Kali Gandaki River Rafting
A deservedly popular and medium length of river trip is combining
exhilarating white water with fine scenery. One of the famous names of
Himalayan Rivers, The Kali Gandaki raises in Mustang an enclave of Nepal
Poking into Tibet on the other side of the Himalayas here; it is a flat and
braided river, flowing in an arid open valley. As it tumbles down between
the majestic Dhaulagiri and the Annapurna ranges, it creates one of the
world's deepest gorges. The explorer Michael Peissel ran this stretch of the
river in a small hovercraft in 1973 and at least two other groups have
rafted and kayaked in this section.
All day you have to continuous keeping paddlers busy against all technical
rapids on the Kali Gandaki River. Both experienced and novice rafters love
this. Nowhere else is it possible to find such diversity on a 3 day raft
trip. Nice drops, sparkling chutes and turbulent rapids provide class III to
IV+ runs during the fall and spring seasons.
After your exhilarating white water trip you have options either to drive or
fly back to Kathmandu or to visit the Royal Chitwan National Park or again
you can go for the trekking trip in the popular area of Annapurna region for
few days
River Grade: | Class III - IV |
Starting point: | Nayapool |
Ending Point: | Andikhola (Mirme) |
River Distance: | 55 km |
River Days: | 3 Days from Pokhara, 5 Days from Kathmandu |
Best Season: | Sep - Dec or March - May |
Price: | USD $ 160.00 Per person (Book now get 10% discount) |
Departure | Spring Season, Summer Season, Autumn Season |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1– Pokhara - Naya Pul - Modi Beni: Pokhara can be reached by plane or by car taking thirty minutes or five hours respectively. The journey to the river begins early in the morning from Pokhara. The put-in point is 40km away at Naya Pul and the
drive takes approximately 2 ½ hours. Mule caravans can be seen coming down to Pokhara and the mountains views are spectacular. After a briefing and preparations, everyone is on the boat. The first day’s treat includes a series of Class III and Class IV rapids. Interesting rock formations are seen on the canyon walls as we paddle past. High above the river lie villages perched on hilltops. Birding is a special feature on this trip and such specimens as Red shank, cormorants and kingfishers can be seen along the river. The day ends at the campsite.
Day 2 –Modi Beni - Purtighat: Soon after breakfast the second day’s trip begins and there are more Class IIIand Class IV rapids to maneuver, but as the day progresses, less of these are encountered compared to the previous day. Going further down, the landscape changes gradually and the valleys become wider. There are more temples along the way and villages mostly inhabited by Brahmins or Magars. Before the jungle corridor is entered, waterfalls are encountered that cascade down stalactite formations. The night halt is on a remote beach.
Day 3 – Purtighat - Mirmi: At the confluence of two rivers (the Modi and Kali) rests the village of Modi Beni. The spot where two rivers meet is considered a holy site by Hindus and a massive boulder here is recognized as an important shrine by the locals. Some small rapids are encountered here and are relatively easy. The valley then widens, and the great gorge is left behind. The river loses its ferocity and the surrounding hills are no longer steep. Back in civilization, farmers can be seen busy in their fields and children wave from a distance. A lunch stop here brings an end to this marvelous three-day river trip. A change of route on the way back to Pokhara makes the journey more interesting as the road leads through rising hills, farmland and charming Gurung Villages. This three-day river trip takes one through the most diverse cultures and landscapes.
Cost Included
- Ground Transportation (Pokhara to Pokhara
- Meals, Western and continental food (breakfast, lunch, dinner) during your rafting trip
- River Permit
- Necessary equipment as high quality self-bailing rafts, lifejackets, helmets, plastic paddles, wetsuits (only during the winter) on certain rivers, dry bag for gear, camera barrels and all safety and medical equipment
- Safety Kayak
- Necessary Staffs (Guide, Helpers, Cook etc)
- Tented accommodation in beautiful river beach with camp fire
- All expenses for Staff
- Expedition elements include professional whitewater river guides
- First aid kid box
- Company T-Shirt
Cost not Included
- Mineral water, cold drinks and alcoholic beverages during the whole trip
- Hotel accommodations & meals at if you stay anywhere at the hotel during whole trip
- Emergency evacuation
- Things of personal use
- Hotel in Pokhara
- Member insurance
- Airfare (Kathmandu-Pokhara-Kathmandu
- Tips to Staffs
- Sleeping bag (US$ 1.00 per night)
Please bring: -
- T-shirt
- swim wear for on the river
- Warm clothing for the evenings including a fleece or a pullover
- Sunscreen and lip protector
- Sunglasses (with retaining device) and/or a cap
- Towel and Toiletries (environmentally friendly is best)
- Personal medication
- Flashlight
- Footwear
- Reading book
- Fishing hook (you can fishing in the Himalayan River)