5 Best Places To Try River Rafting In India

There are only a few things that appeal to adventure enthusiasts more than the thrill of riding on the wild waters of untamed rivers, or white water rafting as it is called. The mighty rivers flowing down from the heights of the Himalayas make India one of the world’s best places for adventure. While the best of rafting options lie north, in the Himalayan waters, South, West and East has also seen recently the development of the sport. We bring you our list of 5 places to go rafting in India.

* Rishikesh

The Ganga at Rishikesh is one of the world’s best rivers to raft. A 16 km stretch from Shivpuri to Lakshman Jhula in Rishikesh, rapids range from grade 1 to grade 4. This stretch, rich with whirlpools and rapids, has seen the likes of Brad Pitt come for a rafting adventure. There are as many as 13 rapids with curious names like Return To Sender, Roller Coaster, Three Blind Mice, Double Trouble, Tee Off and Golf Course. An excellent combination of chilled and beautiful white sand river beaches against the scenic Kumaon Mountains, the best season to go there is from September to June.

* Zanskar

Rafting is held between Padum and Zimo regions in the Zanskar river gorge at the height of 12000 feet of the sea level. Walls of mountains rise to hundreds of feet on both sides. The rafting route ends as the river merges with the Indus. The route passes through some very rough terrains and remote places in Ladakh. The river is rated as grade IV. Best time to go is July to August as the river freezes during winters.

* River Indus on Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir

Amidst deep gorges, towering snow-capped peaks, hilltop monasteries, hillside villages, Ladakh offers a range of rafting options on the Indus and its major tributaries. The rafting season begins in the months of June upto late August on the river Indus when the water levels are high. Tamer in comparison to the more rugged water flow of the river in Nepal, rafting is more commonly done from (Phey to Sasphol) Spitok to the Indus-Zanskar confluence at Nimmu, and from Nimmu to the ancient temple complex at Alchi, graded an average of 2-3. The more challenging route lies between Alchi and Khalsi, which takes in the kilometre long series of rapids at Nurla.

* Bhagirathi river

Through gorges, charming villages and white sandy beaches, the Bhagirathi offers 150 kms of pure white water rafting thrill. The raft run is down the lower Bhagirathi gorge and is graded between levels 3 and 4. Rapids like “Elephant rock”, “The Chute”, “Sharp S”, “Confluence rapids” are encountered till Bhagirathi’s confluence with the Alaknanda at Devprayag to form the Ganga. Further ahead are the best rapids of the Ganga, ‘Daniel Dip’ and ‘The Wall’. The best season for a rafting adventure falls between October and mid-May.

* Brahmaputra River Rafting Expedition

The Brahmaputra river, both mystifying and ferocious, finds its way down the Tibet region by cutting Greater Himalayas and then enters Arunachal Pradesh from where the expedition initiates. A week long run in the river of Brahamputra takes the rafters through remote hill sides with a few tribal settlements in thick rainforests. The expedition starts from Tuting in Arunachal Pradesh on the Subansari river, the primary tributary of the Brahmaputra, and ends after 180 kms of rafting at Pasighat. The trip also gives an excellent exposure to remarkable sceneries and unparalleled locations making this river’s white water rafting amongst premier expedition in India.