Ah, the Nile – hear the word, and think of ancient times, the rhythm of life, a millennia of use and living. Our daughter is a scholar of Ancient Egypt – so when we received a review copy of Joanna Lumley’s Nile dvd set from the publisher, she was very happy. We could hardly wait to watch it! We were so interested that when we first started watching it at almost midnight, we had to force ourselves to go to sleep.

In this documentary, actress Joanna Lumley traverses five countries to explore and find the source of the Nile River. Starting in Alexandria, Egypt, she travels through Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Rwanda. All along, she expresses exquisite intercultural sensitivity and curiosity – the hallmarks of an experienced, intelligent traveler. From exploring different cultural traditions (river spirits, and a traditional beauty treatment in Sudan) to traversing one of the world’s most beautiful and powerful rivers, Lumley is a perfect guide. She’s funny, has a great sense of adventure, and is a very humble traveler.

Our daughter says, “I love the passion of Joanna Lumley, and her excitement about travel. I wish there was more to it – sadly, it is only four episodes. Watching this documentary brought the Nile to life for me. I love the music, too. Highly recommended!” I concur.