Day-to-day general itinerary
Day1/ 21st Nov
Meet the group at our sales office in Kathmandu at 06:00 am. Valuable storage with us if you trust or can be done with your hotel. Walk down to the main road to hop on your rafting bus.6:30 am depart from Kathmandu. B/F on the way or can be done in Kathmandu, just arrange a night before. Continue the bus ride, stop for Nepali lunch at local hotel along the Mahendra H/W. Continue the journey, tea time arou4 pm. Continue ride till we reach to the local town call Kohalpur for the night (we eat dinner at this place). So we expect 16-17 hrs of bus ride in total or might be less depending on traffic.
Day2/22nd Nov
Tea and B/F at the same hotel or somewhere else, TL decides. If it needs, we drive to the Nepalgunj airport to pick up the client. To and from the airport is about an hour. Once we have every one, we begin our bus ride to the last big town call Surkhet where we eat Nepali lunch. We need airport pick up at Surkhet if we have client flying from Kathmandu. Last minutes shopping can be done here. From here we drive to Karnali River Ragham our put-in point, takes 8/9 hrs approx. We would reach the river by Evening. Unload the gear bus. Set up camp. There will be briefing on camp system/safety. Dinner will be served by 8 pm.
Day 3 /23rd Nov:
Observe the rituals ceremony of the Great Karnali Quest (preparation, reception, inauguration – showcase the Khasa culture with Deuda, the ceremony begins with an opening speech or announcement explaining the purpose and goals of the event. Participants and spectators may gather near the water’s edge to watch the race. Throughout the ceremony, there is usually a strong emphasis on the cause and the positive Impact the events aim to save the last and free flowing crystal Himalayan River the Karnali.
Day 4 / 24th Nov
Race flag from Rakam and then we prepare ourselves for the continue river Journey. After tea/coffee pack up your dry bag (guides will show you). Have breakfast, load/rig the rafts. Safety brief delivering / training and practice on paddling. Be ready for some massive waves. Camping after hitting the big rapid @Dap
Day 5/ 25th Nov
Raft down to Dungeshwor.
Day6 / 26th Nov
After tea/coffee pack up your dry bag (guides will show you). Have breakfast, load/rig the rafts. Be ready for some massive waves. Camping after hitting the big rapid call Sweetness and Light on river right.
Day7/ 27th Nov
Rafting (some major rapids are Shake Rattle and Roll, Human for Lunch, Jail House Rock, Inversion. Camp on Scorpion Beach).
Day8 28th Nov
Layover (chances to be on kayak/short hike depending on your TL) on the same beach.
Day/9- 29th Nov
Raft and camp (hit some big rapids such as, God’s House, Juicer, Freight Train and more). River West Seti joins into Karnali.
Day/10- 30th Nov
Raft on flat water section mostly (a bit relaxation but great chance to be on Kayak for learners).
Day/- 1st Dec
Raft and relaxation. Camping would be close to Bheri river confluence.
Day/12- 2nd Dec
Short rafting and take out at Chisa Pani (Karnali Bridge at Bardia National Park). Unload, de-rig rafts, have lunch at local hotel. Option to visit the National park. Bus journey back to Kathmandu, takes approximately 17 hour there is a flight option (Nepalgunj-Kathmandu). Take out point to airport is 2 hrs drive by private van
Day/13- 3rd Dec
Arrive back Kathmandu in the morning. Find your hotel. Grab your stuff from our office if it needs. We have post trip meal party in the town.
Furthermore, if you are hectic with long bus ride, there is flight options to be chose- both ways
Airfare –
KTM-Nepalgunj ($ 129 one way / $ 258 for round) KTM-Surkhet ($ 213 one way) Please also note that return flight from the trip would only be recommended for Nepalgunj to you.
Spring 2023 Departure Dates
06 Mar-15 Mar
07Apr -16Apr
12 Mar- 21Apr
24 Apr-03 May
05 May-14 May
Fall 2023 Departure Dates
07 Oct-16 Oct
18 Oct - 27Oct
29 Oct- 07 Nov
09 Nov- 18 Nov
21Nov - 30 Nov
Shorts / ½ pants
T-shirts
Sport sandals or comfortable shoes that can get wet and will stay on your feet
Quick dry long shirts
Swimwear
Track pants / comfortable long pants
Warm fleece
Jacket (waterproof shell)
Socks
Comfortable Shoes for trekking and rafting (Tamur River)
Warm hat (in cold months) and sunglass
Travel towel
Toiletries/Sunscreen / sunscreen lip protection
Mosquito repellant
Water bottle
Head lamp / flash light
Personal first aid kit
Sleeping bag (if you do not have one – we will provide a complimentary rental)
A little cash for treats,
Tipping is certainly appreciated by the guides and other river crew, who work hard to make sure you have fun and a safe trip. If you feel your guide has done a good job keeping you entertained, safely looked after and has shared the wonderful river environment with you, then feel free to show your appreciation.
The total number of people on the team varies with the duration of the trip and how many guests there will be. The team will always include the expedition leader and the main river guide, under whose supervision there is a team of additional river guides and a minimum of two safety kayakers. All of our team members are river professionals who have the required certification for commercial river descents. The river crew prepares the camp logistics, including meals, but the clients are encouraged to join in.
A minimum of 4 people are required to make the trip operational. Each raft must be at least 6 people and 1 guide, however we can add up to 8 people depending on the river.
If you are just learning to raft, start off with a Class II or III (or an easy Class IV) rafting trip. If you are really nervous about being part of a paddle boat, an alternative is to ride along on an oar boat, which we can offer on different rivers. Many rafters who are confident in the water, healthy, and feel adventurous, drop right into a Class IV river without any prior experience. Our guides will make sure you are trained in safety and proper paddle techniques. For Class V rivers, you must have prior class IV experience.
Yes! We provide private transportation to and from the river for each rafting trip and this is included in the cost of the trip. However, if you would prefer a flight, this can be arranged for an additional cost.
Typically you will have approximately 4-5 hours of actual river journey each day. The rest of the time is spent on setting up the campsite, preparing logistics, etc. This can be a good time for personal exploration and interaction with the natural surroundings or fellow travellers.
We don’t recommend bringing video cameras, or even expensive still cameras, on trips. If you do choose to bring a more expensive camera, or any camera really, we suggest that you protect it with a waterproof case; many are available which fit different shapes and sizes of cameras. Oftentimes, our river trips also have a professional photographer, whose photos you can view and order after the trip.
The meals will include both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options which are hygienically prepared by our team members everyday. Sometimes, local delicacies are served as well. You are also welcome to bring your own nonperishable foods/snacks and any alcoholic beverages you would like to enjoy at the campsite in the evening.
What's Included
Transportation to the put-in point and back from the put-out point
Lunch
Internationally certified rafting guides and safety kayakers
State-of-the-art rafting equipment and safety gear (including dry bags, helmets, life vests, etc.)
River permits
What's Not Included
Personal insurance
Emergency evacuation
Clothing and footwear
Alcoholic beverages
Any expenses/items of a personal nature
The Western Bend-Karnali
Meeting time/Place:
06:00 am/ Sales office, Kathmandu
Departure time:
06:30 am from Sales office, Kathmandu
Put in Point:
Rakham , Dailekh
Take out point:
Chisapani
Rafting distance:
180 km
River Grade:
IV – V
Time on Water:
5-6 Hours each Day with 1 Layover
Bus ride to the Put-in:
2 days
Return Journey:
Overnight ride
Meals:
Full Board
Flight Option:
Available both ways
Age restrictions:
15 – 70 years old
Seasons:
Spring – Mar-May
Fall – Oct – Dec
