RAFTING, KAYAKING & CANOEING IN NEPAL

Legend says that high in the Himalaya at Gosainkund the god Shiva drove his Tridint in to the ground to create the springs - the source of the river and hence its name Trisuli.

Not for after this source the Trisuli joins the Bhote kosi that flows from Tibet; the two river joining in some pretty fearsome looking gorges that are visible on the way up to the Langtang Trek. By Betrawati the gradient has eased and after this is becomes a more mature and powerful river which later adds many other major river its flow - the Buri Gandaki, the Marsyangdi and the Seti. When the Kali Gandaki joins it, shortly before the plains, it changes its name to the Narayani. Here, it is a truly mighty river - peak flows in the Monsoon have been measured at 25,700 cumecs (extreme, instantaneous discharge) about 900,000 cubic feet per second or fifty times the typical flow of the Colorado River through Grand Canyon! Normally the flow on the main rafting section of the Trisuli is about half that of the Grand Canyon, and in many ways the rapids are smaller scale versions of those on the Colorado; they are formed mainly by boulder outwash from tributary streams and are characterised by big green shoots, holes either side, and huge exploding waves down the bottom. The river has carved some truly impressive gorges in its lower part as it cut its way through the 2000-meter high Mahabharat Range. These gorges are also the route followed by the prithvi highway is some way from the river itself. The opposite side to the road is relatively wild and uninhabited and you should see plenty of wildlife, a profusion of colourful birds, including eagles and vultures -especially ture if you continue on down in to Chitwan National Park where you may see crocodiles and rhino by the riverside.

From: Betrawati {Alt.625m}

To: Narayanghat {Alt. 170m}

Distance: 141 kms {88 miles}

River days: 4-7

From Kathmandu: 2-4 hours.

Difficulty in Nov.: Class 3+{4}

Average gradient: 0.3% {16 ft a mile}

Est. Max. Gradient: 0.7 %

Volume in Nov.: 300 cumecs {10,000 cfs}

Below Ramdi, the river flows east in an open velley for approximately 100kms between lines of hills before joining with the Trisuli River at Devghat to become the Narayani and to flow onwards to the Ganges and the Indian Ocean. There are no roads near the river no tourists, and few other river runners; local people are natural, unspoilt and of course friendly. The lower half of the river is relatively sparsely populated, with a jungle corridor and pristine white beach. There is abundant wildlife along the river - including more than 250 species of the bird. There are reports of people seeing the rare fresh water dolphin. Also rare, but occasionally seen, are crocodiles - the Gharial ones, mainly fish eaters, and the Muggers who will eat anything... This section of river has seen all kinds of craft on it from hover craft to jet barges; happily the only craft that you are likely to see are the dug out canoes that are used by the local ferry men.

From: Ramdi {Alt.370m}

To: Narayanghat {Alt.170m}

Distance: 128 kms {80 miles}

River Days: 3-4

From Pokhara: 4 hours

Difficulty in Nov.: Class 2{3}

Average in Nov.: 0.15 % {7 ft a mile}

Est. Max. Gradient: 0.25 %

Volume in Nov.: 250 cumecs {8800 cfs}

Best Season: Oct / Dec and Feb / April.

A beautiful unspoilt river with good white water gorges wildlife and a feeling of remoteness. Recommended for people wanting an exciting medium -lenght raft trip and as a self- sufficient kayak trip for intermediate and expert kayakers. We recommend combining this river with a trek before hand up in to the mountains. Also consider cotinuing down the lower Kali Gandaki to Chitwan National Park.

One of the famous names of Himalayan rivers the Kali Gandaki risca in Mustang an enclave of Nepal Poking in to Tibet on the other side of the Himalaya. Here, it is a flat and braidad river flowing in an arid open valley: the explorer Michale Peissel ran this stretch of the river in a small hovercraft in 1973. At Kalopani the river drops off the roof of the world and cuts one of the deepest gorges in the world between Dhaulagiri height 8167 m to the west and Annapurna 8091m. to east. This gorge is one of the ancient trading routes through to Tibet and is now a favourite route for trekkers. Below Tatopani the gradient esses and the river is probably runnable from upstream of Baglung. After the confluence with the Madi Khola, the river swings south through an area where tourists are almost unknown. The only road access in the 214 kms of river is at two places, Radi and Ramdi, and the river feels remote and wild. The few People you will see enthusiastically beck on you over so that they can meet you.

There are few villages actually on the river - most are located on the river terraces some hundreds of metres above, where it is cooler and where there would be fewer mosquitoes in the monsoon.

The Kali Gandaki is named after the goddess Kali and is considered a particularly holy river, an auspicious place to be cremated. It is also a gold bearing river - we met several small groups who were sluicing and panning the gravels of the riverbed for miniscule amounts of the metal.

From: New Bridge {Naya pul} or for Kayak

Modi Khola {Alt.690}

To: Ramdi {Alt.370m.}

River Days: 3-5

From Pokhara: 1 day

Difficulty in Nov.: Class 4-{4}

Average gradient: 0.35 %{18 ft a mile}

Est. Max. Gradient: 0.8 %

Volume in Nov.: 117 cumecs {4100 cfs}

Best season: Oct / Dec and March / April.

A unique river passing through two beautiful and contrasting scenic areas. Relatively small volume blue and warm, we recommend this as a warm – up river for interm ediate kayakers. If started at Damauli, it makes an easy raft or kayak trip.

The Seti Khola rises on the South East slopes of Machapurchare and then flows south as a fairly typical Nepalese mountain river, it is dammed for Hydro Electric Power just above Pokhara and then shortly afterwards it disappears in to a deep and very narrow chasm to reappear again in a wide valley a few kilometres below Pokhara - so be careful where you get in! From the recommended put -in at Dule Gouda it flows through a spectacular almost eerie, board river plain, at times meandering in braided channels at other times incising the plain leaving 100 metre high river cliffs. The rock here is reminiscent of buildrers comglomerate - pebbles and small boulders embedded in a coarse sand matrix but more resistant to erosion than it appears at first glance.

After Khaireni the Seti enters a typical Nepali valley initially passing through some small narrow gorges. It then winds a lot between interlocking spurs of the high green hills, before entering a straighter jungle corridor, with only a sparse local population. This corridor continues all the way to the Trisuli, interrupted only by a short narrow section, which precedes the wide Mardi Khola confluence at Dhaumali. Features to note on the river include quit a range of birds, from many vultures on the upper section to Kingfishers on the lower section. The jungle corridor has lot of hanging, green vegetetion on all sides and has several narrow velleys, which could be explored on foot.

From: Damauli {Alt.345m}

To: Trisuli River {Alt.190m}

Distance: 32 kms {20 miles}

River Days: 1-2

From Pokhara: 2 hours.

Difficulty in Nov.: Class 2 {3+}

Average Gradient: 0.5 % {25 ft a mile}

Est. Max. Gradient: 0.8 %.

The Marsyangdi rises on the northern slopes of the Annapurna Himal, flows east through an arid valley around Manang, and then swings south to join the Trisuli River at Mugling. Marsyangdi 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 at4920m- but much of the upper river should probably be considered as unrunnable. For most of the trip from Ngadi down to Bimalnagar the river is incised as a winding gorge in to the valley floor about 50 metres deep with sloping well wooded sides. Only a few villages are visible from the river and at times you could almost be on a river in Idaho or British Columbia. As the river turns fresh views unfold behind of the Manasalu and Annapurna rangs - a magnificnt backdrop. There are beautiful campsites. The lower Marsyangdi gorges from Bimal Nager down the Mugling used to be an excellent river trip but a new dam has been built own stream of Bimalnager to generate electricity for Kathmandu and so there is now almost no water left in this section of the river and it can no longer be recommended. Both the dam and the powerhouse are vital to the economy of Nepal and are sensitive security areas. Any incident could badly rebound on other river runners and you will appreciate why we ask you to stay away from this lower section of the river.

Rafting

From: Bhote Odar {Alt. 550m}

To: Bimalnager {Alt.370m}

Distance: 28 kms {17 miles}

River Days: 2

From Kathmandu: 1 day

Difficulty in Nov.: Class 4 {4+}

Average gradient: 0.6 % {30 ft a mile}

Est. Max. Gradient: 1.0 %.

Combines a pleasent trek and short -river descent - typical Nepali villages, good mountan views and a little - traveled but easy river. There are several days of class 4 & 5 kayaking further up river.

From: Arughat {Alt.480m.}

To: Trisuli {Alt.330m.}

Distance; 34 kms {21 miles}

River Days: 1-2

From Kathmandu: 1 plus 2 days trek.

Difficulty in Number: Class 3

Average gradient: 0.4 % {20 ft a mile}

Gradient: 0.6 %

Volume in Nov.: 90 cumecs {3200 cfs}

Best Season: Nov - Dec, Feb – April.