The Aruwimi River, near Banalia, Congo (Democratic Republic)

The Aruwimi River is a tributary of the Congo River, located to the north and east of the Congo. The Aruwimi begins as the Ituri River, which arises in the savannahs north of the Kibale River watershed. It is later joined by the Shari River which flows by Bunia. The Ituri then turns west, through the Ituri Forest, becoming the Aruwimi where the Nepoko (or Nepoki) River joins it, at the town of Bomili. The river continues westward, joining the Congo at Basoko, for a total length of about 1,300 km (800 mi). It is about 1.5 km wide where it joins the Congo. The watershed of the Ituri/Aruwimi is almost entirely dense forest, with just a handful of villages along its course, and crossed by roads in about four places. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon traveled to Africa from March 17, 1970 to July 17, 1970.