The great spine of Africa runs through the Nile Institute Rwanda
Friday afternoon, 6th of February, 6 tiny canoes cast their shadow against the Nyabarongo River. While they patiently make their way up the river, their crew – equipped with off-road Toyota’s & trailers -, crawls on the riverbank road. A surprising but pleasent encounter between the expedition & the Nile Institute Rwanda unfolds itself; would there be a thing called coincidence after all?
To give a bit more context: the canoes are led by Steve Boyes, chairman of ‘The Wilderness Project’. He’s set-up an expedition crew for ‘The Great Spine of Africa‘, accompanied by a film crew from BBC and National Geographic.
‘Great Spine of Africa’ journey from source to sea and delta, collecting vital information on freshwater, biodiversity and livelihoods. These expeditions deliver some of the first comprehensive snapshots of river health — illuminating what’s at stake and how to protect it.
By repeating these surveys, they uncover how ecosystems shift with seasons and time — and what must be done to secure their future. No desks. No guesswork. Just boots in the mud, science in motion, and a mission to give Africa’s rivers — and the people and wildlife that depend on them — a voice.
Africa’s rivers form a vast and interconnected system — a natural backbone or ‘spine’ that supports life across the continent and links the water towers that feed sub-Saharan Africa. Many of them are poorly documented and understudied.
Major rivers such as the Nile, Congo, Okavango and Zambezi are part of this essential network, transporting water, nutrients, and people across thousands of kilometres. But this network is under growing pressure. Understanding and protecting this “spine” is critical — the Great Spine of Africa series of expeditions, supported by Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, began in 2022 to follow this geographical linkage and scientifically document many of them for the first time.
The expedition will undertake a total journey of 100,000 km across Africa’s major rivers.
Metrics as of today:
- 18 rivers sailed
- 73 expeditions completed in total
- 33,327 kilometers surveyed
- 60 million (!) paddle strokes
After the Zambezi-, the Congo- and the Okavango rivers, they have now set their eyes on discovering the Nile. From the source in the Nyungwe forest, sailing down the Nile in several stages to the delta in Egypt, and this over a period of 2 years. But after only 2 days of paddling, the expedition arrived at the Nile Institute Rwanda – a surprising meeting for both of us.
Their visit to the Nile Institute Rwanda and a presentation of its project is not without consequence… a joint venture seems to be born:
- We will welcome Steve for the Grand opening of the NIR in 2026.
- He will support in fundraising initiatives for Nile Institute Rwanda from 2027.
- We are closely in touch for a permanent collaboration.
Coincidence? Don’t think so! The Nile keeps connecting people, a new discovery every day! But for now, we hope they sail to good fortune; good luck!
