Rafting Information
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 surroundings, with warm rivers, a semi-tropical climate, impressive geography, exotic cultures, wildlife and friendly welcoming people.
But it’s not just the rivers –as anyone who has been there will tell you, Nepal has a magnificent holiday in its own rite – a fairy tale land of temples, mountain, dramatic festival, exotic culture, colorful people! Medieval villages, superb craft shopping, grate food and sights - the bonus are some of the world’s best rivers like Sunkoshi and Karnali!
Forget the images of hard ‘expedition’ boating – yes, there are a few rivers like this - but Nepal is just an outstanding holiday destination for the average recreational kayaker or river runners. Most of the rivers in Nepal are class 2 to 4. Everyone we know has enjoyed his/her holiday in these Himalayan Rivers. Neither you have to be an experienced river runner nor expert kayakers, you can enjoy the Nepalese river as you are. You don't need to bring any of your equipments with you but the most important thing that you have to bring is your adventurous state of mind. Values, especially time values, are different during your adventure trips and you do need to be more flexible and tolerant to enjoy your time here and avoid undue stress.
But it’s not just the rivers –as anyone who has been there will tell you, Nepal has a magnificent holiday in its own rite – a fairy tale land of temples, mountain, dramatic festival, exotic culture, colorful people! Medieval villages, superb craft shopping, grate food and sights - the bonus are some of the world’s best rivers like Sunkoshi and Karnali!
Forget the images of hard ‘expedition’ boating – yes, there are a few rivers like this - but Nepal is just an outstanding holiday destination for the average recreational kayaker or river runners. Most of the rivers in Nepal are class 2 to 4. Everyone we know has enjoyed his/her holiday in these Himalayan Rivers. Neither you have to be an experienced river runner nor expert kayakers, you can enjoy the Nepalese river as you are. You don't need to bring any of your equipments with you but the most important thing that you have to bring is your adventurous state of mind. Values, especially time values, are different during your adventure trips and you do need to be more flexible and tolerant to enjoy your time here and avoid undue stress.
Rafting in Nepal
Rafting in Nepal is usually a ‘wilderness’ experience in that most rivers don’t have highway alongside them –but it’s a soft, tamed, wilderness with white beaches for camping, clean blue rivers, friendly locals. Incredibly inexpensive, Nepal is a peaceful democratic country where rafters and kayakers get a warm welcome as one of the best forms of ecotourism. We have many kinds of rafting trips from short to long and the important thing is to choose the right trips for you.
Note that it is not necessary to be able to swim, but swimmers are probably more relaxed, comfortable, and safer in this alien watery environment.
Rafting in Nepal is usually a ‘wilderness’ experience in that most rivers don’t have highway alongside them –but it’s a soft, tamed, wilderness with white beaches for camping, clean blue rivers, friendly locals. Incredibly inexpensive, Nepal is a peaceful democratic country where rafters and kayakers get a warm welcome as one of the best forms of ecotourism. We have many kinds of rafting trips from short to long and the important thing is to choose the right trips for you.
Note that it is not necessary to be able to swim, but swimmers are probably more relaxed, comfortable, and safer in this alien watery environment.
Why to go for rafting?
- The rivers of Nepal take you away from the busy trekking routes and penetrate the heart of rural, road-less, un-spoilt Nepal.
- Rafting offers an attractive alternative to trekking, something to note if you don’t enjoy walking. It also complements trekking, in that you see the country from a different viewpoint like locality, custom and culture with the traditional way of life style.
- Rafting ‘leaves no footprints’, has minimal ecological effect, and if you wish, the exhilaration of running white water.
- There can be few better ways of viewing wildlife, then from a boat.
White water or flat water?
Rafting has this image of crashing through horrendous rapids and monstrous waves, and yes at the time of high flow, in the monsoon, this may be justified but at most flows there are many class 3 and class 4 rivers of moderate difficulty and also many rivers of class 2 where you can float along admiring the scenery and running a few very small rapids. Rafting in Nepal is a superb experience in it’s own right- the thrill of running white water rapids is the cream on the cake for those who enjoy it!
Many people are naturally a little bit fearful if they haven’t been on white water before, but after the first rapid ‘hit’ – as long as people are physically fit and not scared of water they can safely go on water of class 2 to 3. Remember that we grade a river on the hardest section – most rivers have days of easier water and long stretches in between the rapid in which to relax. For more difficult and exciting class 4 rivers people should be active, confident in water and preferably have some previous rafting experience.
Personal Safety PointsYour guide will give you a safety talk at the start of your trip and give basic guidance. He will probably cover the following points.
- Normally were your life jacket at all times when on the water – check with the Guide before talking it off, even just to don a sweater. Were your helmets when directed by the Guide, (or more often if you don’t true the way your team mates wield their paddles!). Wear your life jacket and helmet with the traps done up comfortably so that they will protect you and not just fall off at the first bump.
- It’s a good idea to keep your life jacket on if scrambling along the sides of a rapid to scout or take photographs – it’s all too easy to slip into the rapid.
- Keep your legs and arms inside the raft. If you are going to hit a rock, then let the raft bounces off, don’t try and fend off – rafts are tougher then human bones and cost less to rapid.
- Never, at any time, or in any circumstance, tie or wrap a rope around any part of you, (for example looped around your wrist) – this can hold you under water and drown you.
One of the famous names of Himalayan Rivers, the Kali Gandki raises in mustang an enclave of Nepal poking into Tibet on the other side of the Himalaya. Here it is a flat and braided river flowing in an arid open valley and cuts one of the deepest gorges in the world between Daulagiri height 8167m to the west and Annapurna 8091m to the east.
After the confluence with the Modi Khola the river swings south through an area where until recently tourists where almost unknown. There are few villages actually on the river – most are located on the river terraces some hundreds of meters above. The Kali Gandaki is named after the goddess Kali and is considered a particularly holy river.
This is a rewarding river for the bird watcher, you can see mongoose, monkey, and signs of leopard and others
Trishuli River Rafting
The name of this river is after a legend that says, high in the Himalaya at Gosainkund the god Shiva drove his trident into the ground to create three springs –the source of the river and hence its name Trisuli.The river has carved some truly impressive gorges in its lower part as it cut its way through the 2000 meter high Mahavarat Range. These gorges are also the rout flowed by the main Prithivi Highway and the road diesel trucks undoubtedly detract from the River itself. The opposite side to the road is relatively wild and you should see some wildlife, a profusion of colorful bird, including eagles and vultures.
For many people this river represents the ideal compromise rafting trip: just the right length of time, exhilarating rapid, but not too difficult, easily accessible from Kathmandu. Certainly if you’re looking for more of a ‘wilderness’ experience unsullied beaches, no other rafting groups, and un-spoilt scenery then you should consider one of the other river.
The rapid on Trisuli are mainly big, bouncy and relatively safe; ‘flips’ (where the raft capsizes) or other accidents are rare in normal water condition, and if you wish, it is possible to walk around the few difficult rapid. Since the highway follows the river you can easily come back to Kathmandu in few hours after completion of the trip.
We offer a trip of 1-3 days, starting at Baireni and taking out at, or before Narayanghat. This gives you a full and satisfying experience –you run all the major rapids watch the river grow as its tributaries join, marvel as it cuts its way through impressive gorges, then leave it when it spreads out over the great plain of the Ganges
Sun Koshi River Rafting
Sun Koshi means “River of gold “- perhaps named after the gold that is sometimes panned from the river gravels, or alternatively it refers to the orange colour of the water in the monsoon when it is thick with alluvial silt. The Sun Koshi flows from the Himalaya to eastwards in Nepal through the great valley between the mahabharat Lekh Mountains. It forms the watershed for most of eastern Nepal and gathering strength from tributaries draining the highest mountains in the world it emerges onto the northern plains of India where it joins the Ganges.
Rafting trips start right here from Dolalghat. Since the Banepa-Bardibas highway is now in operation, it is possible to arrange a trip from Dumjabesi. One of the nice things about the Sun Koshi is that, with the exception of a few big rapids like Harkapur the general standard of the river gets progressively harder as you descend it so there is time to loosen up and practice your skills on easy water before you reach the more interesting bigger and more challenging rapids lower down the river. You will be pleasantly surprised and flattered by how much your skills improve by the end of the trip!
For the vast majority of the river there are no roads or towns, just the occasional picturesque village and friendly shouts of “Namaste” from the bank this is un-spoilt , rural Nepal at its best. All along the river are beautiful large white sandy beaches for camping, and the lower section of the river is heavily forested with troops of monkeys and an abundance of birdlife.
Bhote Koshi River Rafting
“Bhote” roughly translates as “river from Tibet so there are quite a lot of rivers with this name in Nepal. This Bhote Koshi is the main branch of the Sun Koshi. The river is followed by the Araniko highway so access and scouting are relatively easy. The upper valley above Bahrabise is impressively narrow with steep hill sides shooting up over 2000m from the river. And there are some dramatic and scenic gorges down at river level. Just to drive up the highway and look at the river is like reading an erotic novel – it quickens the blood and excited the mind.Technically, the upper Bhote Koshi ends just after Barbisae where the Sun Koshi joins as a stream from the left: The lower Bhote Koshi rafting start right from the Lamasangu.
Seti River Rafting
This beautiful Himalayan river passes through stunning jungle scenery, green hills and valleys. The warm and beautiful Seti river can be consider as an excellent river for bird-watchers and those interested in the abundance of nature found on this trip.
The gentle river follow from the Himalayan peaks having plenty lots of small and straightforward rapids. During the monsoon the intensity of the rapids increases and attracts a radically different set of rafters.
Seti river can offer an ideal trip for those wanting to experience their first time river trip with the stunning river scenery in Nepal and without the intensity of complex or challenging rapids. It is also very well recommended to family trips and best river to learn kayaking in
Marshyangdi River Rafting
The marsyandi river rises on the northern slopes of the Annapurna Himal, flows east through an arid valley around manang and then swing south to joint the Trisuli river at Mugling.
Marsyandi means ‘raging river’ in local dialect, and this aptly describes it. Some of the river above Ngadi has been kayaked – the 1980 British Expedition started from Tilicho Lake at 4920m – but much of the upper river should probably be considered as unrunnable.
The scenery is magnificent with every bend of the river opening up fresh vistas of some of the world’s highest mountains, but these are behind –as someone said “great views but you need rear view mirrors”. The Marsyandi is a photographer’s sculptured boulders, some spectacular white water, green valley sides, and a magnificent backdrop of the world’s highest mountains. It’s worth mentioning that although the valley has a rough road up it, and is quite densely populated, you don’t see this when you are padding because the river is incised about 100ft into the valley floor.
Karnali River Rafting
The Karnali is Nepal’s longest and largest river and with its tributaries, it drains most of the Far west of Nepal – the ‘wild west’. The area that it flows through is wild and relatively unpopulated with some of the most pristine jungle scenery in Nepal, and abundant wildlife.
The rapids are also pretty wild, with the river building to its climax in these lower canyons. The valley narrows into a series of canyons, the river speeds up’ and there are big rapid, one leading into another, almost continuously down to the Seti river. The river winds through some magnificent un-spoilt scenery, eventually emerging onto the plains flowing through the Royal Baridia National Park to join the Ganges.
The Karnali is more constrained by its canyon walls giving bigger more continuous and serious rapids. This constrained nature of the river means that any increase in volume has a more pronounced effect on the difficulty of the rapid and this makes it a river that is best run at low and medium flows – in higher water the Karnali is a serious commitment.
Arun River Rafting
The Arun is respected as one of the most mighty and powerful rivers of Nepal.The lower valley is in parts quite well populated with a wide variety of different tribes. The whole area is relatively un-spoilt, and sees only a few trekking groups, mainly taking the Eastern approach to Everest and Makalu Base Camp.
We schedule rafting trips on the Arun every year. Tumlingtar is the obvious and most convenient starting point and we recommends that you fly here as it is only a short direct flight from Kathmandu and only forty minute’s walk from the river. The 70 km down to Chatra has been kayaked in a day, but normally makes a relaxed 3 day raft trip and you can then fly back to Kathmandu from Biratnagar.
Tamur River Rafting
The Tamur and its tributaries drain the snows of Kanchenjunga third highest peak in the world. The river is the sixth largest river in Nepal and seems to have a feeling of thrusting power and of being constrained by its valley sides.
Tamur and its tributaries have a steep gradient and are probably only of interest to expedition kayakers. Downstream from Dobhan the gradient is more reasonable, but the river profile is unusual in that the river is steeper in the last 30km before its confluence with the Sun Koshi. The Kabelli River adds about a quarter to the volume of the river but from here down there are no substantial tributaries.
The valley itself is beautiful and un-spoilt with relatively few villages and little agriculture. Valley sides are well wooded there are good beaches for camping and plentiful signs of wildlife. Local people are a fascinating collage of tribes and castes. Local don’t see lot of westerners and are very welcoming.
We schedule rafting trips on the Arun every year. Tumlingtar is the obvious and most convenient starting point and we recommends that you fly here as it is only a short direct flight from Kathmandu and only forty minute’s walk from the river. The 70 km down to Chatra has been kayaked in a day, but normally makes a relaxed 3 day raft trip and you can then fly back to Kathmandu from Biratnagar.
Tamur River Rafting
The Tamur and its tributaries drain the snows of Kanchenjunga third highest peak in the world. The river is the sixth largest river in Nepal and seems to have a feeling of thrusting power and of being constrained by its valley sides.
Tamur and its tributaries have a steep gradient and are probably only of interest to expedition kayakers. Downstream from Dobhan the gradient is more reasonable, but the river profile is unusual in that the river is steeper in the last 30km before its confluence with the Sun Koshi. The Kabelli River adds about a quarter to the volume of the river but from here down there are no substantial tributaries.
The valley itself is beautiful and un-spoilt with relatively few villages and little agriculture. Valley sides are well wooded there are good beaches for camping and plentiful signs of wildlife. Local people are a fascinating collage of tribes and castes. Local don’t see lot of westerners and are very welcoming.
