Location and Layout
Pakuba Track stretches approximately 17 kilometres, linking the Buligi circuit to the Pakuba Airstrip and Tangi Gate. The track curves northwest, eventually reconnecting with segments of the Albert track. It runs adjacent to the now-defunct Pakuba Lodge, a site of historical significance dating back to the Amin era.
Wildlife and Habitat
Vegetation alternates between grass-thicket mosaics and open shrub patches. These zones support lions, hyenas, and frequent oribi sightings. According to UWA reports (2022–2024), the northern part of the track is among the park’s top five lion concentration areas. Giraffes primarily use the track corridor to browse near the thicket boundaries.
Pakuba is also one of the few routes where nocturnal predators are regularly spotted at early dawn. While leopard sightings are less frequent than on Albert Track, hyena vocalisations often mark territorial overlap zones.
Operational Relevance
Pakuba is a key logistical spine. It provides access to Pakuba Airstrip, which handles scheduled and chartered flights from Entebbe and other parks. It also links the Tangi Gate entry point to the deeper Buligi-Albert grid, making it vital for guests staying in lodges outside the park boundaries.
Rangers use the track as a repositioning corridor. It also serves emergency recovery teams when vehicles stall on Albert Track’s lower sections. Its flat gradient makes it one of the easiest routes to drive during the wet season, though deep dust channels develop by late January.
Field Notes
The abandoned lodge site is sometimes used for picnics or photo stops. Some guides report that lions prefer resting near the cracked foundations of the old main building, especially during midday heat. Visitors with historical interest may find the site atmospheric, if not eerie.
Pakuba is a functional artery, and if it’s blocked, large sections of northern Murchison go dark.