River expedition in the Himalayas, rafting and kayaking
| country: | India |
| location: | Indian Himalayas |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2010: 13 Mar, 9 Oct |
| price: | From £799 (9 days) excluding flights, based on 2 people travelling together |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
The Kali river expedition is a great introduction to white-water kayaking or rafting in India. It is ideal for kayakers who want to go on holiday with friends who have no kayaking experience, they can raft instead. The picturesque rafting holiday has long rapids with fun wave trains followed by relaxing flat sections making it a very safe river.
The river forms the border between India and Nepal. Typically we have lunch in Nepal and then set up camp on a large sandy beach in India. The river is full of fish including the impressive Himalayan Mahseer. If you catch one, we will cook it. There is great wildlife in the area and you may be lucky enough to spot leopard, bear, elephant, monkey and some of the 500 different species of bird.
This river expedition is ideal for class III kayakers, novice rafters or those with no pervious experience who want to try inflatable kayaks.
The river forms the border between India and Nepal. Typically we have lunch in Nepal and then set up camp on a large sandy beach in India. The river is full of fish including the impressive Himalayan Mahseer. If you catch one, we will cook it. There is great wildlife in the area and you may be lucky enough to spot leopard, bear, elephant, monkey and some of the 500 different species of bird.
This river expedition is ideal for class III kayakers, novice rafters or those with no pervious experience who want to try inflatable kayaks.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrive in Delhi - Overnight train to Kathgodam. Arrive in Delhi airport. Transfer from the airport to the hotel. Spend the afternoon and evening relaxing in your hotel room or taking in the sights of Delhi. Evening transfer to the train station for the overnight sleeper train to Kathgodam at 22.40. We travel by A/C sleeper train, the best and most comfortable way to travel overland in India. |
| Day 2: | Kathgodam to Pithoragarh: 7 hrs. Enjoy the beautiful views of the Panchuli region as we drive seven hours to Pithoragarh. We pass through many villages, towns and forests rich in flora and fauna, stopping along the way for photo opportunities and plenty of chai (sweet milky Indian tea). Overnight hotel in Pithoragarh. |
| Day 3: | Pithoragarh to Jauljibi: 5/6 hrs . An early 2 hour drive today brings us to Jauljibi, the confluence of the Kali and Kali Ganga rivers. Following a river and safety briefing we start with some easy class II white-water. This is followed by some fun class III white-water with big wave trains. We cover about 20km today before stopping for the day just upstream of Jhulaghat. Overnight camp. |
| Day 4: | Above to Below Jhulaghat: 3/4 hrs. More good rapids on today’s section. We see some beautiful limestone pillars, built up over centuries by dripping water. In the early evening we set up camp by the river and after a short hike to a nearby village (optional) return to the river for dinner. Overnight remote beach camp. |
| Day 5: | Below Jhulaghat to Pancheshwar: 4/5 hrs . The quality of the white-water improves today, but so will your skills. Later we reach the convergence of the Kali and the Saryu rivers at Pancheshwar. This is a favoured fishing spot for the people of the district who use traditional boats. We set up camp near here and enjoy a leisurely evening. |
| Day 6: | Pancheshwar to Giant Beach: 5 hrs. The white-water gets more demanding as the rapids get larger and more frequent. The day is marked by a good wilderness section and thick jungle. Overnight camp. |
| Day 7: | Raft to Chooka: 4 hrs. Today we raft for about 20 km building up to a great class IV rapid called Chooka. This is the strongest section of white water on the Kali, with many diagonal waves and holes to negotiate. We set up camp after this and, sitting around the campfire in the evening we relive the day's adventures. |
| Day 8: | Chooka to Boom to Kathgodam: 6 hrs. On our final day of Kali rafting we paddle through more first class rapids surrounded by dense jungle. We may see a herd of wild elephant fording the Kali. At Boom we leave the river and transfer to Kathgodam and catch the sleeper train to Delhi. |
| Day 9: | Arrive Delhi. Arrive in Delhi in the early morning. Transfer from the train station the international airport in time for your flight home. Trip ends. |
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places. how this holiday makes a difference
 Descending a river by raft or kayak is one of the most unique ways to view the world. Often we are the only group down the river in a given season. The reception from local people on the riverbanks is always exceptional. Indians generally have a healthy fear of white-water and show a huge interest towards any water born craft. Stopping off in remote villages always entails many cups of chai and endless questions translated by your guide, making it a truly authentic experience. When we stop like this, we always try to buy local produce and learn about any problems the villagers may have. We train local people in cooking, guiding, English conversation and First Aid. For instance, we have a special relationship with Malakundi village on the banks of the Ganges River. We employ three guides (Rana, Jay Singh and Gappu), two cooks (Safpal and Ramish), one driver (Camel), and three porters (Beam Singh, Bethal and Neggi Ji) all from Malakundi Village. Their understanding of the country’s flora, fauna, local culture and the many dialects ensure you get a true insight into the Indian way of life. Employing people in villages like Malakundi has enabled them to install complex irrigation systems for farming and solar panels to power lighting. We take our clients to the local primary school where they can donate books, paper and toys. We also arrange for the school to be painted by our school groups. We encourage our clients to learn about the local culture and to share their culture with the villagers and local people they meet on this trip. We have a strong environmental policy, carrying all non-biodegradable produce off this trip with us and disposing of it in a responsible manner. We bury all organic matter deep in the ground, and this breaks it down over a short period of time. We use eco-friendly toilets or pit toilets on this trip. This is essentially a pit dug in the ground where all waste is covered with a mixture of soil and lime, and no water is used. Furthermore, we source almost all of our drinking and cooking water from fresh water springs. If this is not possible, water from the river is filtered. We have teamed up with an environmental organisation, Climate Care, to help you to repair the impact of your flights on the global climate. Climate Care funds sustainable energy and forest restoration projects in India and all over the world that reduce carbon dioxide on your behalf, by the same amount as your share of the plane’s emissions. |
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