ITINERARY FOR Various RIVERs

KALI GANDAKI RIVER

The Kali Gankaki is considered a "World Classic" in the rafting fraternity. The challenging rapids, the spectacular scenery of the Annapurna range combined with high gorges make this river unique. Visiting temples and villages along the way is an added attraction. The Kali Gandaki is a three-day adventure of high excitement with something of interest for everyone.

Named after the Hindu goddess, Kali, incarnation of Goddess Durga, this great holy river rises up in the Himalayas of Mustang, makes its way between the magnificent Dhaulagiri and the majestic Annapurna carving the deepest gorge on earth. Previously a five-day trip which used to reach Ranighat in Palpa has now been shortened to a three-day one due to the dam that has been built on the lower portion of this river. Nevertheless, the trip is a combination of great whitewater, turbulent rapids, stupendous scenery, delightful villages, pleasant sandy beaches and camps offering great views of mountains, diverse flora and fauna including the countless fossils found under water and beneath the white sand. Although the rapids of Kali Gandaki River are technical and continuous and keep the rafters busy paddling almost all day, this river is loved by both novice rafters and a veteran joy rider for the fantastic trip it offers. The opportunity of exploring the seldom-visited villages, beholding the beauty of lush green valleys, mysterious gorges, outrageous waterfalls and abundant wildlife besides observing some Hindu rituals taking place by the river makes the Kali Gandaki trip an extraordiary experience.

Day 01 Pokhara - Naya Pool- Aribeni: We leave Pokhara at 7 a.m. and drive for approximately 2 hours along the new Pokhara - Baglung road to the put-in point near the village called Naya Pool, located 45 km away from Pokhara. The drive is stunning as we climb out of Pokhara valley passing mule caravans on the way. We get spectacular views of the mountains. Upon reaching the put-in point, the rafts are inflated and you are given a full safety briefing, with instructions on rafting techniques for people preferring to raft with a paddle boat.

We then begin three days of stimulating river rafting, where on our first day we are greeted by a series of class II and III rapids. As we set off, you will be able to practice the commands and techniques you have just learned. Following the guides command and instructions to manoeuvre our raft through the tricky rapids, we all feel like experts before reaching our first day's campsite. Most of the day we pass through one of the world's deepest gorges, with scenic rock formations and villages perched high overhead. We come across a variety of wildlife in this undisturbed area, particularly birds such as Red Shank, cormorants and kingfishers.

Day 02 Aribeni - Seti Beni: After breakfast, we leave camp at 9:30 a.m. Today you will go through more Class II and III rapids but we encounter less rapids after lunch compared to the previous day. The landscape changes with the valley becoming slightly wider in places. During the day we see an increase in the number of villages and temples along the way where most of the inhabitants are either Brahmins or Magars. As the valley closes in again, waterfalls cascade from stalactite formations, and we enter the jungle corridor that has an abundance of lush green vegetation. The campsite tonight is on a remote beach.

Day 03 Seti Beni – Mirmi: The Seti Beni village has been named after the confluence of two rivers – Seti and Kali Gandaki. The Kali Gandaki has left a huge boulder on the confluence. A confluence according to the Hindu religion is a holy site; hence, the boulder has gained importance as a shrine for the local villagers. With the building of the dam, the Mandir (temple) is now in the middle of the river. With three days of experience tackling great rapids, we can now handle the smaller rapids ahead with ease. As the valley widens it is time to say goodbye to the gorge and the river becomes noticeably tamer. The hills around us are now less steep and we can watch farmers working their fields while children wave to us. After lunch, we end our three days of adventure on the Kali Gandaki. We pack off and drive back to Pokhara taking a different route from the one taken on the first day, through steep, hilly country, farmland and Gurung Villages enjoying the spectacular views of the mountains and the Pokhara valley.