Dammed or not a Divine Experience
3-4 days, Grade 3+4 

With 60 rapids over 60 kilometers the Kali Gandaki is a thrill a minute! Named after the goddess of destruction, Kali, this is Nepal's most holy river. Rising in the mystical region of Mustang it drops off the roof of the world only to carve out the world's deepest river gorge. As you roar through turbulent rapids, dodging huge boulders and sliding down glistening chutes into churning, frothy whirlpools, your adventure is set against the backdrop of the Annapurna range, it's surreal snowcapped peaks suspended in view through 120 km's of wilderness area and shadowy canyons of stone. As you pass isolated villages precariously clinging to terraces high above the river, you will hear the melodic calls of Namaste from the children. Locals and pilgrims alike worship Kali's holy river, and at every confluence one can see the fire rings from many cremations. Pilgrims also make the journey to the Shiva temple at Rubra Beni and greet us as we float pass. On the last day we meet the largest rapids, providing a thrilling climax to the journey of a lifetime! There are no warm up days on this river, you are straight into the action with bumpy, fast, and medium level rapids challenging you at every turn. Both experienced and first time rafters will enjoy the exciting rapids of the Kali Gandaki. At high water the Kali Gandaki is a Grade 4 river built to remind you that you are alive!

A deservedly popular and medium length of river trip is combining exhilarating white water with fine scenery. One of the famous names of Himalayan Rivers, The Kali Gandaki rises in Mustang and an enclave of Nepal Poking into Tibet on the other side of the Himalayas here; it is a flat and braided river, flowing in an arid open valley. As it tumbles down between the majestic Dhaulagiri and the Annapurna ranges, it creates one of the world's deepest gorges. The explorer Michael Peissel ran this stretch of the river in a small hovercraft in 1973 and at least two other groups have rafted and kayaked in this section. All day you have to continuous keeping paddlers busy against all technical rapids on the Kali Gandaki River. Both experienced and novice rafters love this. Nowhere else is it possible to find such diversity on a 3 day raft trip. Nice drops, sparkling chutes and turbulent rapids provide class III to IV+ runs during the fall and spring seasons.

After your exhilarating white water trip you have options either to drive or fly back to Kathmandu or to visit the Royal Chitwan National Park or again you can go for the trekking trip in the popular area of Annapurna region for few days.

Itinerary:

Day 01: At around 7/8 am, you drive for around 3-4 hrs to the put-in point near Beni. Throughout this drive you have stunning views of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri peaks as well as the sacred Machapuchare. Upon arrival, you 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 raft trip. First day you begin with some class III rapids this is a warm up for the team, after 10/15 minutes 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 you will reach the Modi Khola confluence where you will choose the beach for the evening campsite.

Day 02: Once the rafts are packed you start down the river for a day mixed with adrenaline calm and spectacular scenery including views of Annapurna 1 and Himachuli. You will tackle many class III sections and the challenging class IV named REFUND. This section of river is abundant with vines, wildlife and lush vegetation hanging from the cliff faces. Your campsite is below the village of Purti Ghat.

Day 03: Soon after being back on the water you reach the holy village of Seti Beni. The river has deposited a house size boulder in the confluence with a smaller tributary. Since confluence is 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. Not long after this it is time for the journey to end. You load up the gear and prepare for the bus journey back to Pokhara.

Day 04: Drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu.

Is It For Me? With no warm up days you are straight into the action with this one. If you are short of time but still want a wilderness experience then this river is perfect for you.

Best time to Raft : There are two rafting seasons, The best season is September following the monsoon and extending through October, November and sometimes early December. The second season follows the spring thaw from March to May, the best water being in April/ May. Combine the Marshyangdi or the Kali Gandaki with any of our treks in the Annapurna Region.