Nepal has a reputation for being one of the best places in the world for rafting and kayaking,with outstanding river journeys ranging from steep,adrenaline-charged mountain streams to classic big-volume wilderness expeditions.Warm water, a subtropical climate(with no bugs!)and huge white sandy beaches that are ideal for camping just add to the appeal.

There has also been a continuous increase in the number of kayakers coming to Nepal and it is justifiably recognised as a mecca for paddlers.Several companies offer trips that cater specifically to kayakers,where you get to explore the river with rafts carrying all your gear and food, and ofter camp near choice play spots.

Nepal is an ideal place to learn to kayak and several rafting companies offer learner kayak clinics.For the communication required to teach,the best instruction clinics tend to be staffed with both Western and Nepali instructiors.Kayak clinics normally take about four days,which gives you time to get a good grounding in the basics of kayaking,safety and river dynamics.

TRISULI
Distance 40km
Duration Two days
Start Baireni
Finish Multiple locations
Brief description Popular,a wild ride during the monsoon

The Trisuli is where many commercial trips operate with easy access just out of Kathmandu.This is the cheapest trip available in Nepal - if you sign on to a US$15-a-day raft trip,this is where you'll end up.

What makes the Trisuli so cheap is also what makes it one of the least desirable rafting trips in the country.The easy access is provided by the Prithvi Hwy,which is the only highway connecting Kathmandu and India,and it runs right alongside the river.During most flows the rapids are straightforward and spread well apart.The large number of companies operating on the river drives the prices down,but it also detracts considerably from the experience of the trip.Beaches are often heavily used and abused,with garbage,toilet paper and fire pits well assimilated into the sand.This,combined with the noise and pollution of the highway,makes the Trisuli a less than ideal rafting experience.

It's not all bad news though.During the monsoon months the Trisuli changes character completely as huge runoffs make the river swell and shear like an immense ribbon of churning ocean.There are fewer companies running at this time of the year,and the garbage and excrement of the past season should by now be well on its way to Bangladesh as topsoil.

BHOTE KOSI
Distance 10km
Duration Two days
Start Borderlands
Finish Lamosangu
Brief description Just three hours from Kathmandu,the Bhote Kosi is one of the best short raft trips to be found anywhere in the world

The Bhote Kosi is the steepest river rafted in Nepal - technical and totally committing.With a gradient of 80ft per mile (24m per 1.6km),it's a full eight times as steep as the Sun Kosi,which it feeds further downstream.The rapids are steep and continual class IV,with a lot of continual class III in between.

This river is one of the most fun things you can do right out of Kathmandu and a great way to get an adrenaline fix during the low- water months,but it should only be attempted with a company that has a lot of experience on the Bhote Kosi,and is running the absolute best guides,safety equipment and safety kayakers.The Great Wall rapid is normally portaged as it is simply too dangerous during normal flows.

The normal run is from around 95km northeast of Kathmandu to the dam at Lamosangu.The river has been kayaked above this point,but a raft trip here would not be recreational.At high flows several of the rapids become solid class V,and the consequences of any mistakes become serious.

Rafting the Bhote Kosi out of one of these camps means you get more river time and can relax at the end of the day in pristine surroundings and comfort.The environmental impact of trips is limited by staying at fixed camps,which also create local employment and business.They also offer other activities,so you can mix and match what you do.