How old is the Nile River in its present course?

The Nile is not a single-age river: different parts of its basin formed at different times. Geologists think the river system as a whole developed over millions of years, with major incision and course changes during the Miocene and later, especially as East Africa uplifted and climate shifted. Its present-day route through northeastern Africa is the result of long-term erosion, tectonics, and changing lake basins. Because of that, the Nile is often described as one of the world’s oldest major river systems, even though its exact age depends on which branch or segment is being studied.