1 00:00:16,483 --> 00:00:18,451 "FOR ME, THE HAPPIEST MOMENT IN HUMAN LIFE 2 00:00:18,518 --> 00:00:22,477 � WHEN YOU PART TO UNKNOWN LANDS 3 00:00:22,555 --> 00:00:26,491 BLOOD FLOWS � THE SPEED OF CHILDHOOD" 4 00:00:26,593 --> 00:00:32,293 SIR RICHARD BURTON EXPLORER OF AFRICA AND THE NILE 5 00:01:00,427 --> 00:01:03,487 Right before the heart of Africa to be mapped... 6 00:01:03,663 --> 00:01:07,292 explorers were irresistibly dragged into this secret world. 7 00:01:38,932 --> 00:01:42,197 Africa's biggest secret, for thousands of years... 8 00:01:42,268 --> 00:01:45,760 it was the longest river of the world: The Nile. 9 00:01:54,147 --> 00:01:57,014 The Nile is unique among the rivers of the world. 10 00:01:57,784 --> 00:02:00,412 Some have it as the river most important on Earth... 11 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:03,614 because it gave life It is the first great civilization. 12 00:02:07,594 --> 00:02:09,494 For a geologist like me... 13 00:02:09,562 --> 00:02:12,588 this desert is a rich and productive environment. 14 00:02:13,766 --> 00:02:17,827 Because just 1.6km from the river, I can't find a single plant. 15 00:02:20,406 --> 00:02:26,572 8,000 years ago, farmers embezzled the water of the Nile to irrigate crops. 16 00:02:26,779 --> 00:02:28,872 And they made the desert blossom. 17 00:02:33,486 --> 00:02:36,250 Without the Nile, there would be no the Great Pyramids... 18 00:02:37,056 --> 00:02:39,718 not an advanced civilization with all its innovations 19 00:02:39,792 --> 00:02:42,022 in language, in art and in astronomy. 20 00:02:46,733 --> 00:02:50,032 Every summer, the water level of the Nile climbs several meters... 21 00:02:50,103 --> 00:02:53,129 without a drop of rain fall upon Egypt. 22 00:02:57,577 --> 00:03:00,341 The first Egyptians built structures to measure... 23 00:03:00,413 --> 00:03:03,348 the elevation of the river accurately. 24 00:03:04,984 --> 00:03:08,943 But a few times in history, the river mysteriously didn't rise... 25 00:03:09,022 --> 00:03:12,856 for several summers in a row causing famine throughout Egypt. 26 00:03:17,997 --> 00:03:21,091 Every year, farmers they looked at the river and thought: 27 00:03:21,467 --> 00:03:23,697 "Where does all this water come from?" 28 00:03:24,704 --> 00:03:27,730 This was the first great mystery of the Nile. 29 00:03:34,948 --> 00:03:40,113 THE MYSTERY OF THE NILE 30 00:03:46,059 --> 00:03:51,395 In 1858, a British explorer decided to solve the mystery of the Nile. 31 00:03:52,065 --> 00:03:55,728 And declared that Lake Victoria was its true source. 32 00:03:56,069 --> 00:03:59,436 There was just one small problem, he was mistaken. 33 00:04:02,242 --> 00:04:06,042 Lake Victoria contributes only a fraction of the waters of the Nile. 34 00:04:11,251 --> 00:04:14,846 The main source of the Nile is in the inhospitable mountains of Ethiopia. 35 00:04:17,223 --> 00:04:20,351 The riches of Egypt are a gift from Lake Tana. 36 00:04:24,497 --> 00:04:29,196 More than 80% of the Nile's water comes from of the Blue Nile in Ethiopia... 37 00:04:29,302 --> 00:04:30,530 and its tributaries. 38 00:04:31,838 --> 00:04:35,672 My goal is to lead the first team descending the entire length of the Blue Nile. 39 00:04:35,808 --> 00:04:38,936 From here in Ethiopia to the Mediterranean. 40 00:04:39,312 --> 00:04:40,802 For 4,800km. 41 00:04:55,662 --> 00:04:59,655 I brought my team to Lake Tana to undertake the expedition of life. 42 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:05,630 We arrived in the mountains of Ethiopia right in time for a Christian procession. 43 00:05:09,876 --> 00:05:11,901 It's the first time I come to Ethiopia... 44 00:05:12,612 --> 00:05:15,342 and I trusted Pasquale as our leader. 45 00:05:17,150 --> 00:05:19,516 Abuna Zerabruk. 46 00:05:19,619 --> 00:05:22,816 Yes. He is one of the nine saints who came from Syria. 47 00:05:22,889 --> 00:05:24,823 "Picollo Abbay." 48 00:05:24,924 --> 00:05:26,687 "Gergel." "Wateete, Abbay." 49 00:05:28,161 --> 00:05:33,189 PASQUALE SCATURRO EXPEDITION LEADER 50 00:05:34,534 --> 00:05:37,799 Pasquale led expeditions to Mount Everest 51 00:05:38,037 --> 00:05:40,733 and sailed on several rivers violent people in the world. 52 00:05:41,541 --> 00:05:43,805 He knows very well what are you doing. 53 00:05:47,947 --> 00:05:50,083 We are here to try for the first time... 54 00:05:50,083 --> 00:05:53,348 go down the mightiest river of Africa: The Blue Nile. 55 00:05:58,057 --> 00:06:00,890 I hired Ethiopian boatmen so that they can be cooks... 56 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:02,791 helpers and bodyguards. 57 00:06:04,530 --> 00:06:08,159 We are entering a territory where few foreigners have witnessed. 58 00:06:15,041 --> 00:06:17,839 The upper part of the Blue Nile was navigated and mapped... 59 00:06:17,910 --> 00:06:20,208 for the first time in 1968 when an expedition... 60 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:22,645 of the British Army explored just this part. 61 00:06:23,616 --> 00:06:27,177 They were seriously injured. A man died. 62 00:06:28,020 --> 00:06:32,423 They discovered that the Blue Nile was boiling of huge herds of crocodiles. 63 00:06:34,460 --> 00:06:36,553 They had seventy specialists. 64 00:06:36,796 --> 00:06:39,196 The majority of my team is of newbies. 65 00:06:39,432 --> 00:06:40,990 Put it in the water again. 66 00:06:41,167 --> 00:06:43,032 Okay, onto the boat now. 67 00:06:43,169 --> 00:06:46,730 I'll have to keep an eye on the scientist Egyptian, Dr. Mohamed Megahed. 68 00:06:46,906 --> 00:06:48,430 Mohamed! Where is Mohamed? 69 00:06:48,541 --> 00:06:51,999 As a hydrologist, I spend most part of the time closed, in the laboratory. 70 00:06:52,078 --> 00:06:54,603 - Good job. - Pasquale is worried about me... 71 00:06:54,714 --> 00:06:55,908 and me too 72 00:06:56,549 --> 00:06:58,983 Gordon Brown, our safety kayaker... 73 00:06:59,051 --> 00:07:03,249 he's the only one who will stay with me during the four months of expedition. 74 00:07:03,723 --> 00:07:06,123 You hold this part back here... 75 00:07:06,259 --> 00:07:09,820 and pushes the boat with his body and this will help you go into the rapid. 76 00:07:09,896 --> 00:07:10,828 - Right. - Anyway... 77 00:07:10,897 --> 00:07:14,697 Five years ago, he was diagnosed a brain tumor in Gordon. 78 00:07:15,768 --> 00:07:17,429 That would have killed most of us... 79 00:07:17,970 --> 00:07:21,736 but he fought and recovered after one year of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. 80 00:07:21,841 --> 00:07:23,832 He is a true survivor. 81 00:07:25,878 --> 00:07:27,140 So. 82 00:07:27,213 --> 00:07:28,510 Did you understand? 83 00:07:29,615 --> 00:07:32,345 Saskia Lange a journalist from Spain. 84 00:07:32,452 --> 00:07:35,580 She is writing an article about religions along the river. 85 00:07:36,956 --> 00:07:39,584 The river passes through areas where there are no roads... 86 00:07:39,692 --> 00:07:43,025 therefore, we will be able to study natives... 87 00:07:43,129 --> 00:07:45,859 people you would never meet otherwise. 88 00:07:45,932 --> 00:07:46,864 How cute. 89 00:07:46,966 --> 00:07:48,228 Thank you very much. 90 00:07:49,268 --> 00:07:52,328 Miriam Seco the team's archaeologist. 91 00:07:54,607 --> 00:07:57,041 Here, in the holy city from Lalibela... 92 00:07:57,143 --> 00:08:01,136 the Ethiopians excavated 122m bedrock. 93 00:08:05,651 --> 00:08:09,883 This church was carved of a giant block of stone. 94 00:08:10,923 --> 00:08:14,757 It is one of the eleven monolithic churches, linked by channels. 95 00:08:15,261 --> 00:08:16,990 For sixteen centuries... 96 00:08:17,096 --> 00:08:21,658 Christians here remained allies to the church in Egypt... 97 00:08:21,834 --> 00:08:23,631 4,800km from here. 98 00:08:24,270 --> 00:08:28,263 I wonder how the Nile kept this connection alive. 99 00:08:41,354 --> 00:08:45,916 They say that hidden in these churches of stone is the Arch of the Old Alliance... 100 00:08:46,125 --> 00:08:48,787 the box that Indiana Jones was looking. 101 00:08:51,030 --> 00:08:54,397 This Ark contains the plaque that brings carved the Ten Commandments... 102 00:08:54,534 --> 00:08:58,994 the true tablet given to Moses. Are you really here? 103 00:09:28,267 --> 00:09:31,031 Lalibela is the eighth wonder of the world. 104 00:09:31,137 --> 00:09:33,537 And if it isn't, it should be. 105 00:09:35,675 --> 00:09:40,578 Just like the Christians of Lalibela carved magnificent churches out of rock, 106 00:09:40,713 --> 00:09:43,841 The Blue Nile has carved this huge canyon 107 00:09:43,950 --> 00:09:45,611 through the mountains of Ethiopia, 108 00:09:45,851 --> 00:09:48,547 which the British named of the Great Canyon of Africa. 109 00:09:55,328 --> 00:09:57,762 This plane helps, but it's disappointing. 110 00:09:57,930 --> 00:10:02,924 From above, it's really easy to forget which is the most dangerous river in Africa. 111 00:10:28,361 --> 00:10:31,455 Aerial observation confirmed that the waters above decreased, 112 00:10:31,530 --> 00:10:33,521 it was time to start the expedition. 113 00:10:34,367 --> 00:10:36,392 Gordon and I plan to stay on the river... 114 00:10:36,469 --> 00:10:38,562 probably more than four months. 115 00:10:38,738 --> 00:10:40,103 This is the Blue Nile region... 116 00:10:43,242 --> 00:10:46,211 And there I was leading a bunch of newbies on the river... 117 00:10:46,278 --> 00:10:48,576 who had never been in a boat. 118 00:10:48,714 --> 00:10:52,650 Keep everyone alive on this expedition It's my biggest responsibility. 119 00:10:52,785 --> 00:10:54,878 And finally to Tissisat Falls. 120 00:10:55,021 --> 00:10:56,386 And then, let's move on through this canyon... 121 00:10:56,455 --> 00:10:58,685 which has class V and VI rapids. 122 00:10:59,859 --> 00:11:02,692 Before we leave, Mohamed I had a promise to keep. 123 00:11:02,795 --> 00:11:04,922 FIRST DAY 124 00:11:05,064 --> 00:11:07,555 My grandfather is a farmer in Egypt. 125 00:11:07,833 --> 00:11:10,996 One hundred percent of the water he receives comes from the Nile River. 126 00:11:12,071 --> 00:11:14,767 I promised him that when I went to the source of the river... 127 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:17,604 I would bring you a bottle of holy water. 128 00:11:18,944 --> 00:11:23,074 The Ethiopians value the Nile, just like us in Egypt. 129 00:11:27,219 --> 00:11:30,677 When going down the river, the team is motivated. 130 00:11:32,258 --> 00:11:35,227 Most wild rivers in all continents have already been studied. 131 00:11:35,327 --> 00:11:36,885 But not the Blue Nile. 132 00:11:37,229 --> 00:11:40,630 This is one of the last expeditions to the great rivers left in the world. 133 00:11:55,181 --> 00:11:58,912 No one has successfully traversed this river from source to sea. 134 00:11:59,552 --> 00:12:03,181 Those who tried died or gave up. 135 00:12:16,769 --> 00:12:20,830 As a geologist, this lava flow It causes me a certain fascination. 136 00:12:28,781 --> 00:12:31,215 Lava flows like this constrict the river... 137 00:12:31,283 --> 00:12:34,047 forcing the water to flow through a narrow channel... 138 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:35,951 creating huge rapids. 139 00:12:36,388 --> 00:12:39,221 But volcanic rocks are sharp like knives. 140 00:12:39,358 --> 00:12:41,883 And our vessels are made of fabric. 141 00:12:53,005 --> 00:12:54,233 Hold tight. 142 00:13:30,743 --> 00:13:33,906 This was the first time that Muhammad swam the Nile. 143 00:13:34,079 --> 00:13:35,910 I kept an eye on him. 144 00:13:37,983 --> 00:13:42,647 There is a threshold between a rapid exciting and deadly. 145 00:13:44,657 --> 00:13:46,557 The buttons are very heavy, 146 00:13:46,659 --> 00:13:48,320 so when the river turns deadly and difficult to traverse... 147 00:13:48,394 --> 00:13:52,490 we sent the boat empty and load the equipment. 148 00:14:08,614 --> 00:14:10,616 A way to be targeted of laughter in Ethiopia... 149 00:14:10,616 --> 00:14:12,607 carry a rubber raft on your head. 150 00:14:31,770 --> 00:14:35,035 The mountains of Ethiopia were hidden by a dense forest... 151 00:14:35,107 --> 00:14:39,237 but in the last 30 years, the Amhara tribe felled 90% of the trees... 152 00:14:39,311 --> 00:14:41,472 to use charcoal for cooking. 153 00:14:41,747 --> 00:14:44,272 This has changed the entire river basin. 154 00:14:45,618 --> 00:14:48,644 The Blue Nile carries lots of volcanic minerals... 155 00:14:48,787 --> 00:14:51,756 that nourished the fields from my grandfather, in Egypt. 156 00:14:55,194 --> 00:14:59,460 I did a salinity test because the salt content of the Nile... 157 00:14:59,531 --> 00:15:01,795 is destroying our plot of land. 158 00:15:08,340 --> 00:15:10,171 The river is accelerating... 159 00:15:10,309 --> 00:15:13,904 but the team doesn't realize the magnitude of the river's energy... 160 00:15:14,046 --> 00:15:18,107 until you set eyes on one of the most Incredible views of all of Africa. 161 00:15:18,384 --> 00:15:20,477 The Tissisat Falls. 162 00:15:59,325 --> 00:16:01,293 Gordon is a bit of a cowboy. 163 00:16:01,460 --> 00:16:04,020 It has its own way to get things done. 164 00:16:04,863 --> 00:16:08,230 I told Pasquale that I will go every inch of this river. 165 00:16:08,367 --> 00:16:10,528 Now he knows I'm serious. 166 00:16:29,254 --> 00:16:32,690 Now it's time to see How Muhammad performs under pressure. 167 00:16:32,925 --> 00:16:35,155 He had never used a rope before. 168 00:16:35,260 --> 00:16:37,421 - Don't worry, okay? - Right. 169 00:16:45,004 --> 00:16:47,973 Very good. It's going well, Mohamed. 170 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:50,770 I had to hurry Mohamed. 171 00:16:50,909 --> 00:16:54,140 The less you think, the better. 172 00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:56,206 A little more. 173 00:16:56,281 --> 00:16:57,612 A little more. 174 00:16:57,683 --> 00:17:00,811 Come on, Mohamed, a little more. 175 00:17:00,886 --> 00:17:02,183 - Right. - More rope. 176 00:17:06,158 --> 00:17:09,559 Saskia got tired of waiting Mohamed lower his centimeters... 177 00:17:09,762 --> 00:17:11,559 so I let her go ahead. 178 00:17:19,605 --> 00:17:23,473 That's not fair. When I applied for this trip... 179 00:17:23,575 --> 00:17:28,069 Pasquale asked if I knew how to swim. He didn't ask if I knew how to fly. 180 00:17:32,051 --> 00:17:35,578 Mohamed didn't score many points for style, but it showed me courage. 181 00:17:36,088 --> 00:17:38,648 I think our city boy is starting to strengthen. 182 00:17:50,836 --> 00:17:54,363 I didn't come here only to collect water samples. 183 00:17:56,108 --> 00:18:00,738 I'm here mainly to experience the river, to understand it. 184 00:18:01,113 --> 00:18:03,980 But also to get to know me. 185 00:18:04,249 --> 00:18:07,116 And I was surprised with what I can do. 186 00:18:14,426 --> 00:18:16,326 These people, the Amhara... 187 00:18:16,462 --> 00:18:20,091 walked along the river to take care of the plantations. 188 00:18:20,232 --> 00:18:23,895 But on the other hand, they moved away of the river to avoid dangerous places. 189 00:18:24,269 --> 00:18:27,033 They avoided the bandits and malaria. 190 00:18:32,377 --> 00:18:36,404 ELEVENTH DAY 191 00:18:44,423 --> 00:18:48,325 The most enthusiastic member of the team � Michel L'Huillier, from Chile. 192 00:18:48,460 --> 00:18:50,325 He is the team photographer. 193 00:18:55,534 --> 00:18:57,434 I love Ethiopia. 194 00:18:57,836 --> 00:19:00,737 I admire the kind dignity of your people. 195 00:19:00,873 --> 00:19:02,898 They appreciate what they have. 196 00:19:03,609 --> 00:19:06,942 I hope my photos capture their spirit. 197 00:19:09,381 --> 00:19:11,576 Hello, hello, how are you? 198 00:19:14,453 --> 00:19:15,715 Hello. 199 00:19:22,961 --> 00:19:26,260 This is why Christianity survived here. 200 00:19:26,431 --> 00:19:29,423 The mountains kept the invaders away. 201 00:19:29,568 --> 00:19:32,230 This is not exactly an affable land. 202 00:19:34,206 --> 00:19:36,197 I admire efficient predators, 203 00:19:36,875 --> 00:19:40,003 except when they see me as lunch. 204 00:19:41,180 --> 00:19:44,638 The most dangerous crocodile of the world is that of the Nile. 205 00:19:44,883 --> 00:19:48,319 They swim 19km/h and eat more people in Africa... 206 00:19:48,387 --> 00:19:50,981 than all other animals combined. 207 00:19:51,123 --> 00:19:54,684 We were going down the river and there On the bank there was a huge crocodile... 208 00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:57,752 of about 4.2m and he slipped from the bank... 209 00:19:57,896 --> 00:20:01,297 it was very aggressive and swam towards Gordon. 210 00:20:01,700 --> 00:20:04,396 He began to bear out of the water and... 211 00:20:04,703 --> 00:20:06,330 He was still behind me... 212 00:20:06,405 --> 00:20:09,203 So I took the oar and hit him on the head. 213 00:20:09,775 --> 00:20:12,710 He dived and went under from the boat and hit it. 214 00:20:12,945 --> 00:20:15,004 For a second, I thought it was going to turn around. 215 00:20:15,113 --> 00:20:17,479 When the crocodile opened that mouth... 216 00:20:17,549 --> 00:20:22,077 I was afraid I would twist my arm Gordon and take him downstairs. 217 00:20:22,154 --> 00:20:24,145 And if that happened, he would die. 218 00:20:24,256 --> 00:20:29,125 Gordon couldn't do anything without other crocodiles catching it. 219 00:20:32,130 --> 00:20:34,564 at night, when we camped It's by the river... 220 00:20:34,666 --> 00:20:37,601 we kept an eye on the crocodiles before bed. 221 00:20:38,704 --> 00:20:41,104 I never had to do this in Cairo. 222 00:20:53,952 --> 00:20:56,546 These are not rocks, Saskia, They are hippos. 223 00:21:08,433 --> 00:21:11,925 Pasquale warned us that a hippopotamus can easily turn into a dinghy. 224 00:21:12,638 --> 00:21:16,199 But this did not prevent let us get closer to see them. 225 00:21:18,010 --> 00:21:21,912 It was the most beautiful thing seeing hippos for the first time. 226 00:21:22,180 --> 00:21:25,911 There were eight around the boat with ears like that. 227 00:21:58,250 --> 00:22:01,549 Throughout the trip, when let's stop to buy vegetables... 228 00:22:01,620 --> 00:22:05,488 eggs and meat from the local people, we could see how they lived. 229 00:22:06,758 --> 00:22:10,626 Ethiopia has more than one hundred ethnic groups... 230 00:22:10,729 --> 00:22:13,994 most isolated from each other due to the rocky terrain. 231 00:22:14,066 --> 00:22:16,261 That's my lovely new friend. 232 00:22:32,584 --> 00:22:34,313 NINETEENTH DAY 233 00:22:34,419 --> 00:22:37,183 More than 200 million people depend on the Nile. 234 00:22:37,356 --> 00:22:41,486 And it is estimated that this population will double in the next 25 years. 235 00:22:42,260 --> 00:22:44,592 Can the Nile hold on? so many people? 236 00:22:47,366 --> 00:22:51,302 For thousands of years, every time Ethiopia threatened to dam the Nile... 237 00:22:51,570 --> 00:22:54,596 the Egyptians took the threat seriously. 238 00:22:54,806 --> 00:22:57,934 If the river is diverted, Egypt would die. 239 00:22:59,111 --> 00:23:01,341 Who owns the waters of the Nile? 240 00:23:04,516 --> 00:23:07,644 I went to explore a side channel and... 241 00:23:07,986 --> 00:23:10,147 suddenly, They were shooting at me. 242 00:23:11,690 --> 00:23:15,456 I took cover behind rocks, trying to hide as much as possible. 243 00:23:15,794 --> 00:23:19,286 There were probably five shots from across the river. 244 00:23:19,431 --> 00:23:21,865 And I thought, "This could be the end." 245 00:23:21,967 --> 00:23:24,868 My only option was to get to the river. 246 00:23:24,970 --> 00:23:26,460 I heard gunshots. 247 00:23:28,073 --> 00:23:31,304 In these distant canyons, the local bandits called "shifta"... 248 00:23:31,443 --> 00:23:35,641 robbed and killed at least four people from previous expeditions. 249 00:23:36,448 --> 00:23:38,678 Gordon had left an hour ago. 250 00:23:38,784 --> 00:23:40,877 And I saw no sign of him. 251 00:23:42,254 --> 00:23:44,722 I knew I couldn't stay there a long time. 252 00:23:44,956 --> 00:23:47,857 I had to row down the river and I rowed like crazy. 253 00:23:51,263 --> 00:23:54,198 I knew that if I stopped, would be an easy target. 254 00:23:57,769 --> 00:24:01,102 That night I had a long discussion with Gordon. 255 00:24:01,506 --> 00:24:03,565 I can't leave for him to walk away like that... 256 00:24:03,675 --> 00:24:06,075 because we were coming It is the longest stretch of rapids... 257 00:24:06,144 --> 00:24:08,476 that there had never been experienced in life. 258 00:24:08,747 --> 00:24:12,308 Maneuvering a boat in a huge Rapids can be fatal. 259 00:24:12,451 --> 00:24:15,579 People can sink in the current, hitting your head on a rock... 260 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:17,745 or get trapped underwater. 261 00:24:18,156 --> 00:24:22,286 On other expeditions, at least six people died on this stretch alone. 262 00:25:15,847 --> 00:25:20,409 That morning, Michel took your boat in my biggest nightmare. 263 00:25:33,198 --> 00:25:34,825 It was a perfect turnaround. 264 00:25:35,367 --> 00:25:37,927 EXPEDITION PHOTOGRAPHER The three of us fell into the water. 265 00:26:01,793 --> 00:26:03,351 Ozo. 266 00:26:03,495 --> 00:26:04,621 Ozo. 267 00:26:04,763 --> 00:26:08,529 I heard someone shout "ozo", which means crocodile. 268 00:26:08,934 --> 00:26:12,529 And I thought, "Wow, There are crocodiles in this river." 269 00:26:13,572 --> 00:26:16,735 And this was the first time throughout the expedition... 270 00:26:16,975 --> 00:26:20,604 that I really felt the hair on the back of your neck stands up. 271 00:26:24,649 --> 00:26:26,913 We knew there could be crocodiles around here. 272 00:26:27,185 --> 00:26:29,881 Usually, they waited at the rapids so they could catch the fish... 273 00:26:29,955 --> 00:26:31,718 that pass through the rapids. 274 00:26:32,223 --> 00:26:33,918 And we were big fish. 275 00:26:36,328 --> 00:26:40,230 Who was in Michel's boat You're lucky to be alive. 276 00:26:42,867 --> 00:26:44,926 I think if we do that, we can go down and pass through here. 277 00:26:45,003 --> 00:26:46,937 - I think it's safe. - Yes, I don't know... 278 00:26:47,005 --> 00:26:49,530 - as for this rapid. - No, let's go by the river. 279 00:27:19,437 --> 00:27:20,802 Are you okay? Exchange 280 00:27:21,439 --> 00:27:22,531 Yes, I'm fine. 281 00:27:22,741 --> 00:27:24,368 Be careful when are on the left. 282 00:27:24,509 --> 00:27:26,306 Understood. Do you think we can navigate in between? Exchange. 283 00:28:14,726 --> 00:28:18,162 That night we camped on the border with Sudan. 284 00:28:19,364 --> 00:28:21,093 It's a dangerous place. 285 00:28:21,666 --> 00:28:25,762 Saskia, Myriam and Mohamed feared cross a country... 286 00:28:25,837 --> 00:28:29,967 where the civil war has been intermittent for 20 years. 287 00:28:30,909 --> 00:28:33,844 They're going to leave us here and meet us later in Kartoum. 288 00:28:37,549 --> 00:28:39,016 FORTY-SECOND DAY As soon as we crossed the border... 289 00:28:39,084 --> 00:28:41,279 Gordon and I left to explore Sudan... 290 00:28:41,386 --> 00:28:43,946 the most mysterious country along the Nile. 291 00:28:47,826 --> 00:28:51,455 Sudan is shrouded in secrets behind the veil of Islam. 292 00:28:53,098 --> 00:28:54,895 When we come across with a camel market... 293 00:28:54,966 --> 00:28:57,230 we were apprehensive at first. 294 00:28:57,402 --> 00:28:59,302 But we decided to face it. 295 00:28:59,471 --> 00:29:02,440 After all, we cannot always give bid at a camel auction? 296 00:29:15,053 --> 00:29:16,782 It turned out to be a great day. 297 00:29:17,355 --> 00:29:21,485 And I was happy when they gave a bigger bid on Gordon's camel. 298 00:29:25,230 --> 00:29:28,393 Neither mad dogs nor Englishmen come out in this heat. 299 00:29:29,267 --> 00:29:32,100 46 degrees shade was normal. 300 00:29:40,311 --> 00:29:44,805 Here in Kartoum, capital of Sudan, the two rivers converge. 301 00:29:46,417 --> 00:29:49,545 The Nile with rapids comes on the right, under the bridge... 302 00:29:49,687 --> 00:29:52,212 to join the Blue Nile, much bigger. 303 00:29:57,862 --> 00:30:00,729 It was great to see the team together again. 304 00:30:02,700 --> 00:30:05,965 War and violence j� se difundiram no Sud�o. 305 00:30:06,204 --> 00:30:10,300 But we never came across with a single extremist militant. 306 00:30:11,042 --> 00:30:15,240 There we were, surrounded by happy and kind Islamists... 307 00:30:15,313 --> 00:30:17,804 greeting us warmly. 308 00:30:18,316 --> 00:30:22,082 And they were surprised by the fact of having come so far along the Nile. 309 00:30:25,156 --> 00:30:27,818 - Pasquale, say "hello". - Hello. 310 00:30:28,126 --> 00:30:31,118 We are going to the ancient city of Meroe... 311 00:30:31,396 --> 00:30:34,024 one of the secrets best kept on the Nile. 312 00:31:12,136 --> 00:31:17,403 In the remote Sudan desert, the Nile passes through a ghost town... 313 00:31:17,508 --> 00:31:19,976 where few foreigners have visited. 314 00:31:20,478 --> 00:31:22,776 We are among the lucky few. 315 00:31:27,218 --> 00:31:31,314 The Nibians have ruled this region of the Nile for more than a thousand years. 316 00:31:44,903 --> 00:31:49,863 More than 2000 years ago, these pyramids of Meroe were surrounded by forests. 317 00:31:50,275 --> 00:31:52,368 But when the Nubians cut the trees... 318 00:31:52,510 --> 00:31:56,640 allowed the sand to blow and accelerated their own misfortune. 319 00:32:07,659 --> 00:32:13,063 I feel sorry for the loss of a civilization and the loss of forests. 320 00:32:13,531 --> 00:32:17,399 The systems that support life are very fragile. 321 00:32:17,602 --> 00:32:21,732 If we don't feed them, they turn to sand and dust. 322 00:33:08,152 --> 00:33:11,849 Here, on the banks of the Nile, we hear haunting echoes... 323 00:33:11,923 --> 00:33:15,984 from an ancient dynasty, half covered of sand and darkness. 324 00:33:17,762 --> 00:33:21,163 Why, when the Egyptian pharaohs are so revered... 325 00:33:21,265 --> 00:33:24,894 the Nibians still languish in the shadows of history? 326 00:33:26,771 --> 00:33:30,605 it's the great mystery that we found along the Nile. 327 00:33:34,479 --> 00:33:39,041 Sudan proved to be full of surprises: welcoming people... 328 00:33:39,350 --> 00:33:43,286 and the haunted beauty of this lost kingdom, the kingdom of Kush. 329 00:33:43,755 --> 00:33:49,216 EIGHTY-FIRST DAY 330 00:33:50,228 --> 00:33:54,221 Near the border of Sudan and From Egypt, the Nile flows into Lake Nasser. 331 00:33:55,900 --> 00:33:58,698 The captain of a fishing boat warn us that we will not cross... 332 00:33:58,770 --> 00:34:01,568 Lake Nasser safe in our little boats. 333 00:34:08,012 --> 00:34:12,005 To make up for lost time, I decided that Gordon and I would try 334 00:34:12,083 --> 00:34:14,574 cross Lake Nasser alone at night. 335 00:34:15,086 --> 00:34:16,553 What a big mistake. 336 00:34:16,954 --> 00:34:19,718 A huge gale appeared out of nowhere. 337 00:34:40,378 --> 00:34:42,846 The wind was blowing at 100km/h. 338 00:34:43,014 --> 00:34:46,211 The cold sprays they chilled us to the bone. 339 00:34:46,784 --> 00:34:48,911 We were 16km from the beach. 340 00:34:53,691 --> 00:34:55,454 If a big wave threw us into the water... 341 00:34:55,526 --> 00:34:59,656 no one could find us and we would die from the elements. 342 00:35:13,511 --> 00:35:15,604 Pasquale was in bad shape. 343 00:35:15,680 --> 00:35:17,739 I was scared that he couldn't. 344 00:35:18,316 --> 00:35:22,013 We are all very tired. We are very tired... 345 00:35:22,286 --> 00:35:23,753 EXPEDITION LEADER due to the wind 346 00:35:23,821 --> 00:35:26,756 and the sun on our face. And it's water. 347 00:35:27,191 --> 00:35:28,954 So I hope tonight have a good night. 348 00:35:29,026 --> 00:35:30,391 We have traveled a long distance up to this point. 349 00:35:30,728 --> 00:35:34,630 SAFETY KAYAKER We have reached the limit. In truth. 350 00:35:36,134 --> 00:35:38,694 I was fighting a relapse of malaria. 351 00:35:38,803 --> 00:35:42,569 I had tremors and a fever. I was totally exhausted. 352 00:35:42,673 --> 00:35:44,698 I felt pain, I was sick. 353 00:35:45,409 --> 00:35:47,969 We hate the idea of giving up of the dream of traveling the Nile... 354 00:35:48,146 --> 00:35:50,876 but it wasn't worth dying for. 355 00:35:55,853 --> 00:35:59,220 But the next day I recovered due to a pharaoh's dream... 356 00:35:59,490 --> 00:36:01,583 and an incredible story of survival. 357 00:36:03,828 --> 00:36:07,992 When the Nile Valley was flooded, the ancient monuments have disappeared 358 00:36:08,065 --> 00:36:09,828 at the bottom of Lake Nasser. 359 00:36:09,934 --> 00:36:12,129 But this one survived. 360 00:36:12,937 --> 00:36:17,670 In 1260 B.C., the Egyptian pharaoh, Ramses the Great... 361 00:36:17,775 --> 00:36:21,233 built this temple along from the banks of the Nile. 362 00:36:24,649 --> 00:36:28,483 As an Egyptologist, Myriam lives and breathe these things. 363 00:36:38,496 --> 00:36:43,627 40 years ago, the new lake was built by man would flood this temple. 364 00:36:43,868 --> 00:36:48,202 To save it, the workers separated carefully the huge temple 365 00:36:48,372 --> 00:36:51,705 and they moved it, block by block to a higher location. 366 00:37:02,720 --> 00:37:05,314 Moving this temple was a heroic effort. 367 00:37:05,723 --> 00:37:07,350 If they could... 368 00:37:07,525 --> 00:37:09,459 Gordon and I can accomplish what we set out to do. 369 00:37:14,365 --> 00:37:17,027 The ancient Egyptians studied the stars... 370 00:37:17,268 --> 00:37:20,965 and used this knowledge to create the first accurate calendar... 371 00:37:21,072 --> 00:37:23,336 with 365 days a year. 372 00:37:28,145 --> 00:37:31,080 The temple was perfectly aligned with the sun. 373 00:37:31,415 --> 00:37:35,579 On a given day, the sunlight falls on the temple 374 00:37:35,720 --> 00:37:38,245 to illuminate the royal statues. 375 00:37:38,389 --> 00:37:42,826 Exactly how they did it Doing so is a mystery to me. 376 00:37:57,675 --> 00:38:01,611 My Egyptian ancestors had two things to fear about the Nile. 377 00:38:02,246 --> 00:38:04,339 too much water and not enough water. 378 00:38:05,316 --> 00:38:06,408 But not now. 379 00:38:09,253 --> 00:38:12,984 The Aswan Dyke has come to an end in catastrophic floods... 380 00:38:13,057 --> 00:38:15,548 who have already killed thousands of people. 381 00:38:16,594 --> 00:38:19,529 But the dike is a mixed blessing, for the summer floods... 382 00:38:19,597 --> 00:38:21,428 they no longer enrich the earth. 383 00:38:22,133 --> 00:38:24,658 They no longer leach salts from the soil. 384 00:38:30,641 --> 00:38:34,441 Without the summer floods, no more There is a need for these "nimeters"... 385 00:38:35,346 --> 00:38:40,443 markers used by pharaohs to monitor the annual rise of the Nile. 386 00:39:02,106 --> 00:39:06,873 We went to an abandoned Christian monastery a few kilometers from the river... 387 00:39:07,311 --> 00:39:11,941 where Myriam found an unexpected link between religion and the Nile. 388 00:39:34,672 --> 00:39:38,506 The priests of monasteries like this they had strong connections... 389 00:39:38,609 --> 00:39:41,237 with the Church in Lalibela, in Ethiopia. 390 00:39:42,446 --> 00:39:45,506 When the Christians were here in danger, about to be swept away... 391 00:39:45,583 --> 00:39:50,987 by the Islamic majority, the Ethiopians upstream threatened to block the Nile. 392 00:39:51,522 --> 00:39:53,285 And the threat worked. 393 00:39:54,458 --> 00:39:57,825 This is why Christianity survived here for so long. 394 00:40:00,131 --> 00:40:02,361 ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTH DAY 395 00:40:02,500 --> 00:40:05,526 Myriam told us how the pharaohs they felt blessed... 396 00:40:05,603 --> 00:40:07,161 by nature and by God. 397 00:40:08,239 --> 00:40:10,707 And the Nile was the perfect route exchange. 398 00:40:11,041 --> 00:40:13,532 The winds carried the boats up the river... 399 00:40:13,611 --> 00:40:16,705 and then, the river flow brought them back. 400 00:40:19,483 --> 00:40:22,145 This transformed the Nile in a river of gold. 401 00:40:30,561 --> 00:40:35,555 After more than three months on the river, our routine was coming to an end. 402 00:40:37,468 --> 00:40:38,958 Stop. Unload the boats. 403 00:40:39,069 --> 00:40:40,969 Prepare dinner, pitch your tents. 404 00:40:41,105 --> 00:40:44,268 Eat, take a shower, sleep, wake up... 405 00:40:44,408 --> 00:40:45,397 load the boats. 406 00:40:45,676 --> 00:40:49,009 Every day. Days after day. Day after day. 407 00:40:49,146 --> 00:40:50,204 Day after day. 408 00:40:52,483 --> 00:40:57,182 When I saw Luxor, I was a boy. But after visiting the source of the Nile... 409 00:40:57,321 --> 00:41:00,222 this all looks different to me. 410 00:41:00,991 --> 00:41:05,894 For 3,000 years, Egypt was ruled by pharaohs like Ramses the Great 411 00:41:06,063 --> 00:41:08,691 and by Queen Hatshepsut. 412 00:41:08,966 --> 00:41:11,958 The Nile transformed them into living gods. 413 00:41:12,503 --> 00:41:14,767 No wonder who worshiped the river. 414 00:41:16,774 --> 00:41:20,870 It was 46 degrees when Myriam took us to the Valley of the Queens... 415 00:41:21,245 --> 00:41:23,805 where we visited the tomb of Queen Nefertari... 416 00:41:23,948 --> 00:41:26,542 the favorite wife of Ramses the Great. 417 00:41:34,925 --> 00:41:38,622 In the tomb of the pharaoh Thutmoses III, I told my friends... 418 00:41:38,729 --> 00:41:43,894 how the Nile was revered as a passage between life and death. 419 00:41:49,240 --> 00:41:52,903 And for me, too, this was more than a trip down the river. 420 00:41:53,177 --> 00:41:56,271 It was an inner journey. 421 00:41:56,747 --> 00:41:58,214 She changed me. 422 00:41:59,984 --> 00:42:02,475 Arriving in Cairo was a milestone. 423 00:42:02,586 --> 00:42:05,578 After months of sand dunes and mud huts... 424 00:42:05,723 --> 00:42:09,853 the city enchants me as if it were a fabulous mirage. 425 00:42:20,538 --> 00:42:25,498 With the Nile as their base, the pharaohs they ruled for 3,000 years. 426 00:42:26,610 --> 00:42:32,310 Dynasties are long gone, but the spiritual energy of the river remains. 427 00:42:41,659 --> 00:42:46,255 I think I got a kind of spirituality on this journey. 428 00:42:46,964 --> 00:42:50,559 Share this expedition with Pasquale he showed me... 429 00:42:50,668 --> 00:42:53,762 that anything is possible where you put your heart. 430 00:43:00,377 --> 00:43:06,873 After four long months and 4,800km, We finally reached the Mediterranean. 431 00:43:07,384 --> 00:43:09,477 I can't believe it. We were the first in history 432 00:43:09,553 --> 00:43:12,488 traversing the Blue Nile from the source to the sea. 433 00:43:22,700 --> 00:43:25,498 When we finally arrived to surfing and salt water... 434 00:43:25,636 --> 00:43:30,699 I was overwhelmed by exhaustion, pride and overwhelming joy. 435 00:43:30,841 --> 00:43:32,706 ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTEENTH DAY THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA 436 00:43:43,420 --> 00:43:45,285 The river connects people. 437 00:43:45,990 --> 00:43:49,221 The lucky necklace of a Christian girl from Ethiopia... 438 00:43:49,360 --> 00:43:52,352 brought me new friends along the Nile. 439 00:43:55,366 --> 00:43:58,802 The hours that marked me the most it was simple daily meetings... 440 00:43:58,869 --> 00:44:00,734 with people along the river. 441 00:44:14,952 --> 00:44:18,479 You know, Gordon and I had altercations along the way... 442 00:44:18,689 --> 00:44:20,884 but we got over this when We calmed down and I needed him. 443 00:44:20,958 --> 00:44:22,983 He saved my life, more than once. 444 00:44:26,030 --> 00:44:29,124 We all feel an infinite respect for the river. 445 00:44:29,266 --> 00:44:31,234 You know, we realize that when finally... 446 00:44:31,301 --> 00:44:34,532 we stepped on the beach of Alexandria, our final destination. 447 00:44:40,277 --> 00:44:43,474 I felt very proud for having participated in the expedition. 448 00:44:47,751 --> 00:44:50,311 I went to visit my grandfather as soon as I arrived. 449 00:44:50,988 --> 00:44:55,948 As a farmer, he valued the bottle of holy water that I brought from the fountain. 450 00:44:57,594 --> 00:45:00,859 An Islamic girl in Alexandria admired my necklace. 451 00:45:01,165 --> 00:45:02,189 Good luck. 452 00:45:04,234 --> 00:45:06,532 People from various cultures share the river, 453 00:45:06,870 --> 00:45:11,398 many of them in conflict, but most of them in harmony. 454 00:45:14,211 --> 00:45:18,705 Our friends in Ethiopia, Sudan and in Egypt they follow different religions... 455 00:45:18,916 --> 00:45:22,215 but they all receive the spiritual sustenance of the river. 456 00:45:27,558 --> 00:45:31,392 The Nile brought wealth and power that many have tried to possess. 457 00:45:33,097 --> 00:45:35,895 But the river challenged even the most powerful pharaohs... 458 00:45:35,999 --> 00:45:37,830 because he is bigger than all of us. 459 00:45:39,636 --> 00:45:41,900 The waters of the Nile bring life... 460 00:45:42,005 --> 00:45:43,939 and feed the soul. 461 00:45:44,340 --> 00:45:47,940 ***Shig***