Nepal is a river runner's paradise - no other country has such a choice of multi-day trips, away from roads, in such magnificent mountain surrroundings, with warm rivers, a semi tropical climate, impressive geography, exotic cultures, wildlife and friendly welcoming people!
Rafting in Nepal is usually a 'wilderness' experience in that most rivers don't have highways alongside them - but it's a soft, tamed, wilderness with white beaches for camping, clean blue rivers, friendly locals and few 'nasties' - someone described it as 'blissful escapism'!
White water rafting means cruising down a rushing river in an inflatable rubber raft or white water kayak over crashing waves and swirling rapids for the excitement of a lifetime. Nepal has earned a reputation as one of the best destinations in the world for white water rafting. Nepal's thundering waters, coming from the glaciers of the mighty Himalaya, provide unmatched thrills for rafting and immersing oneself in the landscape. A rafting trip is bound to be the highlight of your stay in the country.
Climate and when to go :
The winter months from late December through to early February are cold, but skies are still clear and river levels will be low. Lots of river running groups come out over Christmas and have a great time, but you certainly should expect cold water and perhaps think in terms of wet suits and dry tops. From late February through to early April is also a good time for river running - river levels are reliably low, air temperature warm, rivers warm and blue. The disadvantage is that the air is often hazy: you cannot be assured of stunning mountain views and there may be an occasional shower of rain. In the past, many kayakers and rafters have visited Nepal over the Christmas holiday, when the facts seem to suggest that Easter might he a better time.
Here are some of the popular rafting trips:
The Trishuli River:
The Trishuli being the most easily accessible river by far, a rafting trip on this river can be made for a varied durations, depanding upon the availability of time and interest. A bri
ef account on a common Trishuli trip is presented below:
Departure point: Kathmandu or Pokhara
River start Point: Charaudi
River finished point: Simtal
River Grade: III
Outward travel time: 03 Hours
ITINERARY:
Day 01: Drive from Kathmandu to Charaudi. Run through a numbers of rapids, that rate to 2 to 3. Lunch on a beach and enter the Trishuli gorge. As the canyon narrows the walls becomes steep, densely forested, the current accelerates and the rapids increase in the siize and frequency. The Llast Rapid, Jholungepu;, is named for an extensive suspension bridge. Camp at Kurintar on a sandy beach on the Trishuli beach.
Day 02: Second day has aleisurely pace. Continue down the Trishuli stopping to suit your interests. Spend the whole day within its forested canyon. Take lunch beside the river and have time to explore, birdwatch, photograph and learn about the local people. End the river trip and drive back to Kathmandu/Pokhara.
Seti River:
The most finest river offers beautiful scenery of nature , tremendous excitement of white water rafting, wonderful villages. Five hours drive from Kathmandu to rafting put in point at Damauli , the rafting trip starts in Damauli and ends at Gaighat. Drive back to Kathmandu or continue tour for wild life safari at Royal Chitwan National Park will be the option after the te
rmination of the trip.
Departure point: Kathmandu or Pokhara
River start Point: Damauli
River finished point:
River Grade: III
Outward travel time: 04 & half hours
ITINERARY:
Day 01: Drive from Kathmandu or Pokhara to Damuli. our put in point. After the rafts are rigged, set off down the Seti Khola. Spend the whole day within its forested canyon. The luxuruant vegetation which can be seen is a remnant of the forested area, which once covered the middle hills of Nepal. Rafting is a perfect way to view undisturbed wildlife. Stop for lunch gives the time to explore, take photos, birdwatching, swimming or relaxing, In the afternoon we encounter a small but technical rapid near the village of Saranghat, inhabited by Magars.Set up camp on a spacious beach below the village.
Day 02: Set off down river. Encounter the technical rapid 3 shortly after the rapid leaving Seti Khola and enter Trishuli River. Here the middle hills recede and the Terai plain opens. The Topography changes dramatically. The twisted severe rock formations give away to sandstone and gavel deposited by antecedent rivers. After lunch, visit a unique religious community, Devghat. At this point Kaligandaki joins the Trishuli River. The river now beomes the Narayani River. Float further down to the town of Narayanghat which is the end of this trip.
The Kali Gandaki:
The Kaligandaki river begins its journey from high on the Tibetan plateau in Mustang. Plunging its way down through the Himalayas, The river carves the deepest gorge in the world between the two 8000 m peaks Dhaulagiri and Annapurna. The Kaligandaki was first opened to commoercial use in 1991. The journey descends through challenging white water, unique cultures and amazing beches. When not negotiating rapids, time on the river can be spent under cascading waterfalls and enjoying the backdrop of the Annapurna ranges. Both experienced and novice rafters will love it. Being one of the holiest river inNepal, Every river junction on the Kali
gandaki is dotted with cermation sites and above ground burial mounds.
Departure point: Pokhara
River start Point: Near Beni
River finished point: Mirmire
Outward travel time: 04 hours
River Grade: III-IV
Return travel time: 05 Hours.
ITINERARY:
Day 01: Drive for around 3-4 hrs to the put-in point near Beni. Throughout this drive experience the stunning views of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri peaks as well as the sacred Machapuchhre. Upon arrival, unload all the equipment and receive a full safety briefing. Have lunch and then the guide will take to the river starting point. First day we begin with some class III rapids, after 10/15 minutes, two big class 4 rapids, "small Brother" and "Big Brother" can be encounterd. Guide will be making you work hard at doing exercises to work as a team maneuvering the raft efficiently. After scouting the rapid, the rapid the safety kayaks will go first then the raft. Soon after encountering these two big rapids, reach Modi Khola confluence where the beach will be chosen for the evening campsite.
Day 02: Start down the river for a day mixed with adrenaline calm and spectacular scenery including views of Annapurna I and Himalchuli. Many class III sections and the challenging class IV named REFUND, will be encountered. This section of river is abundant with vines, wildlife and lush vegetation hanging from the cliff faces. Campsite is below the village of Purti Ghat.
Day 03: Raft to the holy villageof Seti Beni. Observe a big size boulder in the confluence with a smaller tributary. Since confluence is considered holy places in the Hindu religion, this boulder has become an important shrine to the local people. raft for while and reach the point where the bus is waiting. Drive back to Pokhara.
The Bhote Koshi:
Bhote Koshi river is with out a doubt the most action packed short white water run in Nepal. The river drops steeply offering relentless stretches from class III-IV levels of rapids. Boulder gardens, small waterfalls, steep chutes and 90 degree bends are some of the obstacles to be overcome. This river is not typical big river flowing from the Himalayan but it is a steep and technical river which requires a reactive crew. After a fun filled action pac
ked day, relax in unspoiled surroundings on the beach.
Departure point: Kathmandu
River start Point: KM 95
River finished point: Lamosangu Dam
Outward travel time: 05 hours
River Grade: III-IV
Return travel time: 03 hours.
ITINERARY:
Day 01: Meet at the agency as per time arranged by your expedition leader at the pre-departure meeting. Then depart to the river starting point of the trip. This is a spectacular drive through villages and if weather permits,you will have fantastic mountain views of Ganesh Himal & Langtang among others. Upon arrival in the camp lunch will be served. After early lunch, expedition leder will deliver safety tips and provide all paddling gear for the trip. First day of rafting provides about three and half hour of pure white water thrill. After along series of class 3 rapids, drop into the first class 4 drop known as Gerbil in the plumbing. From this point there is a stretch of class 3 rapids after which comes the challenge of the day, which is a long , technical rapid called 'Frog in a Blender' after the rapid settle down for about twenty feet, and then it's back into a long series of class 3/4 drops which leads into a nifty little rapid called Camal knowledge of a Deviant Nature. The remaining the kilometers of river is a nonstop series of class 3 and 4 drops terminating into short pools with the next drop just a few lush green vegetation and waterfalls coming in from the steep stone walls. At the bottom of this stretch is a rapid called Exlax. Just before hitting the village of Barabise, load all the gears on to the bus and drive back to the camp, change your wet clothes, enjoy the scenery.
Day 02: Early morning pack the gears and show how your raft team can work well together in challenging rapids. Have lunch on the river and continiue the action until the take out point. Run the top stretch again inthe morning, though most people don't recognize it the second time through. instead of getting out at Barabise continiue down through the center of town and onto a short flat stretch. Upon reaching the dam, the entire gradient of the last kilometer fulminates into fifty meters of incredibility steep and technical rapid known as 'The Great Wall' 'The great wall's one redeeming feature is that there is a pool at the bottom, because after the pool is an incredible rapid called 'Liquid Bliss' which leads directly into a rapid called 'fake right Go Left' which leads directly into another rapid called ' Fake Right Go Left', which leads directly into another rapid called'My God, What To Do?. The trip ends with a bang on a long series of drops known as 'Dazed and confused'. Trip ends by mid-noon. Drive back to Ktm.
The raging Marshyangdi:
The "raging river", drains the northern slope of the Annapurna mountains. It was only opened to rafting in 1996 and yields some of the most exciting IV-V white water in Nepal. This river demands 100 % commitment from both crew and guide. It is totally different from the big volume rivers like the Sun Koshi and Karnali, the rapids are technical and require a very diffrent approach. Big volume rivers need power and a good line, the Marshyangdi needs fast reactions from the crew to get through this pin ball machine river. The Marshyangdi quickly forges raft crews of complete strangers into true teams. Located on the eastern side of the Annapurna circuit, The Marshyangdi River has long been famous for the beautiful views. With each twist and turn the steep sided gorge walls frame a new mountain backdrop.
Departure point: Pokhara or Kathmandu
River start Point: Nagdi
River finished point: Bimal Nagar
Outward travel time: 08 hours
River Grade: III-IV
Return travel time: 04 hours.
ITINERARY:
Day 01: Drive to Besisahar. The last four hours of this ride takes us off the "good" tarmac roads and tends to be a little bouncy in places. Rest for the day and stay at a teahouse or lodges.
Day 02: Start trekking for a couple of hours to Khudi, make camp and sleep for the night. Continiue to trek for one hour more to Bhulbhule. Expedition leader and guides will brief and train about safety and paddling. Overnite at Khudi.
Day 03: Hike up to Nagdi with all the gears to the river put in point. Experience the most knuckle gripping section of the river so enjoy the continuous class 4 rapids. finish at Besisahar and have a well earned dinner.
Day 04: The river becomes very mellow and goes through a high walled gorge with birds and vegetation that can only be described as breath taking. Reach the take out point at Bimal Nagar by lunch time where our bus is waiting to take you back to kathmandu/ Pokhara.
The Sun Koshi:
The Sun Koshi 'River of Gold' has been rated as one of the top ten rafting trips in the world. It is also in the list of 'must do while in Nepal'. The river rises near Shisha Pangma in tibet and runs eastwards, draining the highest mountains of the world before emerging on the plains of India, where it joins the Ganges. The journey takes us 270km through some of Nepal's most remote regions giving a unique wilderness experience. The first two days are relatively easy and allow time to train as a team before the bigger rapids arrive. The rapids have acquired names like meat Grinder, High Anxiety, Jaws and Big Dipper, from previous experience on expeditions. Say no more! The calmer stretches between rapids give you time to take in the phenomenal views, swim in warm water and camp on white sandy beaches. This river is a big volume h
igh adrenaline expedition.
Departure point: Kathmandu
River start Point: Dolalghat
River finished point: Chattra
Outward travel time: 03 hours
River Grade:IV-V
Return travel time: 14 hours.
ITINERARY:
Day 01: Drive to Dolalaghat the put-in-point of Sun Koshi. Upon arrival at Dolalghat unload the gear - lunch will be served and a full safety briefing will be given by the expedition leader. The big one that will be encountered in the first day is a class 4+ rapid "rotten Cave" Choose your beach campsite, where dinner will be served amidst the splendor of the star-filled sky.
Day 02: Have breakfast pack up the gear and start rolling down the river. A big class 4+ rapid " Meat grinder" can be encountered. It is fairly straight, run down the center avoiding holes left and right. A few meters below tama Koshi river joins the Sun Koshion the left With a beach on the confluence. There is another beautiful Shiva temple overlooking the two rivers. Camp there.
Day 03: A few kms below the confluence of the Likhu Khola is a short class 3+ rapid 'Pre-Anxiety' soon followed by a long class 4 rapid ' High Anxiety' with a large hole on the left halfway down and series of holes at the bottom. Float a while and then camp.
Day 04: This day starts with several class 3+ rapids and a quick stop for buying food. Prepare for a big and interesting one 'Harkapur 2 and 3 the hardest rapid on the river which should be carefully scouted. Camp.
Day 05: Some kms below Harkapur, Dudh Koshi river joins the Sunkoshi from the left . Below there the river widens into an arid area of gravel. Some small rapids can be experienced which will lead into another aply named rapid 'Jaws'. Camp.
Day 06: It will be a hard day as you can encounter most of the grade 4+ rapids, Raft straight into good exciting rapid "Rhino Rock" which is a grade 4+ followed by "Jungle Corridor" a kilometer of continuous white water. Waterfalls cascade on both sides of the river. One waterfall Makes a great spot for a team shower. Camp.
Day 07: If anyone is interested than you can try kayaking learn the basic skills from experts needed to maneuver the boats or learn the Eskimo roll. Camp.
Day 08: The last stretch of river which brings to the last class 4+ 'Big dipper' is a series of huge standing waves. A few kilometer later Big Arun and tamur rivers joins together to form the Sapta Koshi. Float along the powerful current, the hills dramatically give way to totally flat Terai and the journey. Trip will end around 2 PM, pack the gear and then drive back to Kathmandu around 4 pm from Chattra.
Karanali River:
Nepal's longest and largest river, the Karnali, springs forth from the base of Mt. Kailash in Tibet, the center of the universe for both the Buddhist and Hindu religions. flowing south into Nepal it forms the major drainage system of the western districts. Karnali is one of the finest big volume river trips in the world, a calssic expedition into Nepals remote, unpopulated "wild West". From the starting points at Sauli, the river drops into imposing canyons filled with powerful, big volume white water. These canyons flow into scarcely populated areas of pristine jungle teeming with abundant bird and wildlife. Rapids like " Captivity", " Flip and Strip" and " Gods House" are separated by just enough easier water to regroup and prepare for the next big challaenge. Towards the end of the trip the river gradient begins to ease as the Karnali leaves the mountains and flows out into the Gangetic plains of the Terai. The jungle thicknes as the river b
roadens, and the pristine Beaches become bigger and more beautiful.
Departure point: Kathmandu or Pokhara
River start Point: Sauli
River finished point: Chisopani
Outward travel time: 14 hours
River Grade: III-IV+
Return travel time: 12 hours.
ITINERARY:
Day 01: Take a long bus journey to Surkhet. Have rest in the evening.
Day 02: Take a truck as far as the road goes until about lunch time. After lunch walk to the put-in point at Sauli. A greast walk which highlights just how "out there" you really are. You pass local villages and spectacular scenery.
Day 03: Start rafting. The river's challenging rapids and water flow allow learning from errors. A class iv rapid can be encountered on the way. camp and get prepared for next day.
Day 04: Rafetrs can experience something big and it is continuous . Enter into the Jungle Corridor. The team is put into full practice and when your guide shouts "all forward" he really means it! enjoy the ride all day and camp in this sensational setting.
Day 05: Experience more rapids including the notorious GOD's House rapid. Don't forget to experience bird watching which is equally as abundant as the lush vegetation. Camp and relax.
Day 06: Trip isn't over yet. Keep paddling hard. Experience the best of the west on yet another day of great action and breath taking scenery.
Day 07: Rest for the whole day and enjoy surroundings and relax on a great sandy beach.
Day 08-09: See the rapids dying off as you come out of the gorge. Pass through the confluence with the Seti river where the river broadens. Today and the next day and a half are a chance to enjoy journey admiring the country and villages passing by.
Day 10: Journey ends at about lunch time where the bus will be waiting to collect.
Bheri River (04 Days):
The river, Bheri is a remote river that is relatively an unexplored river of w
est Nepal. A rafting trip of Bheri river can be a best experience.
Departure point: Kathmandu or Pokhara
River start Point: Samjhighat
River finished point: Royal Bardia National Park
Outward travel time: 01 hours
River Grade: III-IV
Return travel time: 01 hours.
ITINERARY:
Day 01: Fly from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj, It is an hours flight with spectacular views of the Himalayas. After arriving at Nepalgunj, drive to the starting point, Samjhi ghat which will take approximately 3 to 4 hours. the drive itself is a unique experience, winding up through the Siwalik Hills and passing through local village.
On arrival at the starting point your own-tented camp awaits you by the bank of the Bheri River. Dinner will be served around the camps.
Day 02: After breakfast, break camps and starts your adventure down the Bheri river. After 20 minutes, one can encounter the first big rapid, one of many to come. The herei itself is so remote that it remains a relatively unexplored river of west nepal. The first section of the river is quite rough with twisted bend creating many exciting rapids. Stop for lunch beside the river and take time to explore the surrounding area, bird watch or simply lie down in the middy sun. Continiue to encounter more white-water and come to the rest on one of the many sandy beaches.
Day 03: Jamu the " Exciting" section gives way to a narrow gorge section with vertical cliffs of 200-300 feet on either side interpersed with open valley where there are small villages. Find one of the many pristine beach for the camp site for the night.
Day 04: The final day on the river still holds a few surprises with several exciting rapids to be encountered. after an hour, arrive at the confluence of the Bheri river and the Karnali river. Once againrafters enter another gorge section opening on to the huge plain of the southern tarai region of Nepal. Bardia National park can be reached passing through this gorge.
Arun River ( 05 Days):
Nepal has four major river system with more than two hundred fifty sizeable tributaries. The major rivers are, the Sapta Koshi in the exterm eastern Nepal, The Narayani in the central Nepal, The karnali in the western Nepal and the Mahakali westwern Nepal. Arun riveris one of the tributaries of river sapta Koshi that flows in Eastern Nepal. Besides being the only Hindu country in the world with all to myths and mysterious character, Nepal has more than one hundred diffrent dialects speaking people belonging to various ethnic groups. Different ethnic groups of people can be met during the trip and is all a part of adventure.
Departure point: Kathmandu
River start Point: Tumlingtar
River finished point: Chattara
Outward travel time: 01 hour flight
River Grade: III-IV
Returntraveltime: 13 hours.
ITINERARY:
Day 01: An hours flight from Kathamndu to Tumlingtar takes you away from the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu. the Tumlingtar flight if scheduled in the afternoon, the camp shall be put up in Tumlingtar itself. The afternnon could be spent in visiting this tiny village with its small teashops and airstrip. Briefing for the next days trip in the evening.
Day 02: After breakfast trek for about two hours at a graduai pace to Sabiya khola. Briefing for the next day's schedule. Get the equipments ready to start early for the following day.
Day 03: After breakfast the days rafting trip starts from tumlingtar. Trip would be pretty smmooth except for little rough ones of gradeIII/IV.
Day 04: The day's trip could be more challennging than the previous days. a number of rapids can be caught one after another the first encounter is a left- bend rapid, before the suspension bridge at ranighat. A number of rapids can be encountered one after another. Finally camp nearby blithe rapid.
Day 05: The day would be pretty smooth and relaxed compared to the previous days. The Arun river now merges with river Sunkosi to form in to a confluence of river Saptakosi, one of the major rivers of Nepal. Which further flows to merge with the famous Ganga in India. Float along Saptakosi for another half an hour and reach the site of a temple in Barah Chhettra a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. From here, float for another half an hour to Chattra. Drive back.
Day 06: Back
Tamur River (Grade 4-5): The Tamur river one of the finest rivers combined with
three days trek offers spectacular views of Himalayan, landscape, beautiful scenery of mother nature and a unique chance to mix with the local people and get an insight into their livelihood and culture with an exhilarating river expedition. Fly to Biratnagar either drive to Basantapur. The trip starts in Dovan and ending at Chatra. Some people prefer rafting on the river on the way back from Kanchanjunga trek.
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