Long multi- day trips
If you have seven days or more to spend in the Himalayan Rivers and are looking for adrenaline pumping adventure in the whitewaters of Nepal, then you can choose among the Tamur, the Sun Koshi and the Karnali Rivers, all of which are World Classics with excellent whitewater, stunning scenery, beautiful beaches and unspoilt villages that are located away from the busy roads. These rivers surpass all the other rivers in Nepal and a rafting trip in one of these rivers will ensure that your holiday is a really exciting and memorable experience and you can cherish it for a long time to come!
The Sun Koshi is the cheapest and most popular of these trips because the starting point is close to Kathmandu and you can drive to both the start and the finish points. Described as one of the ‘ten best rafting trips in the world’, the trip makes for an excellent choice for most people, especially for those doing their first river trip in Nepal.
The Karnali is our pick as the best overall trip. The rapids are more challenging than the Sun Koshi. Add superb canyons and pristine wilderness to the Karnali’s remote setting and finish the trip with a couple of days at the Bardia Wildlife Reserve and you have a rafting trip that is probably the ‘Best of its kind’ anywhere in the world.
The Tamur can also be described as mini-Karnali. With a spectacular trek during the start of this trip and lots of white water adventure with the right water level, this is probably the most challenging amongst the above rivers.
If you are looking for multi- day trips on easier rivers, then the best options are: the Seti, Karnali, Bheri and Mahakali rivers in the Far West. All these rivers are remote yet beautiful and unspoilt.
Medium length trips
If you want an exciting, multi-day white water raft trip but your time is more limited, then the obvious choices are the Trishuli and the upper Kali Gandaki. The cheapest trip is likely to be on the Trishuli River but the main highway that runs alongside most of its length spoils this. The upper Kali Gandaki is a much finer river in our opinion and the Arun is an alternative but an unfashionable option. For an experienced rafter, the above rivers are surpassed by the magnificent whitewater and scenery of the Marsyangdi.
If you prefer easier water, then, the most accessible option is the lower Kali Gandaki as this offers good scenery, wildlife and unspoilt beaches.
