- Cultural Treks & Expedition
- +977 9851092658 (Kumar)
Fits within a 2 week period, Begins its life near to Tibet’s holy Mount Kailash
The far west of Nepal is one of the most remote and least explored areas of the Himalayas and has only recently been opened to foreigners. Based on this unique wilderness setting, our rafting trip on the Karnali River is an expedition rafting trip from the trek to the put-in to the take out!
The Class IV Karnali River is the longest and largest river in Nepal. Karnali River is also one of Nepal’s premier fishing rivers with Mahseer, a form of freshwater perch and giant cat fish. The river source lies high in Tibet near holy Mount Kailash and then descends from high Himalayan snowfields through a series of spectacular gorges and emerges onto the Terai flowing through Royal Bardia Wildlife Park. Continuing across the northern plains of India, it joins the Ganges and the Bay of Bengal.
Our Karnali River rafting trip begins with (and includes) a chartered plane journey across Nepal followed by a two day trek along old trade routes to the put-in at the “Great Loop” of the Karnali. The next 8 days, we raft through steep canyon country and spectacular jungle scenery. This is one of the finest stretches of whitewater in the world. We raft “expedition-style” carrying all food and equipment with us in the rafts. We float through very sparsely populated remote areas and it is not until the final days that we encounter villages of any significant size. If you are interested in a rugged wilderness style of expedition rafting, you will love the Karnali!
Location: Mid Western Nepal
Specialty: Largest and longest river
Distance: 180 km
Rafting Duration: 5 days
Point in: Sauli (Syauli)
Point Out: Chisopani
Best Season to Visit: March to May (Spring) & October to December (Autumn)
Attractions: Royal Bardia National Park
River Distance: Approx. 185 kms.
Average Gradient: 4 m/km (20 ft a mile)
Volume in Nov: 300 cms (10500 cfs)
Note: The trip price will vary depending on the group size, duration and services required. Please contact us via our website with your details to obtain a quote.
This is a long bus journey, so be prepared with water etc. We travel to the far west and arrive in Surkhet very early hours of the morning. You are able have a sleep here.
After breakfast, we will take a truck as far as the road goes until about lunch time (this all depends on availability…be flexible). After lunch we walk all afternoon to the put-in point at Sauli. A great walk which highlights just how “out there” you really are. You pass local villages and spectacular scenery, and then… you hear the river!
The River gives the team time to build and there is enough challenging rapids and water flow to allow for learning errors. We still manage to get at least one great class IV rapid in. We camp and get excited about tomorrow.
This is the type of day that people imagine when they think of Himalayan water. It is BIG and it is continuous. We enter into the jungle corridor. This is a narrowing jungle clad gorge and it is all ours. The team building is put into full practice and when your guide shouts “all forward” he really means it! Enjoy the ride all day and camp in this sensational setting.
More of the same including the notorious GOD`S HOUSE rapid. Don’t forget to take in the bird life, which is equally as abundant as the lush vegetation. Camp and relax.
It isn’t over yet! Keep paddling hard! You really are experiencing the best of the west on yet another day of great action and breathe taking scenery.
This is a holiday after all, so we have programmed a rest day so you can take time to enjoy your surroundings and relax on a great sandy beach.
We see the rapids dying off as we come out of the gorge. We pass the confluence with the Seti River where the river broadens. Today and the next day and a half are a chance to enjoy your journey admiring the country and villages you pass. You will have seen the safety kayakers in action and will no doubt be inspired, so ask the guides for some supervised instruction, or take over the raft and learn about the river. You see there is more to a rafting expedition than just rafters. Take out and transfer back to Kathmandu
