source of the Nile

The Source of the Nile in Uganda denotes the place where the Victoria Nile flows out of Lake Victoria near the town of Jinja. It is historically significant as the outlet identified during 19th-century exploration of the Nile basin (notably by John Hanning Speke in 1858).

European exploration in the mid-19th century established Lake Victoria as a primary source feeding the Nile, with Speke recording the outlet in 1858. In the 20th century the construction of the Owen Falls hydroelectric scheme, now known as Nalubaale Power Station, in the 1950s altered the original flow and landscape at the outlet.

The site sits on the northern shore of Lake Victoria just east of central Jinja in Uganda, roughly 80 km east of Kampala, set where the lake gives rise to the Victoria Nile.

• Setting: Located on the northern shore of Lake Victoria at the point the Victoria Nile exits the lake, a short distance east of central Jinja.
• Historic association: Associated with 19th-century exploration by John Hanning Speke, who identified Lake Victoria as the Nile's source during expeditions in 1858.
• Access and activities: Jinja is about 80 km east of Kampala, and the site is a common start point for river excursions and adventure activities on the Nile.

What to See #

• Ripon Falls / original outlet: Site of the historic Ripon Falls outlet where the Victoria Nile begins to flow north from Lake Victoria; the natural falls were altered by later hydroelectric development.
• Nalubaale (Owen Falls) Dam: Nalubaale Power Station, originally called Owen Falls Dam, built in the 1950s immediately downstream and controlling water flow from Lake Victoria into the Victoria Nile.