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Walking the Nile
The Nile, one of the world’s great rivers, has long been an object of fascination and obsession. From Alexander the Great and Nero, to Victorian adventurers David Livingstone, John Hanning Speke, and Henry Morton Stanley, the river has seduced men and led them into wild adventures. English writer, photographer, and explorer Levison Wood is just the latest. His Walking the Nile is a captivating account of a remarkable and unparalleled Nile journey.
Starting in November 2013 in a forest in Rwanda, where a modest spring spouts a trickle of clear, cold water, Wood set forth on foot, aiming to become the first person to walk the entire length of the fabled river. He followed the Nile for nine months, over 4,000 miles, through six nations—Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, the Republic of Sudan, and Egypt—to the Mediterranean coast.
Like his predecessors, Wood camped in the wild, foraged for food, and trudged through rainforest, swamp, savannah, and desert, enduring life-threatening conditions at every turn. He traversed sandstorms, flash floods, minefields, and more, becoming a local celebrity in Uganda, where a popular rap song was written about him, and a potential enemy of the state in South Sudan, where he found himself caught in a civil war and detained by the secret police. As well as recounting his triumphs, like escaping a charging hippo and staving off wild crocodiles, Wood’s gripping account recalls the loss of Matthew Power, a journalist who died suddenly from heat exhaustion during their trek. As Wood walks on, often joined by local guides who help him to navigate foreign languages and customs, Walking the Nile maps out African history and contemporary life.
An inimitable tale of survival, resilience, and sheer willpower, Walking the Nile is an inspiring chronicle of an epic journey down the lifeline of civilization in northern Africa.
Starting in November 2013 in a forest in Rwanda, where a modest spring spouts a trickle of clear, cold water, Wood set forth on foot, aiming to become the first person to walk the entire length of the fabled river. He followed the Nile for nine months, over 4,000 miles, through six nations—Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, the Republic of Sudan, and Egypt—to the Mediterranean coast.
Like his predecessors, Wood camped in the wild, foraged for food, and trudged through rainforest, swamp, savannah, and desert, enduring life-threatening conditions at every turn. He traversed sandstorms, flash floods, minefields, and more, becoming a local celebrity in Uganda, where a popular rap song was written about him, and a potential enemy of the state in South Sudan, where he found himself caught in a civil war and detained by the secret police. As well as recounting his triumphs, like escaping a charging hippo and staving off wild crocodiles, Wood’s gripping account recalls the loss of Matthew Power, a journalist who died suddenly from heat exhaustion during their trek. As Wood walks on, often joined by local guides who help him to navigate foreign languages and customs, Walking the Nile maps out African history and contemporary life.
An inimitable tale of survival, resilience, and sheer willpower, Walking the Nile is an inspiring chronicle of an epic journey down the lifeline of civilization in northern Africa.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 457 reviews
October 24, 2016
This is the kind of book I love to read: It's an incredible outdoor adventure, it's in a faraway land that I've never visited, and it's insightful and well-written.
Levison Wood is a British writer who decided to try and walk along the Nile River, all 4,000+ miles of it. He started his journey in the Nyungwe Forest in Rwanda, at a tributary that is believed to be the source of the Nile (but the source has long been in dispute) and followed the river as best he could as it worked its way north. At times, the trip was diverted because of civil war in South Sudan. Another time, one of Wood's traveling companions died because of the heat, a chapter that was devastating to read.
But Wood kept walking and pushing north to Egypt. It's an amazing story, and one I highly recommend to my fellow armchair travelers. Just be sure to have some tissues handy when Wood's friend dies.
Favorite Quotes
"I don't know where the idea to walk the entire length of the Nile came from ... I wanted to follow in a great tradition, to achieve something unusual and inspire in others the thirst to do the same. Much of my motivation was selfish, of course — to go on the greatest adventure of my life, to see what people can only dream about and test myself to the limits. But, ultimately, it came down to one thing. The Nile was there, and I wanted to walk it."
"I wanted to see the places Livingstone, Speke, Stanley and the rest had discovered as they cut their path into the heart of this most challenging continent. And, as in my expeditions in the past, I wanted to learn more about the people who lived along this mighty river, people whose lives were dictated by its ebb and flow. In a continent in which borders are always in flux, the Nile is a constant. I wanted to see how it shaped lives from the ground, day by day and mile by mile."
"Dams, and the taming of the Nile, seemed to be a constant feature of local politics, not just here in Uganda but further north as well. The Nile, it seemed, was all things to all men. A source of drinking water, food, entertainment, and above all else, money. The Nile is life."
"The realization was finally dawning on me that the footprints I was trailing across Africa were ephemeral, transitory things — that, whatever I could accomplish with this expedition, it could never last as long as these symbols of civilization before me. Here I was, on the threshold of the ancient world, where human beings have left a tangible reminder of their existence in the form of great tombs pointing to the heavens — a dedication, as it were, to the gods, of their own achievements and sacrifices. It was a humbling feeling."
Levison Wood is a British writer who decided to try and walk along the Nile River, all 4,000+ miles of it. He started his journey in the Nyungwe Forest in Rwanda, at a tributary that is believed to be the source of the Nile (but the source has long been in dispute) and followed the river as best he could as it worked its way north. At times, the trip was diverted because of civil war in South Sudan. Another time, one of Wood's traveling companions died because of the heat, a chapter that was devastating to read.
But Wood kept walking and pushing north to Egypt. It's an amazing story, and one I highly recommend to my fellow armchair travelers. Just be sure to have some tissues handy when Wood's friend dies.
Favorite Quotes
"I don't know where the idea to walk the entire length of the Nile came from ... I wanted to follow in a great tradition, to achieve something unusual and inspire in others the thirst to do the same. Much of my motivation was selfish, of course — to go on the greatest adventure of my life, to see what people can only dream about and test myself to the limits. But, ultimately, it came down to one thing. The Nile was there, and I wanted to walk it."
"I wanted to see the places Livingstone, Speke, Stanley and the rest had discovered as they cut their path into the heart of this most challenging continent. And, as in my expeditions in the past, I wanted to learn more about the people who lived along this mighty river, people whose lives were dictated by its ebb and flow. In a continent in which borders are always in flux, the Nile is a constant. I wanted to see how it shaped lives from the ground, day by day and mile by mile."
"Dams, and the taming of the Nile, seemed to be a constant feature of local politics, not just here in Uganda but further north as well. The Nile, it seemed, was all things to all men. A source of drinking water, food, entertainment, and above all else, money. The Nile is life."
"The realization was finally dawning on me that the footprints I was trailing across Africa were ephemeral, transitory things — that, whatever I could accomplish with this expedition, it could never last as long as these symbols of civilization before me. Here I was, on the threshold of the ancient world, where human beings have left a tangible reminder of their existence in the form of great tombs pointing to the heavens — a dedication, as it were, to the gods, of their own achievements and sacrifices. It was a humbling feeling."
August 12, 2020
Try spending 271 days walking over 4,100 miles from the source of the Nile River in Rwanda in central Africa to its end at the Mediterranean Sea in Egypt. Then try doing it through steaming jungle, tribal warfare, bandits, a civil war in South Sudan, 120+ degree desert heat and fighting government red tape, secret police and bribery.
That's what English adventurer, explorer and author Levison Wood attempted to become the first human to walk the length of the Nile.
He overcame many delays, detours, the death of a reporter/photographer who was along for 150 miles of the trek and the need to find guides and porters through the different countries and tribal areas he had to cross.
Also covered in this adventure was brief histories of the various countries and locations Wood passed through from ancient Egypt, to explorations in the 19th century and modern day wars in central Africa.
Quite an amazing and terrifying reading experience.
That's what English adventurer, explorer and author Levison Wood attempted to become the first human to walk the length of the Nile.
He overcame many delays, detours, the death of a reporter/photographer who was along for 150 miles of the trek and the need to find guides and porters through the different countries and tribal areas he had to cross.
Also covered in this adventure was brief histories of the various countries and locations Wood passed through from ancient Egypt, to explorations in the 19th century and modern day wars in central Africa.
Quite an amazing and terrifying reading experience.
December 26, 2020
Levison Wood, a British writer, documents his trek from source to sea of the Nile River, and, in the process, provides detailed accounts of the people, politics, history, recent struggles, and ways of life in Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt. This book is perfect for an armchair traveler (like me) who will never go to these areas but wants to know what this part of the world is like.
Wood encounters many challenges, such as being chased by a hippo, dodging crocodiles, literally walking into a warzone, being detained by one country’s secret police, crossing a stretch of desert in search of water, navigating border crossings, finding guides, buying camels, evading smugglers, and viewing ruins of ancient civilizations. As he travels, he touches on topics related to the areas he travels – he visits the Rwandan genocide museum, talks to the leader of an orphanage dealing with the ongoing AIDS crisis, and discusses the many regional civil wars with their associated displaced populations. He views the changes brought by dams and deforestations.
I was impressed by the hospitality of the people. They enabled him to complete the journey, providing food and shelter despite having few resources. It is well-written, engrossing, and relates a wealth of information. The photos at the back give the reader a picture to go with the written word. Those who enjoy travel memoirs or learning about current-day challenges in Africa will want to read this book.
Memorable quotes:
“The strangest thing was, this wasn’t even the most extreme hospitality we had seen since leaving the desert two days before. In one dusty little shanty, where we had stopped to buy soda and water the camels, a shopkeeper – within ten minutes of discovering I was English – had offered to give me some land, build me a house, and find me a wife.”
“What we were walking through, I realised, was nothing less than the history of the world – not just the history of Sudan or its peoples, the Ancient Nubians, or even the prehistoric people who had come before. Everywhere we looked, there were reminders of how recent mankind’s appearance on this planet has been – and of how the earth has been transformed and transformed again across its lifetime.”
“It gives me great pleasure to think that in a small way my expedition has inspired others to travel and hopefully brought to attention a more positive and unseen side to Africa.”
Wood encounters many challenges, such as being chased by a hippo, dodging crocodiles, literally walking into a warzone, being detained by one country’s secret police, crossing a stretch of desert in search of water, navigating border crossings, finding guides, buying camels, evading smugglers, and viewing ruins of ancient civilizations. As he travels, he touches on topics related to the areas he travels – he visits the Rwandan genocide museum, talks to the leader of an orphanage dealing with the ongoing AIDS crisis, and discusses the many regional civil wars with their associated displaced populations. He views the changes brought by dams and deforestations.
I was impressed by the hospitality of the people. They enabled him to complete the journey, providing food and shelter despite having few resources. It is well-written, engrossing, and relates a wealth of information. The photos at the back give the reader a picture to go with the written word. Those who enjoy travel memoirs or learning about current-day challenges in Africa will want to read this book.
Memorable quotes:
“The strangest thing was, this wasn’t even the most extreme hospitality we had seen since leaving the desert two days before. In one dusty little shanty, where we had stopped to buy soda and water the camels, a shopkeeper – within ten minutes of discovering I was English – had offered to give me some land, build me a house, and find me a wife.”
“What we were walking through, I realised, was nothing less than the history of the world – not just the history of Sudan or its peoples, the Ancient Nubians, or even the prehistoric people who had come before. Everywhere we looked, there were reminders of how recent mankind’s appearance on this planet has been – and of how the earth has been transformed and transformed again across its lifetime.”
“It gives me great pleasure to think that in a small way my expedition has inspired others to travel and hopefully brought to attention a more positive and unseen side to Africa.”
January 16, 2021
Nubian Dreams
There is a place in the Nubian Desert, just past the pyramids, amongst the volcanoes, that is quiet and peaceful, where people farm as they had for thousands of years. I fell in love with this part of Africa, but maybe I was only dreaming that it existed like this, that there was such a place in all of Africa that modern warfare had not touched.
The above paragraph was probably how I romanticized this part of Africa for it was the only peaceful moments in the book, for. I was filled with tension while reading it, and some of that tension was also due to America’s own political unrest. It just felt to me like every country that Levison had entered was either having a war or had just ended one. The government of Rwanda was trying to make the people live together in peace, and one never knew who had committed the murders in the past or who had been the victims that survived the genocide. Uganda, it seemed was in a war, and Levison was trying to get through it without getting killed.
He mentioned not being able to talk to the people because he was always watched by the governments, but I felt that he could have at least described the landscape. I still don’t know what the Nile looks like; instead, I see a long road filled with the bodies of dead animals of all kinds and garbage everywhere. I see war torn buildings and people fleeing for their lives. I can see them gathered along the Nile without any tents or any kind of shelter, and I can still hear Levison ask, “What will they do when the rainy season gets here?” And it is those people that I thought about and still think about.
There is a place in the Nubian Desert, just past the pyramids, amongst the volcanoes, that is quiet and peaceful, where people farm as they had for thousands of years. I fell in love with this part of Africa, but maybe I was only dreaming that it existed like this, that there was such a place in all of Africa that modern warfare had not touched.
The above paragraph was probably how I romanticized this part of Africa for it was the only peaceful moments in the book, for. I was filled with tension while reading it, and some of that tension was also due to America’s own political unrest. It just felt to me like every country that Levison had entered was either having a war or had just ended one. The government of Rwanda was trying to make the people live together in peace, and one never knew who had committed the murders in the past or who had been the victims that survived the genocide. Uganda, it seemed was in a war, and Levison was trying to get through it without getting killed.
He mentioned not being able to talk to the people because he was always watched by the governments, but I felt that he could have at least described the landscape. I still don’t know what the Nile looks like; instead, I see a long road filled with the bodies of dead animals of all kinds and garbage everywhere. I see war torn buildings and people fleeing for their lives. I can see them gathered along the Nile without any tents or any kind of shelter, and I can still hear Levison ask, “What will they do when the rainy season gets here?” And it is those people that I thought about and still think about.
June 1, 2020
Levison Woods *almost* walked the whole Nile but had to skip most of South Sudan due to what feels like civil war eternal. No explorer has made it completely through and most don't make it through Al-Sudd, pictured in the background. He started at one (contested) origin of the White Nile, in Rwanda.
There are a few mentions of British people "discovering" parts of the region even though he mocks the "discovery" of the Rosetta Stone later in the book. He does have respect for the communities he passes through but understandably, he is treated with a wary surveillance, with frequent stallings due to bureaucracy. He can plan for some situations but loses a travel companion to heat stroke. It's not a region I will likely ever visit myself so I took my time and looked up more on the internet as I went.
I did watch the BBC miniseries that goes with this but it's better to read the book first to have more of the detail for parts they skip, and context they don't provide.
There are a few mentions of British people "discovering" parts of the region even though he mocks the "discovery" of the Rosetta Stone later in the book. He does have respect for the communities he passes through but understandably, he is treated with a wary surveillance, with frequent stallings due to bureaucracy. He can plan for some situations but loses a travel companion to heat stroke. It's not a region I will likely ever visit myself so I took my time and looked up more on the internet as I went.
I did watch the BBC miniseries that goes with this but it's better to read the book first to have more of the detail for parts they skip, and context they don't provide.
October 22, 2021
I thought this one far superior to Lev's 'Walking the Himalayas'. The prime reason is that Lev recounts the people that he travels with and meets along the way and gives a greater cultural insight into the regions he passes through. He occasionally slips into the odd banality - the laddish section in Egypt didn't sit well with the rest of the the book and his frequent use of 'England' to mean the whole of the UK was slightly irritating but that is more than compensated for by the breadth of the narrative and some of the things he encounters along the way. Recommended for anyone with an interest in trekking or adventure.
October 15, 2016
An interesting story but one which leaves one with serious doubts about the author's integrity. First, he never tells you that he's doing the walk for a television program in Britain or mentions the crew that document the story for him. I only learned about it after reading the book and scanning some reviews here. Check out Tom McShane Photography, a man who was never mentioned. This left me feeling disappointed, cheated, almost lied to since he gives the impression in the book that he is on his own except for the guides and porters he occasionally hires. But the money he spends on the expedition in Egypt alone should have been a signal that this was really a commercial enterprise and not the adventure of a dreamer. Second, his facts and descriptions are sorely lacking. The Nile has many tributaries which are all its source. He states that he walked in 122 degree temps in the desert on numerous occasions. Anyone who has ever experienced 122 degree temps for even a few minutes know that searing feeling on the skin, the intense drying of the mouth just standing still. He never describes the feeling, which leads one to the conclusion that he's exaggerating, just as he states that the Nile is over a mile wide at a certain point when it clearly is not even half a mile if you look on a map. I was still OK with the book forgiving its faults until Egypt, disappointed that I hadn't learned more but still entranced by the story. But my doubts overwhelmed me - how could he go along the Nile from Luxor to Cairo and miss Minya or at least not even mention it? Too often he'll begin a paragraph with 7 days later or 300 miles later. Are we missing something or was he? Third and finally, the book is about walking the Nile but the majority of the book is about his experiences in cities and with people, not with walking the Nile.
Bill Bryson only hiked part of the Appalachian Trail and still had enough experiences to write a good book and so did Levison Wood. But you might feel a little cheated by both of them when you're through by the feeling that they cheated. If you'd like more honest jaunts through Africa, you might try Paul Theroux, through Asia Tim Cope 'On the Trail of Ghenghis Khan', or The Orgeon Trail by Rinker Buck. You will get a better feel for their journeys.
Bill Bryson only hiked part of the Appalachian Trail and still had enough experiences to write a good book and so did Levison Wood. But you might feel a little cheated by both of them when you're through by the feeling that they cheated. If you'd like more honest jaunts through Africa, you might try Paul Theroux, through Asia Tim Cope 'On the Trail of Ghenghis Khan', or The Orgeon Trail by Rinker Buck. You will get a better feel for their journeys.
March 25, 2017
~*Full review here on The Bent Bookworm!*~
Levison Wood is an explorer. By his own admission, he has a perpetual case of wanderlust, traveling at every opportunity and never settling down. Quite the exciting life! This time his itchy feet take him to Africa, to an idea that has grown to an obsession: to walk the length of the Nile, from it’s (debated) source, to its end.
This book is much more than a backpacking story. It’s the story of one man seeing Africa through his first-world eyes, and coming to realize that when a person is still fighting just for daily survival, they cannot be concerned with his first-world piety. At one point, while trekking through Uganda, he writes:
Wood is obviously pained to see this scenario played out again and again. He admits to not having the answers. He listens to the arguments of native Africans who decry his comments about the destruction of Africa’s great wilderness and lands.
OUCH.
The books doesn’t dwell on these issues for the entirety, however. Wood is moving along his 4,000+ mile journey, through such varied terrain and countries that at times even reading about them makes your head spin. While the adventures of explorers like David Livingston are obviously close to his heart, at first he doesn’t seem to entirely feel the dangers of his modern day exploration. That changes however, when he is joined by a couple of journalists partway through the journey and one of them shockingly and suddenly succumbs to heat stroke. Prepare your tissues.
Actual danger for Wood himself escalates in the last half of the book, as Wood is (understandably, perhaps), detained and accused of being a spy in South Sudan. This is not the Western world. This is Africa. Rules do not apply. Eventually, Wood ends up changing his plans slightly to avoid the civil war.
All in all, this was an amazing book that only intensified my own desire for travel. Africa seems even more terrifying after reading it, but Wood’s descriptions of the people of Africa make it more approachable and more real than anything else I’ve read. My only complaint is that about 1/3 of the way through, it did seem to slow down a lot and get a bit mired down (much like that actual part of Wood’s journey). I pushed through it though, and was immensely glad I did!
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For as long as I can remember, I had wanted to embark on an epic journey, one that harked back to the great expeditions of times past, a journey that would test me both physically and mentally in a way that no other could.
Levison Wood is an explorer. By his own admission, he has a perpetual case of wanderlust, traveling at every opportunity and never settling down. Quite the exciting life! This time his itchy feet take him to Africa, to an idea that has grown to an obsession: to walk the length of the Nile, from it’s (debated) source, to its end.
This book is much more than a backpacking story. It’s the story of one man seeing Africa through his first-world eyes, and coming to realize that when a person is still fighting just for daily survival, they cannot be concerned with his first-world piety. At one point, while trekking through Uganda, he writes:
In the Mabira we’d seen 500-year-old trees sawn down at a rate of ten a day by teenagers who’d been paid three dollars by the landlord. This was big money for a poor villager, and with the economics of the industry working like that, what hope was there for convincing local Ugandan people to leave the forests alone? It’s all well and good preaching the wonders of conservation, but not to men with families to feed and roofs to keep over their heads.
Wood is obviously pained to see this scenario played out again and again. He admits to not having the answers. He listens to the arguments of native Africans who decry his comments about the destruction of Africa’s great wilderness and lands.
“You whites cut down your forest hundreds of years ago,” he said. “You had your industrial revolution, and when you needed wood you took it. Well, now we need ours. We need to plant crops to feed our children, and plant sugar so you can feed yours whatever shit you feed them.”
OUCH.
The books doesn’t dwell on these issues for the entirety, however. Wood is moving along his 4,000+ mile journey, through such varied terrain and countries that at times even reading about them makes your head spin. While the adventures of explorers like David Livingston are obviously close to his heart, at first he doesn’t seem to entirely feel the dangers of his modern day exploration. That changes however, when he is joined by a couple of journalists partway through the journey and one of them shockingly and suddenly succumbs to heat stroke. Prepare your tissues.
Actual danger for Wood himself escalates in the last half of the book, as Wood is (understandably, perhaps), detained and accused of being a spy in South Sudan. This is not the Western world. This is Africa. Rules do not apply. Eventually, Wood ends up changing his plans slightly to avoid the civil war.
All in all, this was an amazing book that only intensified my own desire for travel. Africa seems even more terrifying after reading it, but Wood’s descriptions of the people of Africa make it more approachable and more real than anything else I’ve read. My only complaint is that about 1/3 of the way through, it did seem to slow down a lot and get a bit mired down (much like that actual part of Wood’s journey). I pushed through it though, and was immensely glad I did!
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May 18, 2021
Wasn't sure what to expect from this one as I been under the impression that he was covered by an extensive crew so that there wouldn't be much chance of actual danger or predicaments? This turned out not to be the case as far as I could tell, since there were two situations where very unpleasant events occurred.
Wood is definitely no dilettante wimp, showing a great love of Africa and the African people in this story. Really glad I tried this one as my first exposure to his travels, and will certainly consider reading more of his adventures.
Gildart Jackson did a great job with the narration, so disappointing that he doesn't seen to have recorded any other titles in the series.
Wood is definitely no dilettante wimp, showing a great love of Africa and the African people in this story. Really glad I tried this one as my first exposure to his travels, and will certainly consider reading more of his adventures.
Gildart Jackson did a great job with the narration, so disappointing that he doesn't seen to have recorded any other titles in the series.
April 14, 2019
Read: February 2016
Re-read: April 2019
Rating: 5/5 stars, best of 2016
Walking the Nile is the companion book to the TV documentary that was shown on Channel 4 last January. I really enjoyed watching it and when I saw the book was available on kindle for 99p I had to buy it.
Levison Wood is a really good writer. His descriptions of his surroundings, the people he met and the countries he visited were so vivid and real. The book adds more depth to the journey he took as he is able to describe more details than could be shown on TV. In particular he wrote a lot about the death of Matt Power, an American journalist who was going to accompany him for a week on his journey but died of heatstroke after only a few days. The book shows how much Wood struggled with the decision to carry on walking the length of Nile, and how Matt's death influenced the way he carried on with the walk. It was very moving.
Wood didn't shy away from talking about the corruption in some of the countries he visited, especially at the border crossing into Egypt but he also showed how generous and giving the people were who lived along the route. In Sudan he was offered a place to stay and given food every night by people who barely had enough to feed themselves.
You don't need to have watched the show to read the book; the fact that Wood is being filmed all along the walk is barely mentioned at all. I think anyone interested in travelling and exploring would really enjoy reading this book.
I have just finished watching Wood's new Channel 4 show; Walking the Himalayas, and I will definitely buy the companion book to that series as well.
Re-read: April 2019
Rating: 5/5 stars, best of 2016
Walking the Nile is the companion book to the TV documentary that was shown on Channel 4 last January. I really enjoyed watching it and when I saw the book was available on kindle for 99p I had to buy it.
Levison Wood is a really good writer. His descriptions of his surroundings, the people he met and the countries he visited were so vivid and real. The book adds more depth to the journey he took as he is able to describe more details than could be shown on TV. In particular he wrote a lot about the death of Matt Power, an American journalist who was going to accompany him for a week on his journey but died of heatstroke after only a few days. The book shows how much Wood struggled with the decision to carry on walking the length of Nile, and how Matt's death influenced the way he carried on with the walk. It was very moving.
Wood didn't shy away from talking about the corruption in some of the countries he visited, especially at the border crossing into Egypt but he also showed how generous and giving the people were who lived along the route. In Sudan he was offered a place to stay and given food every night by people who barely had enough to feed themselves.
You don't need to have watched the show to read the book; the fact that Wood is being filmed all along the walk is barely mentioned at all. I think anyone interested in travelling and exploring would really enjoy reading this book.
I have just finished watching Wood's new Channel 4 show; Walking the Himalayas, and I will definitely buy the companion book to that series as well.
July 28, 2016
A cracking adventure and one hell of an achievement, walking the length of the Nile. My two favourite modern day adventurers are Levison Wood and Ed Stafford, I think Ed is better on camera but Lev is miles better at writing.
His writing is entertaining and at times moving, as he nears the end of his journey you really do feel for him. I don't want to say too much about scenes from the book as it will spoil things for those who haven't read it, all I'll say is there are happy times, danger, tragedy and many dire circumstances.
The countries he is walking through have had some shockingly dark times in the 100 years and Lev does a good job of telling peoples stories, so much different to what the media tells you.
I watched the TV series and then started the book and I found it quite interesting that things were missing from the Book that was in the series, I'd have thought all of it would have been in the book.
A fantastic read, I recommend watching the TV series before hand as it adds to the experience. now onto his walking the Himalayas.
His writing is entertaining and at times moving, as he nears the end of his journey you really do feel for him. I don't want to say too much about scenes from the book as it will spoil things for those who haven't read it, all I'll say is there are happy times, danger, tragedy and many dire circumstances.
The countries he is walking through have had some shockingly dark times in the 100 years and Lev does a good job of telling peoples stories, so much different to what the media tells you.
I watched the TV series and then started the book and I found it quite interesting that things were missing from the Book that was in the series, I'd have thought all of it would have been in the book.
A fantastic read, I recommend watching the TV series before hand as it adds to the experience. now onto his walking the Himalayas.
March 13, 2024
Imagine an expedition of 4250 miles to be precise - On Foot & while you'd be thinking 'walking' would be the most difficult part, apparently it's the easiest compared to going through
communal conflicts, civil wars, finding roof every night to sleep, seeking permissions, getting arrested, getting looted, crocodiles, Hippo & some other grave things that Levison Wood had to go through on this amazing and brave journey of Walking the Nile
--------------
Rating: 5 star!
This would be the most satisfying book of the year for me!
First of all, it'd take really an extremely brave person to even think of attempting a journey of 4250 miles on nothing else but foot! In fact that was one of his 'rules' that he won't be using any modes of transport unless an absolute emergency!
Walking the Nile is an exception travelogue by a British explorer Levison Wood who was just 32 when he attempted this heroic feat!
A great example of - It's about the journey not the destination, this book describes in detail Lev's expedition through a passage of 6 countries - Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Sudan & Egypt.
Like it's title, Lev stuck to walking very close to the Nile, to avoid getting lost and be on track! Throughout the journey Lev faced tons of challenges which shows the intensity of this task!
Along the way, Lev had had a couple guides to help him wade through, porters, friends, journalists, camel operators which were a part of Lev's journey in different times.
Funniest of them was Boston whereas Moez was a great companion!
A great thing about the book is Lev's writing! It is quite precise and upto the mark!
Infact his choice of words were bang-on!
You can visualise the forests of Nyumgwe & feel the trickle of Nile's origin, the witch doctor on Lake Victoria, Crocodiles & hospitality of good people in south Sudan, Desert storms (Haboobs) in the Bayuda desert & even the spies in Egypt!
It's marvellous & a very satisfying experience to read it! The journey was full of obstacles and challenges of various kind. There was an unfortunate incident but Levison didn't budge from his mission even when there were time he didn't want to!
I'd recommend this book to: Folks interested in Travelogues! However, there wasn't one dull moment in the book and I'd pretty much recommend this to anyone who loves adventure !
--
Read about Levison's expedition to the Himalayas right after he walks the Nile - Review which is equally thrilling and exciting!
communal conflicts, civil wars, finding roof every night to sleep, seeking permissions, getting arrested, getting looted, crocodiles, Hippo & some other grave things that Levison Wood had to go through on this amazing and brave journey of Walking the Nile
--------------
Rating: 5 star!
This would be the most satisfying book of the year for me!
First of all, it'd take really an extremely brave person to even think of attempting a journey of 4250 miles on nothing else but foot! In fact that was one of his 'rules' that he won't be using any modes of transport unless an absolute emergency!
Walking the Nile is an exception travelogue by a British explorer Levison Wood who was just 32 when he attempted this heroic feat!
A great example of - It's about the journey not the destination, this book describes in detail Lev's expedition through a passage of 6 countries - Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Sudan & Egypt.
Like it's title, Lev stuck to walking very close to the Nile, to avoid getting lost and be on track! Throughout the journey Lev faced tons of challenges which shows the intensity of this task!
Along the way, Lev had had a couple guides to help him wade through, porters, friends, journalists, camel operators which were a part of Lev's journey in different times.
Funniest of them was Boston whereas Moez was a great companion!
A great thing about the book is Lev's writing! It is quite precise and upto the mark!
Infact his choice of words were bang-on!
You can visualise the forests of Nyumgwe & feel the trickle of Nile's origin, the witch doctor on Lake Victoria, Crocodiles & hospitality of good people in south Sudan, Desert storms (Haboobs) in the Bayuda desert & even the spies in Egypt!
It's marvellous & a very satisfying experience to read it! The journey was full of obstacles and challenges of various kind. There was an unfortunate incident but Levison didn't budge from his mission even when there were time he didn't want to!
I'd recommend this book to: Folks interested in Travelogues! However, there wasn't one dull moment in the book and I'd pretty much recommend this to anyone who loves adventure !
--
Read about Levison's expedition to the Himalayas right after he walks the Nile - Review which is equally thrilling and exciting!
September 6, 2022
EXCELLENT telling of Wood's harrowing hike from the source of the Nile all the way to the Med, passing through such garden spots as Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan and Egypt. However...have learned from experience that such stories are better appreciated when taken in smaller doses, so am putting this aside at the convenient halfway point, just as Wood crosses into South Sudan. Will definitely return in a week or two, after a break for something less intense...
...and now I'm back and finished. I also just listened to Wood's Walking the Himalayas; and while I found it thoroughly enjoyable, Nile is by far the better book, the grander adventure, the more compelling story. In fact, while Nile is an obvious bookend to Himalayas, it is in many ways an even more fitting companion to Alan Moorehead's classic The White Nile. White Nile tells the story of the river's exploration from roughly 1850-1900, while Walking the Nile gives us a contemporary (2014) and often heartbreaking snapshot of the river and its surrounding lands today. So for the true gourmand, I would recommend reading the three books in that order - White Nile and then Walking the Nile, with Walking the Himalayas for dessert (if you still have room).
White Nile is itself a fairly violent history - what stories of exploration and colonial conquest aren't? - but the gauzy lens of time adds a layer of adventure and even romance. But there's no such filter on Walking the Nile. As Wood travels downstream from south to north, he moves from conflict zone to conflict zone, passing from the killing fields of Rwanda to a Uganda still struggling to recover from the depravities of Idi Amin, and then on to South Sudan, whose bizarre and intractable tribal war reads like deleted scenes from "Apocalypse Now."
And that's just the first third of the journey. The unstable situation north of Juba forces Wood to skip the endless swamps of the Sudd and jump ahead to Khartoum. Very likely this was a life-saving move for Wood, but it also neatly divides the book into two distinct sections - the jungles of the upper Christian/animist "black African" Nile, followed by the deserts of the lower, Muslim Arab Nile.
But despite the change in scenery, the misery remains the same. Sudan continues to suffer under the military dictatorship of Omar al-Bashirl while a thousand kilometers north, Egypt remains in near constant unrest, a situation largely unchanged since the Arab Spring in 2011. In fact, one of the book's more interesting surprises (and there are many), is that it is the people of Sudan - which the State Dept's still lists as a "State Sponsors of Terrorism" - who are the book's most hospitable and friendly; while Egypt - the land of pyramids and countless tour packages - is second only to South Sudan as the most oppressive, suspicious and generally "on edge" country along Wood's route.
Wood is a competent but not exceptional writer. However, there is so much innate magic in this book that it remains captivating throughout, (all except for the last few chapters, which - intentionally, I hope - are almost as much of a slog to read as they were to walk). Desert is desert, and so both Sudan and (even more so) Egypt lack the wildlife, diversity and inherent interest of the southern jungles. But Wood's "short cut" through the volcanic moonscape of the Bayuda Desert is a riveting story in itself. And for some reason I can't forget his trip to Meroe, the ancient Nubian trading center now all but lost to the Sahara north of Khartoum. Wood describes the many pyramids and history of the place with suitable awe and even a dash of artistry, but then has his guide ask their bored camel drivers if they even know what the pyramids are. Their response - a shrug and a simple "piles of rocks" - speaks volumes; just really nice.
You can see my review of Walking the Himlayas at (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... and The White Nile at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....
(NOTE TO SELF: Sweet! Just picked up a brand new copy for 99¢ at our monster used bookstore. Gotta love used bookstores!!)
...and now I'm back and finished. I also just listened to Wood's Walking the Himalayas; and while I found it thoroughly enjoyable, Nile is by far the better book, the grander adventure, the more compelling story. In fact, while Nile is an obvious bookend to Himalayas, it is in many ways an even more fitting companion to Alan Moorehead's classic The White Nile. White Nile tells the story of the river's exploration from roughly 1850-1900, while Walking the Nile gives us a contemporary (2014) and often heartbreaking snapshot of the river and its surrounding lands today. So for the true gourmand, I would recommend reading the three books in that order - White Nile and then Walking the Nile, with Walking the Himalayas for dessert (if you still have room).
White Nile is itself a fairly violent history - what stories of exploration and colonial conquest aren't? - but the gauzy lens of time adds a layer of adventure and even romance. But there's no such filter on Walking the Nile. As Wood travels downstream from south to north, he moves from conflict zone to conflict zone, passing from the killing fields of Rwanda to a Uganda still struggling to recover from the depravities of Idi Amin, and then on to South Sudan, whose bizarre and intractable tribal war reads like deleted scenes from "Apocalypse Now."
And that's just the first third of the journey. The unstable situation north of Juba forces Wood to skip the endless swamps of the Sudd and jump ahead to Khartoum. Very likely this was a life-saving move for Wood, but it also neatly divides the book into two distinct sections - the jungles of the upper Christian/animist "black African" Nile, followed by the deserts of the lower, Muslim Arab Nile.
But despite the change in scenery, the misery remains the same. Sudan continues to suffer under the military dictatorship of Omar al-Bashirl while a thousand kilometers north, Egypt remains in near constant unrest, a situation largely unchanged since the Arab Spring in 2011. In fact, one of the book's more interesting surprises (and there are many), is that it is the people of Sudan - which the State Dept's still lists as a "State Sponsors of Terrorism" - who are the book's most hospitable and friendly; while Egypt - the land of pyramids and countless tour packages - is second only to South Sudan as the most oppressive, suspicious and generally "on edge" country along Wood's route.
Wood is a competent but not exceptional writer. However, there is so much innate magic in this book that it remains captivating throughout, (all except for the last few chapters, which - intentionally, I hope - are almost as much of a slog to read as they were to walk). Desert is desert, and so both Sudan and (even more so) Egypt lack the wildlife, diversity and inherent interest of the southern jungles. But Wood's "short cut" through the volcanic moonscape of the Bayuda Desert is a riveting story in itself. And for some reason I can't forget his trip to Meroe, the ancient Nubian trading center now all but lost to the Sahara north of Khartoum. Wood describes the many pyramids and history of the place with suitable awe and even a dash of artistry, but then has his guide ask their bored camel drivers if they even know what the pyramids are. Their response - a shrug and a simple "piles of rocks" - speaks volumes; just really nice.
You can see my review of Walking the Himlayas at (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... and The White Nile at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....
(NOTE TO SELF: Sweet! Just picked up a brand new copy for 99¢ at our monster used bookstore. Gotta love used bookstores!!)
December 3, 2017
‘The whole notion of white men dangerously journeying to foreign lands is too intimately connected to the colonial nostalgia that pervades “Great Britain” for it to be something to celebrate’. That is a comment from Guardian columnist Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff concerning the disappearance of Benedict Allen another British ‘explorer’. This statement was in the back of my mind while reading this book. Very early in the book Wood shows huge admiration for those Victorian explorers of Speke, Stanley and Livingstone.
I can see Brinkhurst-Cuff’s point but Wood is not out there sticking a flag in a territory and claiming it for Britain. He is not looking for lost tribes and imposing himself and naming things after the Queen. This is a travelogue that is educational and exciting. Of course, he is in the position of absolute privilege. I am sure he would not deny that. He says himself ‘part of me knew I was on a different kind of journey from the ones I had grown up reading about, but our journeys did have some things in common. Like them, I was here exploring people. Constantly in flux, constantly evolving, there is always something new to discover about people – and I was here to bring home stories of what life was like in corners of the world that do not always make it into our headlines. I had this, at least, in common with the heroes in whose footsteps I was following’.
I have already seen the TV program which I thoroughly enjoyed so I sat back, coffee in hand, ambient on the MP3 player, notebook at the ready and immersed myself in the 4,250-mile journey from the source (one of many) in Rwanda to the Mediterranean Sea in north Egypt. There were bits in the program that were not in the book. You expect things to be in the book but not in the program due to time but not the other way round. It is epic in every sense and he does indeed meet some interesting people and animals for that matter. With history and human drama thrown in as he carries-on his journey this is exactly the kind of travelogue I love reading. Great stuff Lev. I am sure that Charlie would not be impressed in the slightest but I really enjoyed it.
I can see Brinkhurst-Cuff’s point but Wood is not out there sticking a flag in a territory and claiming it for Britain. He is not looking for lost tribes and imposing himself and naming things after the Queen. This is a travelogue that is educational and exciting. Of course, he is in the position of absolute privilege. I am sure he would not deny that. He says himself ‘part of me knew I was on a different kind of journey from the ones I had grown up reading about, but our journeys did have some things in common. Like them, I was here exploring people. Constantly in flux, constantly evolving, there is always something new to discover about people – and I was here to bring home stories of what life was like in corners of the world that do not always make it into our headlines. I had this, at least, in common with the heroes in whose footsteps I was following’.
I have already seen the TV program which I thoroughly enjoyed so I sat back, coffee in hand, ambient on the MP3 player, notebook at the ready and immersed myself in the 4,250-mile journey from the source (one of many) in Rwanda to the Mediterranean Sea in north Egypt. There were bits in the program that were not in the book. You expect things to be in the book but not in the program due to time but not the other way round. It is epic in every sense and he does indeed meet some interesting people and animals for that matter. With history and human drama thrown in as he carries-on his journey this is exactly the kind of travelogue I love reading. Great stuff Lev. I am sure that Charlie would not be impressed in the slightest but I really enjoyed it.
May 27, 2016
This is Levinson Wood’s story on his walk from the source of the Nile to its end at the Mediterranean Sea. This distance of over 4,000 miles included miles of walking in declared and undeclared war zones, through deserts, swamps and cities. Each border crossing had its own unique peril. Temperatures were over 120 were common and water often scarce.
This is an engrossing read. There is a brief outline of places before Woods tells of his visit. For instance, you get a short re-cap on the quest for the Nile’s source before you get to Nyungwe Forest; you get a snapshot of Jubba and how after Sudan’s civil war, it flourished as a city before you read of its devastation. Sometimes he has the guides tell the story, from Moez Mahir you learn about the Nubians and the ancient city of Moroe and its pyramids; from Turbo, you understand post-revolutionary Egypt.
There are provocative portraits of guides and fixers. Wood seems to under-appreciate Ndoole Boston until they part. Allam and Turbo, with their perfect English remain curious. Moez seems to be a made for TV travel guide.
The text on the loss of a friend is beautiful and thoughtful. It reminds the reader of that all does not have to end well.
Like a reality TV show there has to be more infrastructure behind this trip than is revealed. You read the arrangements that Wood makes himself, for instance, finding lodging or buying camels, but the nuts and bolts of how he found guides, met friends and joiners with precision and carried and replenished money (for instance after it was “left behind” with a border guard) are left to the imagination.
I could have used more pages on each of the visits but then it might not have moved along so well. Each of the wallet sized photos is great, but after reading this you crave a coffee table sized book/album. I only used the Index once and it worked.
I understand this is a BBC series, which I hope we can get in the US.
This is an engrossing read. There is a brief outline of places before Woods tells of his visit. For instance, you get a short re-cap on the quest for the Nile’s source before you get to Nyungwe Forest; you get a snapshot of Jubba and how after Sudan’s civil war, it flourished as a city before you read of its devastation. Sometimes he has the guides tell the story, from Moez Mahir you learn about the Nubians and the ancient city of Moroe and its pyramids; from Turbo, you understand post-revolutionary Egypt.
There are provocative portraits of guides and fixers. Wood seems to under-appreciate Ndoole Boston until they part. Allam and Turbo, with their perfect English remain curious. Moez seems to be a made for TV travel guide.
The text on the loss of a friend is beautiful and thoughtful. It reminds the reader of that all does not have to end well.
Like a reality TV show there has to be more infrastructure behind this trip than is revealed. You read the arrangements that Wood makes himself, for instance, finding lodging or buying camels, but the nuts and bolts of how he found guides, met friends and joiners with precision and carried and replenished money (for instance after it was “left behind” with a border guard) are left to the imagination.
I could have used more pages on each of the visits but then it might not have moved along so well. Each of the wallet sized photos is great, but after reading this you crave a coffee table sized book/album. I only used the Index once and it worked.
I understand this is a BBC series, which I hope we can get in the US.
June 15, 2017
There are a handful of rivers that are globally known, the Amazon which spans the continent of South America and the Nile which reaches deep into Africa. It is a river that has continually challenged explorers who have dared to take it on, not all of whom have mastered it, it is 4250 miles long after all. Levison Wood decided to walk its length. Not only is it an epic challenge in its own right but he would have to pass through jungles, savannahs, crocodile infested swamps, and one of the world’s hottest deserts, some of the most hostile environments in Africa as he walked north to the Mediterranean. Not only that but the seven countries that he would walk through are some of the most troubled and dangerous places on the planet.
Thankfully Wood as an ex-army officer is a tough character and he was going to need all the skills that he learnt there to keep the physical and mental strength up. As he walks we get a commentary on the state of modern Africa as seen from the people making a living there, rather than the sanitised reports that you will read here. He doesn’t walk alone as he has guides and is joined by friends at various points of the journey.
The rest of me was scattered, back across Africa, back along the river from which I had come
Wood is an amiable bloke who can make friends quickly and has a knack of diffusing tensions when they do arise. It is an unbelievably tough journey that took no prisoners full of euphoric moments and tragedy. He took a huge personal risk in undertaking this walk, the threats were real and present every single day, but all the way though the book he shows grit, determination and resilience with all the challenges that Africa throws at him. A genuine tough guy and a great adventure book. 4.5 stars
Thankfully Wood as an ex-army officer is a tough character and he was going to need all the skills that he learnt there to keep the physical and mental strength up. As he walks we get a commentary on the state of modern Africa as seen from the people making a living there, rather than the sanitised reports that you will read here. He doesn’t walk alone as he has guides and is joined by friends at various points of the journey.
The rest of me was scattered, back across Africa, back along the river from which I had come
Wood is an amiable bloke who can make friends quickly and has a knack of diffusing tensions when they do arise. It is an unbelievably tough journey that took no prisoners full of euphoric moments and tragedy. He took a huge personal risk in undertaking this walk, the threats were real and present every single day, but all the way though the book he shows grit, determination and resilience with all the challenges that Africa throws at him. A genuine tough guy and a great adventure book. 4.5 stars
September 17, 2015
Inspiring and passionate. Best book I've read this year. There are, however, two reasons I didn't give it 5 stars:
1) It felt very rushed towards the end. I know that he was close to the end of his journey and God knows, I wanted him to get there, but whilst his accounts of Rwanda, Uganda and Sudan were so rich and wonderful, his accounts of Egypt were kept a bit short. Go back and do it again, Lev! :0)
2) There was a conscious decision in the narrative to make it seem like the journey was undertaken by him, his guides, a couple of porters to carry their stuff, and occasionally a friend or two here and there...This wasn't true though. We know for a fact that this trip was also a television series. We know he had a camera crew with him but for some reason this is not mentioned at all in the book, which makes me wonder why. - Surely all the trouble he had with the authorities, the interrogations and arrests, as well as the huge sums of money he had to pay (in Egypt, for example) was because he had a whole entourage with him?
1) It felt very rushed towards the end. I know that he was close to the end of his journey and God knows, I wanted him to get there, but whilst his accounts of Rwanda, Uganda and Sudan were so rich and wonderful, his accounts of Egypt were kept a bit short. Go back and do it again, Lev! :0)
2) There was a conscious decision in the narrative to make it seem like the journey was undertaken by him, his guides, a couple of porters to carry their stuff, and occasionally a friend or two here and there...This wasn't true though. We know for a fact that this trip was also a television series. We know he had a camera crew with him but for some reason this is not mentioned at all in the book, which makes me wonder why. - Surely all the trouble he had with the authorities, the interrogations and arrests, as well as the huge sums of money he had to pay (in Egypt, for example) was because he had a whole entourage with him?
July 12, 2015
What an inspirational, awe-inspiring story. Ex-soldier Levison Wood sets out to do what no one has achieved - to walk the entire length of the Nile River. Beginning at a small stream in the Rwandan hills, his goal is to hike more than 4000 miles North to the Mediterranean. Through rainforests, deserts, swamps, cities, villages and war zones, Lev fights through the wildlife, rough terrain, and his own personal psychological battle in an attempt to write his name in the history books. His tale will engage anyone who has ever dreamed of adventure.
November 18, 2018
My original review was deleted with the book from my read list.So I am just summarizing what I wrote in detail about the book.
Its an amazing journey and the book is well written.Its a goodread even if you have seen the show.
Its an amazing journey and the book is well written.Its a goodread even if you have seen the show.
October 25, 2022
I found this book to be very interesting. I learned about places and cultures that I may never visit. When I was listening to the book (audiobook), I wondered why he decided to walk the Nile other than the desire to write a book and how the trip was financed. As it turned out, Wood was a bit deceptive. He was filming a documentary for Animal Planet. I haven't seen it, but at least some of the time, he had to have a video crew around him. He never made any reference to these people. I don't understand why Wood wasn't more open about filming in the book. It makes me wonder about the veracity of other aspects of the journey. Wood skipped over large blocks of time. Maybe there is more he isn't telling us. What he did reveal was interesting and I looked forward to listening to the book during my commute, so I'll stick with four stars.
February 9, 2016
I expected this book to have much more description; the author is walking the full length of the Nile, after all. There was a great deal of introspection (expected) and a clear picture of the political strife that was (is) ongoing. Readers don't really see Africa, though.
December 27, 2020
If you enjoy reading about trekking in remote and wild places, you should enjoy this account of the first man to walk the length of the Nile from its source in Rwanda, through Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, the Sudan and Egypt. There is plenty of danger and hardship, and tragedy too. I was enthralled reading about places, people and cultures I’ll probably never experience. The author writes in a very readable style. Loved it.
February 21, 2016
An Englishman recounts the details of his 2013-14 quest to be the first person on record to have walked the full length of the Nile River. It's an interesting journey, to be sure, but while reading, I had two alternating reactions. The first, unfortunately, was that Mr. Wood came off as an entitled adventure-bro, with time and money to burn in pursuit of a "because it's there" goal that could only be achieved with the assistance of countless anonymous (and a few named) porters and guides who often were only mentioned when they "lazily" abandoned the expedition. I hardly liked him at the best times, and wanted to slap him at the worst. At the same time, I was reminded at every step he took that my ignorance of Africa was shockingly complete. I hardly read a page that didn't have a new (to me) fact of geography, history, or culture on it, and was forced to admit that I'm probably a step below the adventure-bro, down here at the level of couch-bound ignoramus. I'm glad I read this for the curiosity about area - especially Sudan and the area between the Sudd and Khartoum - that it inspired, but a good travel guide would probably be a better choice.
July 24, 2016
There are actual punishments out there less severe than Levinson Wood's self inflicted marathon trek along the Nile. Spending that kind of time in those areas of Africa seems like a punishment in itself, but Wood actually walked most of it, some across a desert and other terrains ranging from inhospitable to extreme. Then again the man does come across as an extreme sort of adventurer, almost an endurance athlete, certainly an adrenaline junkie. There is something equally admirable and maddening in that sort of determination. For a neither particularly adventurous nor determined person like myself it's inexplicable, but certainly fascinating to read about. Wood is former military, which might account for some of his stamina and bravery, if bravery is the right word for someone walking into South Sudan or crossing a desert in the middle of the summer. But whatever the psychological make up of the author might be to enable him to perform these insane feats, he did write a great book about it. This is all the things a travelogue should be, it's descriptive, well written, covering history of the region, past and present sociopolitical conditions, the courageous souls who walked the path before him and most importantly really giving the readers a glimpse of what it must be like to carry out such an undertaking, physically and psychologically. There is also apparently a tv show to go along with the book, which would be great to see, but the book is vivid enough that you almost don't need to. It is interesting to reflect on the fact that most of the men who have gone on these sorts of mission are guided by forces that bystanders might struggle to understand, George Mallory wanted to climb Everest because, as he put it, It was there. And Africa is just...there. It must appear insane to the locals who struggle with their day to day lives to see men and women of first world privilege to deliberately commit themselves to these levels of privation. And yet since about 18th century for money, fame, fortune, charity or pure spirit of adventure off they went. My favorite one was Samuel Baker, someone should really do a movie about that guy, he's awesome. But at least back then there was still so much to discover, now it seems no longer about that, but more so about setting records. Wood's goal was to be the first man who walked the entire duration and, with a small exception of South Sudan area, where he had something of a reality check that even his single mindedness was unable to ignore, he succeed. Africa as Wood presents it is as horrid of a place as one might suspect from reading the news, there is no romanticizing it here, it's chaotic, dangerous, desperate, uneducated, tragic kind of a nightmare with venal bureaucrats, ignorance, greed and violence ruling supreme, constant tribal warfare and so on, mostly rural and primitive with occasional oasis of a semi modern city and going on that way pretty much right until Egypt, that hasn't been the easiest and calmest of places in recent history either. The greatness and magic long gone since the glory days of Egypt, Nubia and Kingdom of Kush. It can be argued that this is a subjectively western look at a distinct culture, but some signifiers are universal and some facts are...well, factual and so it seems like the safest way to visit Africa is via a book like this from the comfort of your armchair. Really enjoyable, great fun to read, probably not an ideal choice during heatwave, but a great choice all the same. Recommended.
May 7, 2025
3.5 stars
January 5, 2016
I have often been asked: "Why the itchy feet?" "Why do you always want to go somewhere, when you just got back?" There has never been one perfect answer that could explain my feeling and love for seeing something new. Levison Wood was able to explain that same feeling in such a simple way, something which can be related by any travel enthusiast.
"Before I set out on this expedition I had been asked, more times than I care to remember, about the idea of exploration. The question of what it means in the modern world isn't so easy to answer. To some, the very idea seems archaic - and, in a world of Google Maps, where every valley and hillside has already been plotted, the traditional age of exploration is gone. But exploration has always been about more than pure discovery, or of being the first to do something."
One of the most intriguing travelogue that I had the good fortune to read in recent times, Walking the mile is a detailed and captivating account of one of the most fascinating adventure in the history of travel. This is one of the those book that truly epitomises the saying: "what you see is, what you get."Starting in November 2013 in a forest in Rawanda, at a site of modest spring sprouting a trickle of water, each step set out to declare Wood as the first person to walk the entire length of this fabled largest river of the world.
Read more about the review here - Book Review #5: Walking the Nile | Twisted Top in Flip Flops
https://ishitarc1908.wordpress.com/20...
"Before I set out on this expedition I had been asked, more times than I care to remember, about the idea of exploration. The question of what it means in the modern world isn't so easy to answer. To some, the very idea seems archaic - and, in a world of Google Maps, where every valley and hillside has already been plotted, the traditional age of exploration is gone. But exploration has always been about more than pure discovery, or of being the first to do something."
One of the most intriguing travelogue that I had the good fortune to read in recent times, Walking the mile is a detailed and captivating account of one of the most fascinating adventure in the history of travel. This is one of the those book that truly epitomises the saying: "what you see is, what you get."Starting in November 2013 in a forest in Rawanda, at a site of modest spring sprouting a trickle of water, each step set out to declare Wood as the first person to walk the entire length of this fabled largest river of the world.
Read more about the review here - Book Review #5: Walking the Nile | Twisted Top in Flip Flops
https://ishitarc1908.wordpress.com/20...
June 23, 2016
I bought this book on a whim after reading The Emerald Mile by Kevin Fedarko. That book was full of intriguing bits of history and huge, impactful tales of adventure. I read the entire book over the course of two days and was sad to see it end. Throughout the reading I found myself imagining myself to be a great adventurer who could shoot the rapids right alongside the men in the book. So, I saw Mr Wood's book with its captivating cover and immediately bought it. I really wanted to love it the same way that I loved my adventure through the Grand Canyon. I wanted this book to inspire me to dream of walking the Nile. I wanted to feel the danger, learn the history and dream of the bold and thrilling walk taken by Mr Wood. Unfortunately this book did not stand up to the comparison. For me it felt more like a journal than a novel. I realize that it is nonfiction and is told chronologically, but it doesn't tempt me to walk the Nile. It doesn't prod me to buy more books on similar subjects. This book doesn't scream at me from its place in my library to be read again or to be shared with friends. It also doesn't make me angry that I wasted my precious reading hours... so I guess, in my opinion, it is a comfortably average book.
April 10, 2015
I picked this up in an airport and honestly didn't expect that much - I like armchair travel and exploration novels, so I thought it would be an appealing, quick read - but I was pleasantly surprised both by the quality of the writing and the depth of the political and historical discourse. Wood gives a lot of great insight into the history of each country he visits, and explains the complex, often very distressing present realities of each well. The book conveys how truly difficult and dangerous the journey was. (Obviously this is most painfully clear in what happens to Matt Power.) Lev himself comes off as highly capable and responsible, and as deeply concerned for the welfare of both his companions, the people he meets, and the fates of the countries he treks through.
I did find the early sections the most interesting; the dynamic between Lev and Boston worked really well and a bit of life went out when Boston departed. You do feel the weight that descends on Lev when he moves into the Sudan and Egypt, and while the book is still fascinating in those sections, it isn't quite as engaging, if that makes sense.
I did find the early sections the most interesting; the dynamic between Lev and Boston worked really well and a bit of life went out when Boston departed. You do feel the weight that descends on Lev when he moves into the Sudan and Egypt, and while the book is still fascinating in those sections, it isn't quite as engaging, if that makes sense.
April 24, 2025
I always find it's a bit of a risk, taking up any non-fiction travelling book. A book simply about any particular country - cultural, historical, whatever - is right up my alley, as the "narrator" at least generally maintains a level of neutrality. You are given a certain experience by them rather than through them. After all, what is left fun than having someone regale you with in-depth stories about their amazing holiday they just went on, even though you swore they were in like Bali or some place just a few months ago, all while you've been slaving away behind the grocery register and contemplating suicide because your old ex-girlfriend has just gotten engaged to a guy much more handsome and well-off than you?
Anyway, that's kind of me with travel books. I'm fascinated and I'd love to learn about this country you've just been to. But, at the same time, fuck you, mate, for going there and for being able to time and money-wise. (You may have concluded by now that I'm a bit of a bitter asshole with no friends).
But, credit where credit's due, this book does have a lot of fun and interesting stuff. And I found Levison Wood, privileged white twat notwithstanding, to be a perfectly amiable companion. Thoroughly depressed, however, upon learning that he was fucking younger than I am right now when he wrote this. Lucky, talented, probably rich-parented bastard.
Anyway, that's kind of me with travel books. I'm fascinated and I'd love to learn about this country you've just been to. But, at the same time, fuck you, mate, for going there and for being able to time and money-wise. (You may have concluded by now that I'm a bit of a bitter asshole with no friends).
But, credit where credit's due, this book does have a lot of fun and interesting stuff. And I found Levison Wood, privileged white twat notwithstanding, to be a perfectly amiable companion. Thoroughly depressed, however, upon learning that he was fucking younger than I am right now when he wrote this. Lucky, talented, probably rich-parented bastard.
January 5, 2023
Anybody interested in Africa should read this book.
Very readable.
Very readable.
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