Rafting the Karnali River, Nepal
Rushing through remote, jungle-clad canyons and pristine jungle, the Karnali River is regarded as the finest big volume rafting in Nepal. Beginning its life near Tibet’s Mount Kailas, Nepal's longest river carves its way through the Himalayas into Nepal’s lush western forests, known as the ‘wild west’.
After the snows melt, the river becomes a raging torrent that surges down a 7km-long gorge through a series of continuous Class IV and V rapids from Lohore Khola down to the Seti River.
After this section, the gradient eases and the river unwinds onto the plains, flowing through the Royal Bardia Wildlife Park, providing an opportunity to spot local wildlife, such as languor monkeys, spotted deer and the otter anteater, in one of least explored areas of the Himalayas. Located a 19-hour drive from Kathmandu.
River class Grade III to V
Boat type Paddle rafts and oar rafts
Rating and length Moderate; 180km
Time frame 10 days
Gradient 2m per km
Accommodation Mix of hotels and riverside camping; typically, all food and equipment is carried expedition-style in the rafts
Best time to raft the Karnali River
Best in autumn, from September to December, but also good in spring, from February to May and in summer, June to August; average temperatures range between 24˚C and 28°C
Other activities – Trekking, kayaking and fishing the Karnali River is one of Nepal’s premier fishing rivers, full of freshwater perch and giant cat fish
Top attractions nearby
Kathmandu – Explore the magnificent collection of Buddhist and Hindu temples and shrines in Durbar Square, which are mainly built in the pagoda style with a mass of intricate exterior carving.
Don’t miss the old Royal Palace, the Statue of Hanuman the Monkey God or the Kumari, the house of the living goddess. Not far from Kathmandu lies the impressive Bodnath Stupa – a centre of Tibetan exile culture and a good place to buy Tibetan handicrafts and artefacts.
Royal Bardia Wildlife Park – Explore the largest and most undisturbed wildlife area of the Terai region of the Nepal Himalayas. Bardia, a former royal hunting reserve of Nepal's Rana rulers from 1846 to 1950, encompasses 1000km² of riverine grassland and sal forests.
Ride an elephant on a jungle safari to spot local wildlife including wild elephants, rhinos, monkeys and birds, as well as spotted deer and the agile sloth bear, a shaggy black bear with a distinctive white ‘V’ marking on its chest. Along the river, watch out for crocodiles and the freshwater gangetic dolphin. |