Kali Gandaki River Rafting

Transportation to the River

Pokhara is 200km from Kathmandu. It takes 6 hours by bus, 5 hours by private vehicle or 35 minutes by flight. The journey from Pokhara to the put-in is amazing. The road initially follows the Seti River and rises up a winding road to the village of Naudanda where a magnificent view greets you from the north - the entire Annapurna massif. The road rises more before dropping into the Modi khola river valley which it then follows for several kilometers. At Kusma the road turns northwest and begins the descent to the river.

On the River

Day 1: upon arrival at the put in point, we unload all the equipment and you will receive a full safety briefing. Have lunch and then the guide will take you to the river starting point ready to begin your exciting 3 days rafting trip. First day we begin with plenty of class III rapids this is a warm up for the team, after couple of hours you will be encountering 2 big class 4 rapids i.e. ‘Small Brother’ and ‘Big Brother’. Your guide will be making you work hard at doing exercises to work as a team maneuvering the raft efficiently. After scouting the rapid, the safety kayaks will go first then the raft. Soon after encountering these two big rapids we will reach the Modi Khola confluence where we will choose the beach for the evening campsite. We unload the rafts and our crews prepare dinner whilst the others play volleyball or relax and take in the scenery or walk around.

Day 2 : Camp site Modi Khola to second day camp site below the village of Purti Ghat.

Once the rafts are packed we start down the river for a day mixed with adrenaline, calm and spectacular scenery including views of Annapurna I and Himchuli. We will tackle many class III sections and the challenging class IV named REFUND. This section of river is abundant with vines and lush vegetation hanging from the cliff faces. Our campsite is below the village of Purti Ghat.

Day 3: Purti Ghat to Mirme

Almost immediately after being back on the water we reach the holy village of Seti Beni. The river has deposited a house size boulder in the confluence with a smaller tributary. Since confluences are considered holy places in the Hindu religion, this boulder has become an important shrine to the local river people. There is usually a great audience to watch and listen to the spectacle as each team negotiates the rapid that has formed around this holy place. After the shirt-rafting trip it is time for the journey to end. You arrive in the Mirme where your bus will be waiting for you. We load up the gear and prepare for the bus journey back to Pokhara 105 km. for 5 hours driving. 

Safety and Equipment Issues.

Safety and security of all our clients is our prime concern. All our guides are licensed, trained in CPR, first aid and advanced river rescue techniques. All our equipment is world class, up to date and carefully maintained. We use Avon self-bailing rafts. We always use safety kayakers on every trip. We prepare all food with the utmost attention to hygiene.

Before your trip you will be invited to an orientation meeting in order to meet the rest of your paddling team, the guide(s) and safety kayakers. At this meeting there will be opportunities for you to ask any questions that you may have and discuss any personal requirements, such as a special diet or medical conditions that could affect your time with us. Upon arrival in put in point, there will again a session of questions and answers. The captain briefs you about the trip of the day, river level, paddling tips and so on before you step into the boat.

We have our own private transportation to take you to and from the river. When our own coach is not available then we provide a privately booked alternative.

We provide plentiful, healthy and hygienically prepared food and drinks.

Along with our high quality self-bailing rafts, we provide helmets, plastic paddles, wetsuits (during winter), lifejackets, dry bags, camera barrels, all necessary safety and medical equipment. Tents and sleeping mats are also provided. Sleeping bags can be supplied upon request. All our equipment is of the highest quality, clean and well maintained

What to Bring

In some ways it is best to bring as little as possible to the river. There are however, some essential personal items that you may need.

• Light weight clothing that will dry quickly, eg. shorts, 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.
• Toiletries (environmentally friendly is best!) and any personal medication.
• Flashlight.
• Footwear that will stay on in the river, ‘Tevas’ or tennis shoes are best.
• You may also want to consider bringing
• Camera, spare film and batteries
• Walkman/Discman
• Spare glasses/contact lenses
• A book to read
• Your diary and a pen!
• Snack treats/cigarettes
• A small amount of money
• A positive attitude!