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“There are many ways to salvation, and one of them is to follow a river” – David Brower
India is blessed with a vast playground of nature - almost every conceivable landscape has a home in our country, and with that diverse terrain comes the adventurer, ready to explore. The pioneers of adventure sport in India have been around for decades, nevertheless, only in the past recent years has adventure sport become more of a widespread activity.
One of the more entertaining forms of adventure travel is white water rafting through India’s powerful rivers. Rafting over rapids gives you a rush, but it isn’t as demanding as other adventure sports, like, trekking or rock climbing, mostly because it’s a team effort. Moreover, long distance rafting trips give people the opportunity to explore parts of the country that, otherwise, would be rather difficult to experience. So, if you’re looking for a little excitement on your next vacation try out one of these rafting destinations.
Rishikesh, known as the the ‘Gateway to the Garhwal Himalayas’ and the ‘Yoga Capital of the World,’ has over the past years gained a reputation as one of India’s better white water rafting locales.
Rafters can select from four different stretches of the Ganga to explore:
- Brahmapuri to Rishikesh (9 kilometres)
- Shivpuri to Rishikesh (16 kilometres)
- Marine drive to Rishikesh (24 kilometres)
- Kaudiyala to Rishikesh (36 kilometres)
Level of difficulty: Grade lies between I to IV rapids - basic to challenging.
Best time to visit: September to May
How to get there:
By road - From Delhi it’s a little over a six hour drive.
Popular route: Delhi – Meerut by pass – Khatauli – Muzaffarnagar by pass – Roorkee – Haridwar. From Haridwar there is a direct road to Rishikesh.
By train - You would need to take the rail until Haridwar. From there you can either take the bus, which takes around 45 minutes, or hire a taxi, which takes around 30 minutes.
By air - The nearest Airport to is Dehradun Jolly Grant airport, which is around 20 km from Rishikesh and approximately a 20 minute drive.
Places to stay:
High Range
Leopard Beach Tented Camp is about 16 km from the main city. The camp is pitched on a strip of sand beach next to the Ganga. For those who want a quiet and comfortable stay with great views and adventure options this camp is a solid choice.
@ Rs. 5,000 per night
Mid Range
Hotel Yog Vashishth is located away from the main highway, and is thus in a quieter part of Rishikesh. The wide consensus is that the rooms are clean and comfortable. Moreover, many guests who stay here do so because it is convenient if they plan on attending Ganga Arti.
@ Rs. 2,500 - 3,000 per night
Low Range
Zostel (backpacker hostel)
This hostel is a great place to meet other travellers in Rishikesh. Guests can opt for shared dorm rooms, female dorm rooms or deluxe rooms. After a day of rafting their rooftop terrace is a great place to relax.
@ Rs. 350 - 1200 per night
Located in the center of town this guesthouse is a good place for travellers who are social and don’t mind noise.
@ Rs. 800 –1400 per night
Other things to do:
Rappelling, Yoga, Rock Climbing, Trekking, Zip Lining and Mountain Biking.
Tour Companies We Recommend:
Kolad, a village in Maharashtra’s Raigad district, is located on the banks the Kundalika. The interesting part about this river is that it is fed by Tata Power’s Mulshi Dam Project. Surplus water let through the dam creates rapids that are ideal for white water rafting. Rafters can catch different grades of rapids on the 14 kilometre circuit when the dam releases water at 8:15 AM. However, during the summer there is often a scarcity of water, making this destination only suitable for the monsoon months.
Level of Difficulty: Grade II-III.
Best time to visit: Monsoon Season - roughly January - July
How to get there:
By road – Kolad is around 120 kms from Mumbai, making it a 2 and a half hour drive. There’s no bus stand at Kolad, and the nearest bus stops are Murud and Khandala.
By train - There is one direct train route from Mumbai to Kolad, which takes around 2 and half hours.
By air - The nearest airports are located in Mumbai and Pune.
Places to stay:
High Range
Kundalika Cottages
The Kundalika Cottages are eight cottages, each capable of holding four guests, placed right next to the Kundalika River. The owners plan to start renting tents out soon, for guests who want to rough it.
@ Rs. 5,000 – 6,000 per night
Low Range
Camp Big Red Tent
This campsite is ideal for nature lovers who like to plop into a hammock during their downtime. The garden area at the campsite is rather pretty as well. The campsite is located 12 km from the Narayan Gaon Bus Stop.
@ Rs. 1,500- 1,800 per night
Other things to do:
Night trails and trekking.
Tour Companies We Recommend:
Kolad Rafting- This company hosts a one day rafting option, an overnight option and a two day overnight option. This way visitors have the options to just raft, raft and zipline, stay for a night time BBQ, or even go for a cycle ride.
Kundalika Rafting- This pan Indian rafting company offers options spanning from rafting a 12.5 km stretch of rapids to overnight camping.
Leh, the small town perched on the mountainous, desert-like terrain of the northern region of Jammu & Kashmir, is a good base point for rafting enthusiasts. As a popular tourist destination the small town centre gets rather crowded, however, rafting is a great way to experience the beauty of the region, whilst avoiding hordes of fellow tourists.
Level of difficulty: Grade IV to V
Best Time to visit: June to September.
How to get there:
By road - Drive from Delhi to Leh is a little over 1,000 km and takes about 24 hours. If you get car sick you will definitely need to stop a few times on this route.
By train - Train is not a good option in this region. Those who love to travel by rail can take the a train from Delhi to Jammu Tawi, however travellers will have to rent a car to get to Leh. This would be a roundabout way of doing things, which wouldn’t save you much money, if any.
By air - There are frequent flights from Delhi to Leh. However, due to the high altitude of Leh, passengers often experience intense headaches and/or nausea because their bodies have not had sufficient time to acclimate to the altitude, as opposed to those driving.
Places to Stay:
High Range
Ladakh Residency
A large hotel, which offers expansive views of Leh, especially when dining on the rooftop terrace. It is a five minute walk from the hotel to the town centre.
@ Rs. 5,000 – 6,000 per night
Mid Range
Hotel Asia
Located near to town centre, the hotel is tucked amongst towering trees and has an outdoor seating area ideal for taking in the hills of Leh.
@ Rs.1,800 – 2,500 per night
Low Range
Ladakh Ecological Development Group (LEDeG) ‘Ecology Hostel’
The hostel is located around a 15 minute walk from the twon centre, however, the offset location provides a beautiful vista of the town. Moreover, the hostel is powered by solar panels, making it a great choice for the environmentally aware. It is located next to the Shanti Stupa.
@ Rs. 350 per night
Other things to do:
Sight seeing, camping and trekking.
Tour Companies We Recommend:
They host a 12 day rafting trip starting and ending in Delhi, however if you are already in Leh you can link up with the tour group there. The group takes you on a 170 km journey, through the striking landscape of Ladakh.
This travel company was on the 2008 and 2009 National Geographic list of the world’s best adventure travel outfitters. They host a 12 day rafting trip starting and ending in Delhi, however if you are already in Leh you can link up with the tour group there. As opposed to the trip above, this travel group takes you to the Zanskar Valley, which means a much longer drive, but much better rafting in a place that is practically uninhabited.
They host a 12 day rafting trip starting and ending in Delhi, however if you are already in Leh you can link up with the tour group there. The group takes you on a 155 km journey, through the striking landscape of Ladakh.
Arunachal Pradesh is the northernmost state out of the Northeast’s seven sisters. The mountainous terrain of Arunachal Pradesh is bordered by Tibet and Bhutan, both funneling fresh glacial water into the state from the Eastern Himalayas. Moreover, Arunachal Pradesh receives a heavy amount of rainfall. Glacier-fed rivers and rainfall, that’s all you need folks. If you’re a fan of remote rafting this place should suit you just fine.
Level of difficulty: Grade III - IV (occasionally class V)
Best time to visit: February to March and November to December.
How to get there:
By road - Bhalukpong is 55 kms away from Tezpur, approximately a one hour drive.
By train - Nearest station Tezpur.
By Air - Tezpur (Assam).
Places to stay:
High Range
It is located at Bhalukpong, along the road to three of Arunachal’s tourist districts- Seppa, Bomdila and Tawang. The hotel is nothing out of this world, but it’s a comfy stay with the added bonus of a billiards room.
@ Rs. 3,500 – 4,500 per night
Mid Range
Guests can either opt for a double bed room or a cottage. Both provide enough room for two adults and two children, although the cottage offers a bit more room. The amenities are nothing special, but the landscape that surrounds the cottages is beautiful. Moreover, the location of the lodge is right next to the Kameng River.
@ Rs.1,400 - 1,800 per night
Other things to do:
Picnic spots, wildlife sanctuaries and street shopping.
Tour Companies We Recommend:
Ultimate Descendents
They host 10 day trips, of which 7 of the days are made up of rafting a 180km stretch of the Kameng River. There are some class V rapids on this route.
Arunachal Pradesh is the northernmost state out of the Northeast’s seven sisters. The mountainous terrain of Arunachal Pradesh is bordered by Tibet and Bhutan, both funneling fresh glacial water into the state. Moreover, Arunachal Pradesh receives a heavy amount of rainfall. Glacier fed rivers and rainfall, that’s all you need folks. The Lohit River, in particular, is fed from the Zayal Chu range of Eastern Tibet.
Level of difficulty: Grade IV-V
Best time to visit: March, November and December.
How to get there:
By road - Most bus stops in Arunachal Pradesh provide a connection to Dibrugarh, so unless you are in a remote village you will be able to take the bus.
By train - The Dibrugarh station receives many trains throughout the country, some of the larger cities being Delhi, Howrah, Mumbai, Allahabad and Kanpur. If you have the time to take the scenic route it is a cheap option with great vistas.
By air - Dibrugarh Airport is pretty tiny, nevertheless, there are flights from Delhi, Kolkata, Itanagar, Dimapur and Guwahati.
Places to stay:
High Range
The Club House is a pseudo boutique hotel that is worth the price.
@ Rs. 4,000 – 5,000 per night
Mid Range
A clean and simple hotel.
@ Rs. 3,000 - 4,000.
Low Range
A clean budget option in Dibrugarh. Although it is centrally located, which is a plus, the immediate surrounding area of the hotel is not exactly picturesque. However, if you want a low budget place to stay that won’t give you bed bugs, here it is.
@ Rs. 800 – 1500 per night
Other things to do:
Camping and trekking
Tour Companies We Recommend:
This tour company provides many adventure options for adrenaline junkies. As far as rafting options go, they cater to the kind of experience you want to have, tranquil or true white water rapids. Apparently, they are looking into providing kayaking options.
This company is over 40 years old and is still going strong. We think that’s a pretty stellar track record for a rafting company, making the folks at Thunderbow a solid choice.
