ITINERARY FOR Various RIVERs

SUN KOSHI RIVER

Sun Koshi, the "River of Gold" rises near the Tibetan Plateau and flows eastward traversing through the great valley formed by the Mahabharat range. It forms the main watershed for most of the eastern parts of Nepal and is fed by the tributaries drained from the world's highest mountain range. It finally flows into the northern plains of India to merge with the holy Ganges. The major rapids are huge with bouncy waves, drops and holes similar to the rapids in the Grand Canyon of the Colorado. Along the river are beautiful white sandy beaches for camping and as you go further down, the area is covered with thick vegetation. This region is rich in wildlife such as monkeys, leopards, gharials and also has an abundance of bird life.

Sun Koshi is one of the popular whitewater rafting rivers in Nepal and is the longest trip offered in the Himalayan Kingdom. We start rafting from the hilly region with our put-in-point at Dolalghat just two hours drive from Kathmandu and end up at Chatara, far down in the plains a week later. The rushing waters of Sun Koshi come down from the snow-capped mountains, passing through the hills and plains, great gorges and canyons offering a fascinating river trip. The rafting trip on the Sun Koshi starts off with a small Grade II and III rapids, which help rafters to warm up and hone their rafting skills, preparing themselves for the challenges ahead. From the third day, the rapids get bigger and more frequent with high torrents. The giant waves on the river are overwhelming and the Sun Koshi reserves some of its biggest rapids for the last few days.

The world-class rapids, stunning scenery, great camping sites, tranquil evenings, vibrant culture and bounteous wildlife with almost four hundred species of birds and two hundred and fifty different species of orchids, all make this 'one of the world's ten classic river journeys' a unique experience. Your ultimate adventure of nine days ends only after you have covered 210 km of wild stretches and calm flows.

Day 01 Dolalghat - Kuihe Bhir: We start off from Kathmandu at 7.00 a.m. and drive for about 2 hours east of Kathmandu to our put-in-point on the Sun Koshi River at Dolal Ghat. Here we rig the rafts and after a brief safety talk we hit the waters of Sun Koshi. Initially, the river is peaceful, leisurely and a good introduction to local village folks and wildlife. We stop for lunch at one of the many sandy beaches that flank the river. In the afternoon we pass through small villages and temples and camp a few kilometres above one of the many named rapids called "KOOYEY BHIR" OR "MEAT GRINDER". While the crew pitch up tents and prepare dinner, you can explore the area or help them with their chores.

Day 02 Kuihe Bhir - Khalte Chayenpur: After breakfast, we pack and leave the camp site. After a 2 hour float on the placid waters, we encounter the first Grade III rapid "Meat Grinder". It is a straight run through the middle avoiding holes on the left and right. This could be the first introduction to the general type of rapids we will be encountering. A few kilometres further down, the Tama Koshi or "River of Copper" joins the Sun Koshi from the left. Unlike other modes of travel the river provides easy access to remote areas seldom seen or visited by westerners. After a hearty lunch we continue to explore the landscape and different ethnic groups as we float by. We camp above the second named rapid called the "CHAMEREY BHIR" or "PUNCH AND JUDY". A delicious dinner is cooked while you sit around the campfire and talk about the adventures of the day and life in general.

Day 03 Khalte Chayenpur - Likhu Khola: The valley here varies in width from a half to one kilometre. A few kilometres lower and we are at "Chamerey Bheer" or "Bat Cave". The crew stops to scout and chooses the most exciting way to go through the rapid. This part of the river is inhabited by many ethnic groups like the Newars. After lunch we float down through small splashy waves that are just enough to get you wet. Later we find a nice sandy beach and set up camp for yet another introspective evening.

Day 04 Likhu Khola - Harkapur: From the third day we notice a frequent flow of rapids and slight changes in vegetation. Today the canyon changes, the ridge begins to close in and the vegetation becomes thicker. We encounter a number of small to medium size rapids. A few kilometres below the confluence of the LIKHU KHOLA is a short rapid followed by the "LIKHU RAPID" or "HIGH ANXIETY", a long Grade IV rapid.

After lunch we continue through a maze of interesting rock formations. The white water picks up. Later, we camp near a small village called Harkapur next to the bridge to Okhaldhunga. There are a few shops around, and it is quite an experience to linger around watching the life of the locals over a locally brewed tea.

Day 05 Harkapur - Rasuwa Ghat: The river slowly picks up speed and with careful scouting, we go through the biggest rapid called the "HARKAPUR II". An hour and a half of floating downstream and we come to the confluence of the Sun Koshi and Dudh Koshi rivers. Further down from here, the river valley widens into an area of gravel and rock that is almost 2 km wide. This afternoon, we run a number of small rapids. The topography changes as we float past many trails and suspension bridges. This day, we camp near Rasuwa Khola on Rasuwa Ghat.

Day 06 Rasuwa Ghat - Jungle Corridor: This is one of the most exciting days of the trip, beginning with small rapids followed by long and large rapids. One of the long rapids "JAWS" with a large ledge on the bottom right forms a huge hole at certain levels. In the afternoon, we go through a few small but fun rapids, and then encounter "RHINO ROCK", a Grade III rapid. This is just above the next bridge and marks the beginning of the "Jungle Corridor". This is where we camp.

Day 07 Jungle Corridor - Big Dipper: Today we enter tropical vegetation. The river narrows into a gorge lined by thick forest. This section contains a number of consecutive rapids which are named "COOPER CHIN", "BLACK HOLE" etc. When we stop for lunch you can shower under any of the waterfalls which cascade down from both banks. The rest of the afternoon we meander through the gorge and enjoy the changing scenery. Tonight we camp on a road near a waterfall four hundred feet high and a couple of kilometers from the last major rapid called the "BIG DIPPER".

Day 08 Big Dipper - Tribeni Dovan: After a couple of hours float we come to the last major rapid called the "BIG DIPPER" which is a series of standing waves with some nasty holes that could lead to some weird experiences if not inspected and manoeuvred well. The afternoon can be an easy float witnessing cremations and other activities like logging out bamboos, people being ferried across on dugouts etc. This is the area where most of the Limbus and Rais collectively known as Kirants come from. We camp at the confluence of the three main rivers of eastern Nepal: Arun, Tamur and Sun Koshi. From here the river becomes "Sapta Koshi" or the Seven Koshi.

Day 09 Tribeni Dovan - Chatara: On this last day on the river, we pay a visit to a famous Hindu temple at "Barah Chetra" below Tribeni Ghat which is the meeting place of the three rivers. During full moon in January, thousands of Hindus arrive at the temple to worship. Legend has it that a demon God used to inhabit the area. He had special powers bestowed upon him by the higher Gods, preventing any mortal from killing him. Because this Demon God was such a nuisance to the holy men and pilgrims who came to the temple to pray, Lord Vishnu descended from heaven and took the shape of a pig and destroyed the demon God. Thus every year, pilgrims come to celebrate the death of the demon and Lord Vishnu's victory in the form of "Barah" or "Pig". We end our trip after lunch at Chatara where we unload the gear from the raft and load them all back on the bus awaiting us for the return journey. We then drive for 3 hr to reach Biratnagar where we catch a flight back to Kathmandu or drive all the way to Tiger Tops Jungle Lodge & Tented Camp in Chitwan National Park.