The article below is about an epic river journey on the River Nile. Pete Meredith was the expedition co-leader. Pete spent 2006 working for Splash and is currently in South Africa planning his next epic.

History

On May 21st 2004 an international team reached the Mediterranean Sea after spending the previous four and a half months travelling the length of the Nile River. The team made a documentary ‘The Longest River’ about this historic journey, revealing the people along its banks, the different issues that face these people, and how their lives are affected by the Nile. The film has been shown in 152 countries on National Geographic Channel. The expedition receives considerable international exposure from the media.

We continue to build on this success, by exploring all the major rivers and their basins, in order to expose the impact of human activity and explore the lives and challenges of the millions of people whose daily existence depends on them.

What we do

Arteries International is a UK based not for profit organisation dedicated to developing public interest and understanding of the critical importance rivers and their watersheds play in environmental and cultural sustainability. We work toward global awareness by providing stories and information across all media platforms to a wide audience. Our belief is that through education and advocacy we can shift attitudes and initiate change. Arteries will also encourage that action is taken where necessary, through partnership with existing organisations, and local stakeholders to actively promote peace, sustainable utilisation, protection and rehabilitation of the life giving rivers of the world.

We undertake expeditions that generate media interest and make objective films of major rivers and their basins, bringing the current ecological, cultural, and socio-political issues to the world. In addition to focusing on the challenges river systems face we look at revealing and encouraging ideas for sustainable action.

PAST EXPEDITIONS

Nile Expedition

On Friday 21st May 2004, an international team from South Africa, New Zealand and Britain crossed into the Mediterranean Sea and became the first people to have descended the full length of the White Nile - more than 5,800 km. Starting on Lake Victoria, at the source of The Nile in Uganda, passing through Sudan and then crossing Egypt.

The explorers braved some of the toughest rapids in the world, crocodile and hippo attacks, a marsh the size of England as well as two civil wars, passed through the world’s longest desert on their four and a half month-long journey down the world’s longest river.

The team made a documentary of this historic journey, about the people along its banks, the different issues they face and how their lives are affected by the Nile.

The Nile River is highly diverse and flows through jungle to desert, Christianity to Islam, from war-torn Africa to some of the most visited tourist sites in the world. The journey highlighted the vital importance the Nile River plays in the environmental and social stability of the countries it passes through.

From the expedition The National Geographic Channel commissioned a feature length documentary “The Longest River” which was shown in 152 countries and sparked considerable response from viewers. Quite Bright Films has an extended account of the Nile Expedition.

Murchison

An incredibly beautiful section of rainforest and class V and VI rapids in northern Uganda. Incredibly rewarding this section was NOT for the faint hearted
Some of the biggest white water in the world and a lot of it being run for the very first time. Wildlife and white water combine to make this section of the Nile demand respect.

FUTURE EXPEDITIONS

Blue Nile

The Blue Nile flows from the sacred spring in the Ethiopian highlands, it flows into Lake Tana at nearly 2000m this is Africa’s highest lake. More than 60 rivers flow into Lake Tana but only one flows out. A few kilometers down stream the river plunges over Tsi Isat falls at over 45m it is the second largest water fall in Africa. Virtually dry in June, by September it has swollen 10 fold into a wall of water and mud 400m across. It is then that the A.I. team intend to explore the river and follow the water all the way to Khatoum.