Buligi Game Tracks

Buligi Game Tracks consists of about 160 kilometers of track through the open savannah, acacia woodland, riverine vegetation, and Borassus palm grassland that stretch between the Victoria Nile and the Albert Nile in the park’s northern sector.

The Buligi Peninsula sits between the Victoria Nile flowing from the east and the Albert Nile draining south into Lake Albert.

Buligi track connects to several other tracks including the Victoria track, the Albert track, the Pakuba track, and the Tebito track, all of which can be combined into different circuits depending on your time and interests.

The track is easily reached from Paraa after crossing the Nile on the ferry. For visitors staying at the lodges on the northern bank, Pakuba Safari Lodge and Chobe Safari Lodge among them, the Buligi tracks are accessible directly from the lodge without needing to cross the river at all.

What to See in Buligi Game Tracks

Lions

Buligi game track is one of the most noticeable places in Uganda to see lions. Several pride territories overlap the area, particularly around the Albert Nile shoreline and the Uganda kob breeding grounds, where prey concentrations are highest. Lions here are often seen in open ground rather than buried in vegetation, which makes for clear sightings and good photography.

Giraffes

Rothschild’s giraffes, one of the rarest giraffe subspecies in the world, are found across the Buligi area and are one of the most photographed animals in Murchison Falls National Park.

The park holds one of the largest populations of Rothschild’s giraffes anywhere in East Africa, and Buligi is where you are most likely to see them in large numbers.

Elephants

Large herds of elephants move through the Buligi area, particularly during the dry season when they track water sources along both the Victoria and Albert Niles.

Elephant sightings here tend to be of bigger groups than elsewhere in the park, and it is common to encounter breeding herds of 30 or more animals crossing the tracks or feeding along the river margins. The early morning hours are best for elephants, before the heat of the day drives them deeper into shade.

Buffaloes, Uganda Kobs and Antelopes

The Buligi savannah supports some of the densest concentrations of Uganda kob in the country. Jackson’s hartebeests, defassa waterbucks, oribis, and bushbucks are all common across the different vegetation zones. Cape buffaloes move in large herds through the area and are regularly encountered on morning drives.

Leopards and Hyenas

Leopards and hyenas are present throughout the Buligi area but are not as easy to find as lions. They tend to move along the forest thickets and river edges in the early morning and late afternoon.

Hippos & Crocodiles

The stretches of both the Victoria Nile and Albert Nile that border Buligi area hold large populations of hippos and Nile crocodiles. Driving slowly along the river bank in the early morning gives good views of hippos resting in the shallows and crocodiles basking on exposed mudflats. The same stretch of river is excellent for waterbirds.

What to Do in the Buligi Game Tracks

Game Drives

The game drive is the main activity to do in Buligi. Morning game drives are considered the best. Most guides recommend departing from Paraa or your lodge between 6:30 and 7:00 AM, crossing the ferry if needed, and beginning the circuit as the light comes up.

The first two hours of daylight are when predators are still active from the night, when the temperature is cool enough for animals to be moving.

Evening game drives, departing around 3:30 to 4:00 PM, are the second option. The late afternoon light is excellent for photography, and predator activity picks up again as temperatures drop.

The combination of a morning drive and an afternoon drive on the same day, with a midday rest at your lodge, gives you the fullest possible picture of what Buligi offers.

Birdwatching

Murchison Falls National Park holds over 450 bird species, and the Buligi area contributes a substantial slice of that total. The mix of savannah, riverine forest, and open grassland in one compact circuit means you move through several different bird areas.

Along the Victoria Nile and Albert Nile banks, look for African fish eagles, goliath herons, grey-crowned cranes, African jacanas, saddle-billed storks, and various kingfishers.

The open grassland supports Denham’s bustards, secretary birds, yellow-throated longclaws, and oxpeckers riding on the backs of buffaloes and kobs. Abyssinian ground hornbills are seen walking through the taller grass. Egyptian plovers nest on the sandy river banks in the dry season, and carmine bee-eaters colonise the riverbank cliffs in large numbers between August and November.

Guided Nature Walks

Guided nature walks in the Buligi area are conducted by armed UWA rangers along specific routes near the river and through selected sections of the savannah. Walks give a completely different perspective on the landscape than a vehicle drive.

Nature walks are best done in the early morning and typically last two to three hours.

Boat Cruise

The Victoria Nile boat cruise from Paraa runs upstream towards Murchison Falls, passing the same riverbanks that border the southern edge of the Buligi area.

Many visitors combine a morning game drive on the Buligi tracks with an afternoon boat cruise which covers both the land and river habitats of the northern sector in a single full day.

Sport Fishing on the Victoria Nile

The Victoria Nile along the Buligi edge is a great fishing area, particularly for Nile perch, tilapia, and catfish. Uganda fishing trips can be arranged through lodges on the northern bank and are conducted from small boats with a guide.

Fishing is best done in the early morning and late afternoon when fish are feeding near the banks. A half-day fishing trip along the Nile bank gives you river views, bird activity, and the chance of a good catch.

Park Fees for Murchison Falls National Park

All fees below are set by the Uganda Wildlife Authority and are valid. Fees are charged per person per day and are paid at the park gate in USD or Ugandan shillings.

Children under 5 enter free. Park entry fees do not include the cost of activities such as game drives, boat cruises, or balloon safaris, which are charged separately.

Best Time to Visit Buligi Game Tracks

Dry Season: December to February & June to September

The dry season months are the best time to visit Buligi for game driving. Short grass, low water level and the concentration of animals around the permanent water sources of the Victoria and Albert Nile create ideal conditions for wildlife viewing.

Giraffes

June through September is the peak tourist season in Uganda, which means better guide availability and more reliable facilities but also busier tracks and the need to book accommodation and activities well in advance.

December through February is hot. Temperatures in northern Uganda during these months can reach 30 degrees Celsius, which makes midday uncomfortable for long drives.

The approach most visitors take is to do the morning drive from first light until around 10:00 AM, rest through the hottest part of the day at the lodge, and then head out again in the late afternoon.

Wet Season: March to May and October to November

The wet seasons make the tracks muddier and some of the more remote circuits become difficult without a high-clearance 4WD. The grass grows tall, which makes spotting smaller animals harder.

That said, the northern sector of Murchison Falls is still very productive for wildlife in the green season. Large animals like elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, and lions are visible in any conditions, and the landscape is genuinely beautiful when the savannah is green and flowering. Accommodation rates are lower across the park during these months, and the tracks are quieter.

Birdwatching is particularly good during the wet or rainy season.

Getting to Buligi Game Track

Murchison Falls National Park is approximately 305 kilometers north of Kampala, a drive of four to six hours depending on route and traffic. The most common route from Kampala goes via Masindi town and enters through the Kichumbanyobo Gate in the south of the park.

From the gate, the road leads north through Budongo Forest to Paraa, where you cross the Victoria Nile by ferry. The Buligi tracks begin on the northern bank, about 7 kilometres from the Paraa ferry crossing.