A Day Rafting Tour To Trishuli River

Located just a 2 to 3 hour drive from Kathmandu, the Trishuli River is where most people in Nepal go rafting for the first time. The river is known for its well-formed rapids, and it is fed by water coming off the high Himalaya, which makes for cold, clear water and a steady flow for most of the year.

How far is the Trishuli from Kathmandu?

The put-in at Charaudi is 77 km from Kathmandu, which is about 2 to 3 hours by road on the Prithvi Highway. You finish downstream at Kurintar. Transport both ways from Kathmandu is part of the trip, so the drive is not something you need to arrange yourself.

What are the rapids like?

The Trishuli runs at Grade III to IV, including the sections known as Upset and Ladies' Delight. That is enough to be genuinely exciting without being extreme: big, clean waves rather than technical drops. You cover 20 to 25 km and spend 2.5 to 3 hours on the water. During the monsoon the river swells and the waves get considerably bigger.

Do I need rafting experience?

No. A safety briefing and paddle training happen before you launch, and an experienced river guide steers every raft and tells you when to paddle. Safety kayakers travel alongside the group. First-timers make up most of the rafts on any given day.

What does the day look like?

You leave Kathmandu by bus in the morning and drive to Charaudi, where the guides fit your helmet and life jacket and run the briefing on the beach. You raft the main section with a break for lunch on a sandy riverside beach, and there are calmer stretches where you can get out and swim. After the take-out at Kurintar you drive back, with the whole day running to about 8 hours door to door.

What is the scenery like?

The Trishuli runs between high and low hills, through gorges with jungle on the slopes, waterfalls coming down to the water and villages along the bank. You pass under the cable car running up to the Manakamana Temple, which is one of the better-known sights on the Kathmandu–Pokhara road and looks quite different from the river.

When is the best time to raft?

The river holds a steady flow for most of the year, so this runs in nearly every season. The monsoon months bring higher water and bigger waves, which suits people who want more out of the rapids, and the drier months give a gentler ride better suited to families and first-timers.