Nile: The Search for the Source
The longest river on the planet, the Nile flows from the heart of a continent, through a land with a history as rich as the river is long. Performing a yearly miracle, by bringing a great flood of water and fertile soil to a desert, the Nile gave mankind its first great civilisation Ancient Egypt and changed the world forever.
The Ancient Egyptians thought the Nile was magical a gift of the gods. Obsessive Victorian explorers endured unimaginable hardships in their search for its source. Now we can reveal the true nature of the river and the reasons behind its magic a magnificent and diverse mosaic of strange places and fascinating animals, stretching far back into some of the remotest corners of Africa. Three epic tales follow the Nile across Africa and into history.
The Search for the Source
Friday 12 March, 9.00pm BBC2
Ever since the Ancient Egyptians first settled on its banks, mankind has
struggled to find the place where the Nile is born. The quest for its source
would also reveal how a river that runs through a desert for thousands of miles
never runs dry. In the mid-19th century, it was this great prize that drew a
breed of men to Africa men who were ambitious, dedicated and obsessed. Many
died attempting to unravel the Nile's secrets, as they braved "malaria,
marshes, mosquitoes and misery" in the heart of the dark continent. In
doing so, they became legends themselves, their names forever bound to the great
river. Stanley, Livingstone, Burton, Speke and Baker all endured great sacrifice
in their quest for personal glory. This is their story.
Journey with these legendary explorers through the jungles and swamps of deepest Africa, to the Nile's huge reservoirs Lakes Victoria, Albert and Edward, and up into the snow-clad Mountains of the Moon. Witness how Stanley finally managed to piece together the Nile's story, allowing us to reveal its ultimate secret its source, its birth and its Earth history a unique chain of events that was to change the world forever.
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