albert tracks for a fuller morning.
- Why is it called the Queen’s Track?
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The track is named after Queen Elizabeth II, who visited Uganda in April 1954. The same visit led to the renaming of Kazinga National Park as Queen Elizabeth National Park.
- What animals am I most likely to see?
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Uganda kob, Jackson’s hartebeest, buffalo, Nubian giraffe and assorted birdlife are the most consistent sightings. Lions cross the junctions with the Victoria and Albert tracks, especially at dawn.
- Do I need a ranger guide on the Queen’s Track?
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Not compulsory for a day drive, but strongly recommended. A UWA ranger costs around US$25 and knows which junction held lion at dawn and how to link the connector into a productive wider loop.
Plan Your Safari
The Queen’s Track is the hinge that makes a northern-bank morning efficient — a short, wildlife-rich connector between Murchison’s best game roads and the Albert Nile fringe. Browse our 3-day Murchison Falls safari for a first visit built around an early Buligi morning, or the 4-day Murchison Falls safari to add the delta and extra game drives. Explore the game drive overview and Murchison Falls safari packages to build an itinerary that uses the Queen’s Track where it counts.