The KaliGandaki begins its journey
high on the Tibetan plateau in the kingdom of Mustang. Plunging its way
down through the Himalayas, the river carves the deepest gorge in the
world between the two 8000m peaks Dhaulagiri and Annapurna. The Kali Gandaki was first opened to
commercial use for rafting in 1991. The journey descends through challenging white
water, unique cultures and amazing beaches. When not negotiating rapids,
time on the river can be spent under cascading waterfalls and enjoying the
backdrop of the Annapurna ranges. Both experienced and novice rafters will
love it. Being one of the holiest rivers in Nepal, every river junction on
the Kali Gandaki is dotted with cremation sites and above ground burial
mounds.
As
the trip begins and ends in Pokhara you need to get there one day before
the trip. There are few options depending on your budget and time
schedule. All of them are relatively easy to arrange and if you want
your tour operator can assist you.
DEPARTURE POINT
Pokhara
RIVER START POINT
Near
Beni
RIVER FINISH POINT
Mirmi
OUTWARD TRAVEL TIME
4 Hours
RIVER GRADE
III
- IV
RETURN TRAVEL TIME
5
Hours
Itinerary
Day
01
At
around 7/8 am, we drive for around 3-4 hrs to the put-in point near
Beni. Throughout this drive we have stunning views of the Annapurna
and Dhaulagiri peaks as well as the sacred Machapuchare. Upon
arrival, 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 raft
trip. First day we 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 we will reach the Modi Khola confluence where we will
choose the beach for the evening campsite. We unload the rafts and
one raft team prepares dinner and rum punch whilst the others play
or relax and take in the scenery.
Day 02
Once the
rafts are packed we start down the river for a day mixed with
adrenaline calm and spectacular scenery including views of
Annapurnna 1 and Himachuli. We 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. Our campsite is below the village of Purti
Ghat.
Day 03
Soon 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 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. Our bus will be waiting for us. We load up the gear and
prepare for the bus journey back to Pokhara.
KAYAKING: This is a
great river for intermediate to advanced Kayakers. Most rapids are
pool-drop and there are surfing waves almost all the way down the
river. We have the best kayakers
and instructors l, they are always willing to share their enthusiasm and
expertise. We encourage kayakers to join any of our trips. You needn�t worry
as our safety kayaker is always with the expedition
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