Despite some different versions (some say the source is in Rwanda), it is widely accepted that the actual source of the River Nile is the Lake Victoria, in Jinja, in eastern Uganda.The first European to find the source was the British Speke, in 1858. A monument was raised at the exact spot where Speke was standing when he discovered the source.
A statue of Gandhi also graces the place. It was sponsored by the huge Indian community living in Jinja. The reason of this statue is that the ashes of the "no violence" prophet were sprayed all over the Nile waters.
What is quite surprising when you have an overview of the said "source of the Nile" is the striking difference between the waters of the Lake Victoria (upper part of the picture) and the waters of the River Nile (the lower part of the picture). The Lake's water is darker and troubled, while the River's water is clearer and the flow looks more peaceful. In order to find a possible answer to this difference, you may need to ride a small boat to reach the island in the middle of the waters.
Once you reach the island, you'll find some fishermen eager to show you the "real source of the nile", meaning that the actual source of the Nile is not only the lake's waters but also coming from underground springs that keep on pouring a clean water into the river. This, they say, explain the difference between the Lake's and the River's waters.
Hoax or fact? This is part of Africa charms, we never really know on what ground to stand. But definitely, if you ever come to Uganda, you cannot afford to miss the Source of the Nile, it is just less than 2 hours from Kampala. Enjoy...
