Trisuli

The Trisuli offers a great entry or warm up for the kayaker and offers a pleasant trip for the rafter. Exhilarating rapids, but no too difficult, easily accessible from Kathmandu and on the way to Chitwan National Park.

Certainly, if you are looking for a ‘wilderness’ experience, unsullied beaches, no other rafting groups and unspoiled scenery then you should consider a river like the Karnali, Sun Koshi, Seti-Karnali or the Madi Khola.

In high water conditions, this will be the perfect river for a short blast with huge rapids and a turbo fast current.

Upper Kali Gandaki

A deservedly popular medium length river trip combining exhilarating white water with fine scenery.

One of the famous names of Himalayan rivers, the Kali Gandaki rises 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.

At Kalapani this river drops off the roof of the World and cuts one of the deepest gorges in the world between the Dhaulagiri (8167m) to the West and the Annapurna (8091m) to the East.

After the Confluence with the Modi Khola, the river swings south through an area where until recently, tourists were 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; an auspicious place to be cremated and every river confluence is dotted with cremation sites and burial mounds (don’t start digging on your own!?!?).

This is a rewarding place for the birdwatcher and we have also seen mongoose, monkeys and signs of leopards and otters.

Rafting:
The perfect river for a shorter river-experience, but a beautiful valley, green lush waterfalls, pretty villages and the perfect amount of white-water.

Kayaking:
A fantastic river for kayaking with almost non-stop play-action. There are some holes you don’t want to play in, but only a few, and by and large, the difficulties are obvious and the river is friendly.

The perfect play river for the expert kayaker and an enjoyable expedition for the confident intermediate, a great river for kayaking at any level.

Lower Kali Gandaki

A big but relatively easy river, with beautiful, unspoiled scenery, small gorges, jungle and an abundance of wildlife. A relaxing river trip especially for the kayaker with limited experience.

Below Ramdi the river flows east into an open valley for approximately 100 km before joining with the Trisuli river at Devghat to become the Narayani and flow onwards to the Ganges. There are no roads near the river, no tourists, and few other river runners: local people are natural, unspoiled and of course friendly.

The lower half of the river is sparsely populated, with a jungle corridor and pristine white beaches. There is abundant wildlife along the river- including more than 250 species of bird. There are reports of the rare fresh water dolphin. Also rare, but occasionally seen, are crocodiles- the gharial ones (a fish eater) and the marsh mugger (eat anything!!).

Rafting:
A pleasant river trip with a gentle current. There are very easy class two rapids to add interest, but these are very safe.
If you’re nervous about the white water and don’t want to get wet, but still want an interesting river with the ‘get a away from it all feeling’, then this is the one.

Kayaking:
We operate our Kayak-clinics on the Lower Kali Gandaki, as it offers everything for a perfect and pleasant trip. Enough small rapids for the beginner, a helpful current, plenty of time to practice the Eskimo-roll and a finish in Chitwan National Park. (Or another river??)

Upper Myagdi Khola

The upper Myagdi Khola is a serious undertaking for the Expert only!!

The river needs plenty of scouting and is committing and challenging till Darbang, where it starts to calm down but will still offer you class 3 white-water till Beni.

The Myagdi Khola cuts a deep swathe into the southern flank of the Dhaulagiri massif and a –to tourists- unknown path follows the river towards the 8000m peaks of the Dhaulagiri.

Rafting:
No Way!!!

Kayaking:
A secret river, with somber narrow gorges, entertaining drops!!, and huge water-scoured boulders. It is a slow river to run, with lots a scouting needed, most of it not that easy!!
Take some good footwear!

The Modi Khola

A very steep blue mountain river for the expert kayakers. Continuous class IV+ white water with few portages and a spectacular mountain backdrop make this a kayaker’s dream. Can be run as a lead into the Kali Gandaki or combined with a trek to the Annapurna Sanctuary.

The river drains the Annapurna massif and is only 40 kms long. A new Hydro schemes been built down stream and splits the river in to parts. The upper part the more difficult, whereas the lower part still offers plenty of class four white-water.

The river is small and very steep, with technical paddling, lots of medium size boulders and house rocks. Very continuous and few big drops.

The perfect creek boating river with a stunning backdrop of the Annapurnas.

Seti Khola

A unique river passing through two beautiful and contrasting scenic areas. Relatively small volume, blue and warm. The ideal short trip for first time rafters or as a ‘warm up’ for intermediate kayakers.

The water is incredibly warm, making it a popular choice for winter trips. From November on we run our Kayak-Clinics on this beautiful and warm river.

Rafting:
A pleasant rafting trip through an unspoiled river-valley.

Kayaking:
A perfect warm up for the intermediate kayaker and the perfect place for kayak-instructions during the colder winter months.

The Madi Khola

A jewel of a trip in a pretty, unspoiled mountain valley only a few hours from Pokhara. Only a few people visited this place before!

The Madi Khola is the main watershed between the Modi Khola and the Marshyangdi valleys, but being off the main trekking routes, it lay undiscovered till 1998!

It drains the southern side of the Annapurna range and these huge 7000-meter snow-capped mountains form an awesome backdrop to a remarkably pretty and unspoiled valley.

Rafting:
A perfect rafting trip during October to November or April.

Kayaking:
A similar river to the Marshyangdi, but lower volume, easier, and with fewer huge boulders; and like the Marshyangdi and the Modi this is boat scouting and eddy hopping par-excellence with only a few short portages if any. The river got one of the most continuo white water in Nepal and offers a perfect alternative/warm up for the Marshyangdi, which is accessible from the take out through a pleasant and beautiful 2-day trek.

Marshyangdi

One of the best class 4 white-water rivers in the world – continuous, exhilarating whitewater with magnificent mountain backdrops. Recommended for expert kayakers.

The Marshyangdi rises on the northern slope of the Annapurna massif and joins the Trisuli. Marshyangdi means ‘raging river’ in local dialect, and this aptly describes it.

The scenery is magnificent, with every bend of the river opening fresh vistas of some of the world’s highest mountains. Although the valley has got a road up it, and is quite densely populated, you don’t see this when you are paddling because the river is incised about 40 meters into the valley floor.

Rafting:
A fantastic, exhilarating run. One rapid lead straight into another with steep drops, huge undercut boulders, a powerful current and lots of technical and fast maneuvering required. This is a serious and challenging trip and you should have previous Rafting experience.

Kayaking:
Most world-class kayakers will describe the Marshyangdi as one of the best white water trips in the World. Be aware that it will have continuous and long stretches of class 4 water.

Lower Budhi Gandaki

A little traveled, but easy river with typical Nepali villages and good mountain views, ideally combined with a scenic, pleasant and easy two-day trek to the put in.

The Budhi Gandaki drains the eastern slopes of Manaslu and the Ganesh Himal before flowing south through a steep-sided valley to join the Trisuli. Very few groups have paddled the Budhi Gandaki, as the trek takes already two days and the river will take two days only.

We recommend the river as a start to the Trisuli and an onward journey down to Chitwan National Park. This would give you a two-day trek, four days rafting and some relaxation in the National-park.

Rafting:
A pleasant trip of class 2 and easy class three that offers an attractive start to a Trisuli trip including a two day trek out of Gorkha.

Kayaking:
A straight forward river trip for the Beginner or intermediate kayaker, which wants to have a short and easy trek and kayak experience or a warm up for the Trisuli.

Sun Koshi

One of the ten best white water rafting trips in the world. Big rapids, warm water, beautiful scenery and great camping make this a classic multi-day river trip.

The Sun Koshi river rises near Tibet and flows eastward through Nepal to join the Ganges in India. It forms the watershed for most of eastern Nepal and gathering strength from tributaries draining the highest mountains in the World.

The volume increases considerably with the flow from these tributaries. In November, the flow at Dolalghat is about 100 cms; lower down the river, through the rapids of the ‘jungle corridor’; it would be about 400 cms whist is a typical flow on the Grand Canyon of the Colorado. At the take out in Chatara, the flow is a mighty 800 cms – still only a fraction of monsoon levels, which can reach up to 3500 cms!!!

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 unspoiled rural Nepal at its best. All along the river are beautiful, large white sandy beaches for camping, and the lower section is heavily forested with troops of monkeys and an abundance of birdlife.

Rafting:
The first few days are fairly easy and will give you a warm up time before we will get into the real big water. Most major rapids are pool/drop with huge bouncy pressure waves near the bottom. Days of running big rapids and floating through lush green countryside make this a memorable river/life experience.

Kayaking:
For intermediate and advanced kayakers this is a great river. Big bouncy class 3-4 rapids with large ocean-like surfing waves and lots of friendly holes make it the perfect Play River in high water.

Upper Sun Koshi

A clean, blue, scenic river only a few hours drive from Kathmandu.

The upper part of the famous Sun Koshi river can offer you some amazing trips during the monsoon time with continuous class 4+ white water.

The valley is surprisingly scenic with well –wooded sides and a wide blue river winding between white beaches. The valley is followed by the Arniko highway (road to Lhasa) but the road traffic is usually light and not intrusive.

Rafting:
At its best in medium to high water flows and not recommended during the low-water season.

Kayaking:
Lots of bouldery rapids with a not too pushy current, make it a perfect warm up for the Bhote Koshi or a place to build confidence for the intermediate kayaker. Eddy lines are well defined and there are good play waves and Endo spots for practicing technique and posing for the photographer.

Balephi Khola