Rafting

Overview

Rafting is a recreational, entertaining outdoor activity that is done by using an inflatable raft that navigates a river or other body of water. The raft is a boat made up of an inflatable board that has a unique sectional design that allows staying afloat in a fast-flowing river, even if one part of the boat is damaged. Rafting generally immerses its participants in stunning surroundings, mountain valleys, gorges, and canyons, and rivers of all different shapes and sizes. There is no doubt, rafting is a precisely extreme activity associated with an increased risk for life, adrenaline, and thrill but at the same time, rafting could be an exciting, adventurous boat trip to beautiful places, rivers, a valley that gives new experiences and emotions. Rafting usually comes with camping on the sandy beaches of the rivers and trekking through the lush green forests. It can be done with 3-4 people including a guide. A guide for rafting is and should be well experienced and very professional who can properly handle any size of the river and any flow of water. 

Bhote Koshi Rafting– Tibetan plateau marks the origin of Bhote Koshi. It is the upper river course of sun Koshi and flows down to the south of Nepal. It is located in Sindupalchok district, Bagmati province. One of the fast-flowing rivers in Nepal, the Bhote Koshi flows through lush green forest and heavy rocks. There are several adventurous activities one can do in this beautiful river like fishing, Kayaking, and Rafting. Rafting in Bhote Koshi is the most desirable activity for Nepalese as well as international tourists. Many people throughout the country visit Bhote Koshi just for this particular adventure and to experience that thrill. The rapids are class IV-V at high flow, and III at lower levels. The river is very steep and continuous leading from one rapid into another. However, no experience is required for rafting as long as you have a guide who will raft and do every necessary thing during rafting. You just get to sit there and enjoy the thrill. Even though the Bhote Koshi is the perfect introductory river for rafting, it has its own challenges and it is important to apply every safety precaution like proper clothing, helmets, and life jacket. The best season to raft in the Bhote Koshi River is from March to May and October to December. In October, the volume of water is higher than usual after receiving a lot of rainfall in the monsoon. There are several agencies or companies which provide rafting in Bhote Koshi along with other adventures at a very appropriate price. There is also no permit required for this rafting. During this rafting tour, you get to see the beautiful forest, wildlife, and small cultural villages, mountains, and many suspension bridges. 

There are many local buses available from Kathmandu to Sindupalchok which passes through the beautiful Araniko highway. Bhote Koshi is one of the shortest destinations from Kathmandu where we can experience the thrill of rafting. It takes around 3-4 hours to reach Bhote Koshi from Kathmandu. 

You can also camp on the sandy beaches of Bhote Koshi for more fun and adventure. If you choose to travel with the agencies they will manage accommodation facilities for you.  

Rafting in Bhote Koshi might cost you around 50$-100$ per person. It is always cheaper to go with a group. 

Bheri River– the beautiful fast flowing Bheri River is no other than the major tributary of the longest Karnali River along with the 3 tributaries of itself. Sani Bheri, Thuli Bheri, and the Uttar Ganga. Sani Bheri drains the southern slopes, Thuli Bheri drains the northern slope and the Uttar Ganga drains the Dhorpatan valley to the south of the Dhaulagiri. The 50.25 km long Bheri River is located in the Far-western region, the Bheri Zone of Nepal. This River flows through the Surkhet valley and later joins the Karnali River in the Mahabharat range. The origin of the Bheri River goes long back to the high Himalayas of the Dhaulagiri range but is recognized as one of the easy rivers for adventures like fishing, kayaking, and rafting. Rafting in Bheri River is very popular and also easy with the rapids of classes 3 and 4. Rafting in the Bheri River is not only limited to Rafting, you also get to see the local people of Bheri, small cultural villages, green vegetation, and wildlife. The best season to raft in the Bheri River is from March to May and October to December. In October, the volume of water is higher than usual after receiving a lot of rainfall in the monsoon. There are several agencies or companies which provide rafting in the Bheri River along with other adventures at a very appropriate price. There is also no permit required for this rafting.

There are buses available from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj and from Nepalgunj, it is a 4-hour drive to Samjhighat which is a put-in spot for the rafting in the Bheri River. Or, you can also take a 1-hour flight from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj and take a ride from Nepalgunj to Samjhighat. 

You can also camp on the sandy beaches of the Bheri River for more fun and adventure. If you choose to travel with the agencies they will manage accommodation facilities for you.  

Rafting in Bheri River might cost you around 300$-400$ per person which includes transportation, food, accommodation, etc. It is always cheaper to go with a group. 

Marshyangdi River– Marshyangdi River is one of the toughest and technical Rivers of Nepal. This river is also known as the “raging river” due to its challenging character of this river. It is located on the eastern side of the Annapurna circuit and was publicly opened in 1996. Even though it was opened recently, rafting in Marshyangdi is very popular among Nepalese people, especially those who want more adventure and thrill. Rafting in Marshyangdi is categorized as class 4 to class 5 rapids. The steepest fresh-water river, the stunning view of mountains, valleys, forest, and birds make this rafting more adventurous. Despite the challenges, no experience is required for rafting as long as you have a guide who will raft and do every necessary thing. You just get to sit there and enjoy the thrill. The best season to raft in the Marshyangdi River is from March to May and October to December. In October, the volume of water is higher than usual after receiving a lot of rainfall in the monsoon. There are several agencies or companies which provide rafting in the Marshyangdi River along with other adventures at a very appropriate price. There is also no permit required for this rafting. This adventurous trip takes 2-3 days to complete. 

There are buses available from Kathmandu to Pokhara which takes around 5 hours and from Pokhara, you need to drive to Bhule Bhule and trek to Ngadi which is the put-in point for Marshyangdi River Rafting. It takes 3-4 hours from Pokhara to reach Bhule Bhule. 

You can also camp on the sandy beaches of Marshyangdi River for more fun and adventure. If you choose to travel with the agencies they will manage accommodation facilities for you.

 Rafting in this river might cost you around 250$-300$ per person. It is always cheaper to go with a group.                

Karnali River– Karnali River is the longest river in Nepal with a length of 180km. it is situated in the far western region in Karnali province. Mount Kailash, the sacred mountain in Tibet for both Hindus and Buddhist marks the origin of the Karnali River. There is no doubt rafting in the Karnali River is one of the most desired activities of Nepalese and other tourists. Every year, thousands of people from different parts of Nepal, and the world visit the Karnali River just for rafting. Karnali River passes deeply through all the green vegetation, rocks, remote valleys, jungles and finally, ends at Bardiya National Park. Rafting in the Karnali River is a wonderful combination of nature and a white water canyon but doesn’t come without a few risks. Paddling in this fast-flowing river is full of challenges and risks. It is very much important to understand the risk and apply every necessary precaution. The best season to raft in the Karnali River is from March to May and October to December. In October, the volume of water is higher than usual after receiving a lot of rainfall in the monsoon. April is a little quieter but it is good for learners and for those who want less crowd. There is no experience needed for rafting since your guide will be well experienced and to do everything that is necessary. There is also no permit required for rafting in the Karnali River. There are many travel agencies who are happy to offer you the package of rafting and other fun adventure in Karnali at a very appropriate cost.

You can reach Karnali by following the route of Kathmandu to Surkhet (20 hours’ drive) and again a drive to Kalyani (4 hours’ drive), and a 2 hours trek to Karaleghat. Or, you can also take a flight from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj and almost 5 hours’ drive to the starting point of the rafting. This route is more common among people. 

For accommodation, it is all about camping on the sandy beaches of the Karnali River. If you are traveling through any agency they will manage tents and other necessary equipment for you. They will also hire a cook or the guide himself can make healthy and organic food for you. 

The price of Rafting in the Karnali River actually depends on the size of the group. Normally, for 3-4 people it cost around 900-1100 $ including transportation, accommodation, food, etc. However, the cost entirely depends on the mode of transportation, food, etc. 

 Tamur River– Tamur River is the 6th largest river in Nepal with a length of 120km. the Tamur River is also known as “the Jewel in the east”. This river is less explored, less crowded, which is sort of perfect for water activities like fishing and rafting. Mighty Mount Kanchenjunga, marks the origin of this beautiful fast flowing White Water River which has also got other tributaries. The tour to Tamur valley is actually a wonderful combination of unspoiled nature, a gorgeous river, cultural villages, and the stunning view of Mount Kanchenjunga and Mount Everest. This river is classified as class 4 and 5 rapids and is a much complicated and technical fast-flowing river in Nepal that requires previous knowledge and ideas about rafting. Experience is however not mandatory but it is better if you have it. Nevertheless, your guides will be experienced enough to do the necessary things during the rafting. . The best season to raft in the Tamur River is from March to May and October to December. In October, the volume of water is higher than usual after receiving a lot of rainfall in the monsoon. There are several agencies or companies which provide rafting in Tamur River along with other adventures at a very appropriate price. There is also no permit required for this rafting. This adventurous trip takes 6-7 days to complete. 

You need to drive from Kathmandu to Biratnagar or take a 30 minutes flight to Biratnagar which costs about 3000NRS. From Biratnagar further drive to Basantapur. From Basantapur you need to trek up to Dovan which is basically the put-in point of this rafting. The long rafting ends at Chatara. 

You can also camp on the sandy beaches of Marshyangdi River for more fun and adventure. If you choose to travel with the agencies they will manage accommodation facilities for you.

If you are traveling through an agency it might cost you around 600-800$ which includes all the rafting equipment like life jackets, helmets, rafts, tents, etc. If you travel solo it might cost you a little expensive as you would have to buy all the necessary equipment.