Sources of the River Nile & The Mountain of the Moon
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The document provides information on the sources and geography of the Nile River. It discusses how ancient Greek and Roman scholars first attempted to discover the river's sources. In the 19th century, explorers like John Hanning Speke and Henry Morton Stanley finally traced the Nile to its sources - Lake Victoria and the Rwenzori Mountains. The document also describes the geography of the Nile's two main tributaries, the White and Blue Niles, and the East African rift valley through which they flow. It includes photos and details from the author's trek through Uganda's Rwenzori Mountains, one of the primary sources of the White Nile.
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Sources of the River Nile & The Mountain of the Moon
- 1. Sources of the river Nile & The Mountains of the Moon Subhamoy Ghosh
- 3. History
- 4. History of Name • Ancient Egyptian: (iterw) • Ancient Greek: Neilos • Present Egyptian (Arabic): Al Nil • British English: Nile
- 5. • The Nile God: (Hapi) • Lord of the Fish and Birds of the Marshes • Lord of the River Bringing Vegetation. Oldest Reference
- 6. • Roman Emperor Nero sent a small group of Praetorian guards to explore the sources of the Nile in Africa around 61 AD Oldest Expedition to Source of Nile
- 7. • Claudius Ptolemy (AD 100 - AD170), A mathematician, Astronomer & Geographer of Alexandria, Egypt • Written Geogrphia around 150 AD • Nile Originating from 2 great Lakes, and a snowy range of mountains, local calls “Mountains of the Moon” Oldest Record of Source of Nile
- 8. • Pedro Páez Jaramillo(1564 – 1622) was a Spanish Jesuit missionary in Ethiopia. • A Venetian cartographer, Coronelli, Vincenzo, 1650- 1718. • Coronelli’s cites his sources for this Nile map, including the Portuguese Jesuits Pedro Páez Discovery of Source of Blue Nile
- 9. • Around 1800 years, several exploration attempt failed to discover the source of White Nile • John Cary’s New Universal Atlas (London, 1808) Discovery of Source of White Nile
- 10. • Most expeditions failed, since they could not cross the largest freshwater wetland Sudd in South Sudan. Discovery of Source of White Nile
- 11. • Explorer John Hanning Speke discovered the Lake Nyanza as the source of the White Nile on August 3rd, 1858, and named the lake after Queen Victoria Discovery of Source of White Nile
- 12. • Henry Morton Stanley finally found glacier-capped mountains in 1889. • Situated at the border of Uganda & Congo. • Local calls it Rwenzori, the rain maker Discovery of Mountains of the Moon
- 13. Geography
- 14. • World longest river 6853 KM • Flowing through 5 countries • Major tributaries: White Nile & Blue Nile River Nile
- 15. • An active continental rift zone, splitting African continent in 2 tectonic plate East African Rift
- 16. • An active continental rift zone, splitting African continent in 2 tectonic plate East African Rift
- 17. • Largest freshwater wetland Sudd in South Sudan. • Sudd wetland is of size 500 KM/200KM with floating islands Sudd Swamp on White Nile
- 18. Blue Nile
- 19. • Originated at Lake Tana and travelled 1450 KM through steep gorge in Ethiopian Highland before meeting White Nile at Khartoum • Abay River in Amharic language Blue Nile (Abay) River
- 20. • The river flows through a series of virtually impenetrable gorges cut in the Ethiopian Highlands to a depth of some 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) • During the monsoon river carries a vast amount of fertile soil from the Ethiopian Highlands to downstream as silt, turning the water dark brown or almost black, thus named Blue Nile. Blue Nile (Abay) River
- 21. White Nile
- 22. • White Nile is the major tributary of River Nile, originates its journey from Lake Victoria (70,000 sq. KM area) in Jinja, Uganda • Part of the River from Lake Victoria to Lake Albert also called Victoria Nile. • From Lake Albert to South Sudan border, it is known as Albert Nile River White Nile
- 23. The Mountains of the Moon
- 24. Albertine Rift • Lake Albert is a major source of water of White Nile • 160KM long, 30 KM wide, 51 M depth, • Situated between Uganda & DR Congo
- 25. Albertine Rift • Volcanic mountain range • Large lakes • Dense rain forest • Exotic wild life
- 26. Semuliki Forest • Extension of the great Ituri Forest of the Congo Basin • One of Africa’s most ancient and bio-diverse forests
- 27. • Home of many wildlife species and rare primates Semuliki Forest
- 28. • Home of Pygmy community • Pygmy community mentioned in Phantom comics Phantom Country
- 29. Batwa Pygmy • 1990s evicted from Semuliki forest • EU rehabilitated at the outskirt of the jungle • Struggling to survive outside the jungle with other tribes • Endangered human species • Population 3000
- 30. • Batwa King with his magic drum Batwa Pygmy
- 31. Batwa Pygmy • A childhood dream came true to meet Pygmies. • But world has changed
- 33. Rwenzori (The Rain Maker) • 120 KM long and 65 KM wide • Highest peak Mount Stanley (5,109 M (16,762 ft)) • Surrounded by 3 great lakes, Lake Albert, Lake Edward & Lake George • Only mountain range on Equator with glaciers
- 34. Base of Rwenzori • Trek start from Village Nyakalengija (1500 M)
- 35. • Route goes along the Mobuku river Base of Rwenzori
- 36. Rwenzori Village Life • Bakonjo is the main tribe in this part of Rwenzori Villages • People live a very marginalized life
- 37. • Cassava flour, banana & meat are the major staple food of this region Rwenzori Village Life
- 38. • A cheerful village market Rwenzori Village Life
- 39. Rwenzori National Park • At the entrance of the Rwenzori National Park
- 40. Rwenzori Expedition route • A circular trek through Bujuku River & Mobuku River valley • Climbing of Highest peak Mt. Stanley • 7 days duration
- 41. Ruwenzori Expedition Support Team • My supporting team (from right, 2 guides, 5 porters and one cook)
- 42. Rwenzori Botanical profile • The vegetation in the Rwenzori Mountains is unique to equatorial alpine Africa Savanna Rain Forest Bamboo Forest Heather Zone Afro-Alpine Zone 1600 M 2300 M 3000 M 3700 M 900 M 4400 M Snow Zone 5109 M
- 43. • Average rainfall 3 Meters per annum • Due to heavy rainfall forest is very dense Rwenzori Rain Forest Zone
- 44. • Trek route was along the Bujuku river Rwenzori Rain Forest Zone
- 45. • Giant Ferns of Rwenzori Rwenzori Rain Forest Zone
- 46. • Wild Cardamom plant Rwenzori Rain Forest Zone
- 47. • Wild Cardamom Rwenzori Rain Forest Zone
- 48. • You can hear the sound of Chimpanzee at the top of tree canopy, but difficult to see them. • Movement of Colobus monkey is visible, but difficult to take photograph Rwenzori Rain Forest Zone
- 49. • Balsam flower (Impatiens apiculata) Rwenzori Rain Forest Zone
- 50. • Rwenzori Plate- nosed Chameleon (Kinyongia xenorhina) Rwenzori Rain Forest Zone
- 51. • Wild Banana of Rwenzori Rwenzori Rain Forest Zone
- 52. • All river water is ultimately reaching to Lake Albert & then to White Nile Rwenzori Rain Forest Zone
- 53. • Mountain range is always covered with thick cloud • Rarely Rwenzori is visible from outside Rwenzori Rain Forest Zone
- 54. • Vernonia calvoana Rwenzori Rain Forest Zone
- 55. • Vernonia calvoana Rwenzori Rain Forest Zone
- 56. • Senecio Rwenzori Rain Forest Zone
- 57. • Ground orchid (Satyrium crassicaule) Rwenzori Rain Forest Zone
- 58. • Sometimes walking along a stream is the only way out in the dense forest Rwenzori Rain Forest Zone
- 62. • First camp at Nyabitaba (2500 M) hut Rwenzori Rain Forest Zone
- 63. • Bamboo zone starts after Rainforest zone Rwenzori Bamboo Forest Zone
- 64. • Here Bamboo can grow up to three feet a day and reach over a hundred feet in only two months Rwenzori Bamboo Forest Zone
- 65. • Looking up to the Bamboo canopy Rwenzori Bamboo Forest Zone
- 66. • Heather forest starts around 3000 M height Rwenzori Heather Zone
- 67. • Land of dripping lichen-covered heather trees looming over a ground cover of mosses and liverwort Rwenzori Heather Zone
- 68. • Deep jungle, slippery route Rwenzori Heather Zone
- 71. • Gumboot is essential to trek in this muddy jungle Rwenzori Heather Zone
- 72. • Steep climb through the jungle Rwenzori Heather Zone
- 74. • Big loads of dense moses are hanging from the trees Rwenzori Heather Zone
- 75. • A short break in a tiring journey Rwenzori Heather Zone
- 78. • Rubus steudneri Rwenzori Heather Zone
- 79. • Temporary shelter below a overhanging boulder Rwenzori Heather Zone
- 80. • Walking through an unknown world Rwenzori Heather Zone
- 81. • Trees are mainly Erica species and covered by dense moses. Rwenzori Heather Zone
- 83. • Trekking through rain become more challanging Rwenzori Heather Zone
- 84. • Wet, cold and dark environment Rwenzori Heather Zone
- 85. • John Matte hut (3380 M). We made our second camp in this hut. Rwenzori Heather Zone
- 86. Rwenzori Expedition Camp • Porters are cooking food under a rock shelter
- 87. • Looking back from John Matte hut. Cloud covered mountain is a common scene here. Rwenzori Heather Zone
- 88. • Bogs or Wetlands at the height of 3500 M Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 89. • Unusual pre- historic plants in this wetlands Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 90. • Forest of Giant Groundsel Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 91. • Finding route through the forest of Giant Groundsel Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 96. • Dangerous swamp area covered with moss and grass Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 97. • Top view of the grass in the swamp area Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 99. • Whole area is covered by a thick layer of wet biomass (like sponge) Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 100. • Viola simense Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 103. • An unusual experience in Pre-historic environment Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 104. • Peucedanum Kerstenii (member of the Carrot family) Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 105. • Finding route through the giants Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 106. • Climbing a rocky patch Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 107. • Looking back to the valley after climbing a rocky patch Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 109. • First view of Mt. Stanley and the glacier Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 110. • Mt. Stanley & the glacier Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 111. • Lake Bujuku at the base of Rwenzori peaks Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 112. • Lake Bujuku at 3950 M Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 113. • Pre-historic plants Giant Lobelias are everywhere Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 116. • Rwenzori Sunbird (male) (Cinnyris stuhlmanni) Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 117. • Sunbird (female) Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 118. • A steep climb to cross a mountain ridge Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 119. • Through the jungle of Giant Lobelias Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 122. • Sunbird (female) collecting honey from Giant Lobelia flower (Lobelia wollastoni) Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 123. • A broken Lobelia stem Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 126. • Young Groundsel Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 127. • Crossing a swamp area covered with grasses and giant Groundsels Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 128. • On the way to the 3rd camp through swamp area Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 129. • Bujuku camp at 3977 M Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 130. • Rwenzori Peaks and glacier looking through the Groundsel forest Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 131. • Lake Bujuku Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 132. • On the way to summit camp Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 133. • Climbing through the rocky zone, on the way to summit camp Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 135. • Summit camp (Camp Elena) at 4541 M Rwenzori Snow Zone
- 136. • Mt. Speke (4890 M) Rwenzori Snow Zone
- 137. • Mount Baker (4843 M) Rwenzori Snow Zone
- 138. • We left summit camp at 4AM in the dark. After 2 hours of climb, sunrises on the horizon Rwenzori Snow Zone
- 139. • Climbing rock wall Rwenzori Snow Zone
- 140. • Traverssing the rock wall Rwenzori Snow Zone
- 141. • View of Bujuku Lake and the Rwenzori mountain range (on the way to summit) Rwenzori Snow Zone
- 142. • Climbing rock gully with the help of fixed rope Rwenzori Snow Zone
- 143. • Reached at the bottom of the glacier. • Margherita peak is above the glacier Rwenzori Snow Zone
- 144. • Margherita peak and the hanging glacier Rwenzori Snow Zone
- 145. • Climbing the ice wall Rwenzori Snow Zone
- 146. • Climbing the vertical ice wall of hanging glacier Rwenzori Snow Zone
- 147. • Crevasse zone Rwenzori Snow Zone
- 148. • Icicle on the hanging glacier below Mergharita peak. • Mt. Speke visible at the background Rwenzori Snow Zone
- 149. • Upper part of the glacier Rwenzori Snow Zone
- 150. • On the way to summit Rwenzori Snow Zone
- 151. • At the summit of Peak Margherita (5109 M) Rwenzori Snow Zone
- 152. • Panaroma from the summit. Peak Albert, just opposite to Peak Margherita Rwenzori Snow Zone
- 153. • This side belongs to Congo Rwenzori Snow Zone
- 154. • View of the climbing route from the Summit Rwenzori Snow Zone
- 155. • Looking down the hanging glacier slope Rwenzori Snow Zone
- 156. • Climbing down was more difficult Rwenzori Snow Zone
- 157. • Crevasses on the hanging glacier Rwenzori Snow Zone
- 158. • Looking down the slope of hanging glacier Rwenzori Snow Zone
- 159. • Returning from summit. Margherita peak at the background Rwenzori Snow Zone
- 160. • Succssfully climbed down the hanging glacier Rwenzori Snow Zone
- 161. • Came down to Kitandara valley, after crossing Scott Elliot pass (4375 M) Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 162. • Made a camp beside Kitandara lake (4027 M) Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 163. • At last in rest, after a hectic summit day Rwenzori Afro-Alpine Zone
- 164. • It took two more days of trekking to complete the expedition Rwenzori End of Expedition
- 165. • Rwenzori snow cover in 1925 • Rwenzori snow cover in 2017 Rwenzori Past & Present
- 166. • Decreasing glacier • Massive Deforestation • Wetland destruction • Vanishing of wildlife • Irresponsible mining • Environmental pollutants • Over population • Tribal conflicts • Increase of Mosquitoes & diseases Global Concerns
- 167. • Experienced an unique & endangered bio diversity of the world • Met wonderful people • Saw positive initiatives from NGOs and researcher • A childhood dream fulfilled My Experience
- 168. Thank You