Himalayas whitewater rafting & trekking holiday
| country: | India |
| location: | Indian Himalayas |
| trip type: | Very challenging, high altitude trekking holidays |
| departures: | 2008: 11 Oct |
| price: | From £1109 (15 days) excluding flights, based on 2 people travelling together. A discount will be offered to groups of 4 or more. |
the amazing things you'll be doing
This trip combines a mountain trek with a river expedition and offers the best of both worlds.
Roopkund Lake (5029 m) was made famous by the skeletal remains found there in 1942 by forest park staff. For 60 years the skeletons numbering over 300 puzzled archaeologists, historians and scientists. There were many theories about who they were and how they died such as, royal pilgrims, Tibetan traders or soldiers killed in battle. Then in 2004 a team of scientists using carbon dating and DNA samples matched them with a population of high-caste Brahmins in central India. Most of the pilgrims suffered an identical cause of death, large skull factures caused by one of the most lethal hail storms in history.
This is a fantastic trek in the shadow of the impressive Nanda Ghungti (6310 m), Changabang (6864 m) & Trishul (7120 m) peaks. The trail takes us through forests, flower clad meadows and remote villages.
The Kali river is a great introduction to river running in India. It is a typical pool drop river, with relaxing calm scenic stretches followed by big exciting rapids with long wave trains. The river flows past terraced villages, waterfalls, white sandy beaches and dense tropical jungles. The river forms the border between India and Nepal it gives a good insight into the people from both countries. The area is rich in wildlife and the river is full of fish. The area is home to elephant, leopard, bear, monkey and over 500 species of bird.
Roopkund Lake (5029 m) was made famous by the skeletal remains found there in 1942 by forest park staff. For 60 years the skeletons numbering over 300 puzzled archaeologists, historians and scientists. There were many theories about who they were and how they died such as, royal pilgrims, Tibetan traders or soldiers killed in battle. Then in 2004 a team of scientists using carbon dating and DNA samples matched them with a population of high-caste Brahmins in central India. Most of the pilgrims suffered an identical cause of death, large skull factures caused by one of the most lethal hail storms in history.
This is a fantastic trek in the shadow of the impressive Nanda Ghungti (6310 m), Changabang (6864 m) & Trishul (7120 m) peaks. The trail takes us through forests, flower clad meadows and remote villages.
The Kali river is a great introduction to river running in India. It is a typical pool drop river, with relaxing calm scenic stretches followed by big exciting rapids with long wave trains. The river flows past terraced villages, waterfalls, white sandy beaches and dense tropical jungles. The river forms the border between India and Nepal it gives a good insight into the people from both countries. The area is rich in wildlife and the river is full of fish. The area is home to elephant, leopard, bear, monkey and over 500 species of bird.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Delhi to Rishikesh (330 m): 5/6 hrs. Take the morning train departing New Delhi at 7:00 a.m. Arrive at Haridwar by 11:30 a.m. Drive to our river camp on the Ganges river near Rishikesh, a busy pilgrim township and a popular meditation and yoga centre. After having lunch, go rafting on the Ganges or wander around Rishikesh and attend the aarti (evening prayers) by the banks of the river. Overnight camp. |
| Day 2: | Drive Rishikesh to Wan (1330 m): 7/8 hrs. We drive further into the rugged country of the Garhwal Himalaya along river valleys and through towns. We stop frequently for chai (Indian tea) and photo breaks along the way, arriving at Wan in the late afternoon. Overnight camp. |
| Day 3: | Trek Wan - Bedni Bugyal (3350 m) 5/6 hrs. The trail takes us up hill through the Himalayan forests for the majority of the day. As we emerge out above the tree line the view of the wide green meadow of Bedni is amazing. Overnight camp in one of the most picturesque campsites in the Indian Himalaya. |
| Day 4: | Bedni Bugyal to Bhagubasa (4100 m) 4/5 hrs. After a cooked breakfast we follow the trail to the Pathar Nachaumi ridge. From there we get closer views of Trisul, Nanda Ghunti, and Changabang. A steep zigzag trail brings us to the caves of Bhagubasa where the we find some rock shelters which used by pilgrims. Overnight camp. |
| Day 5: | Bhagubasa to Roopkund Lake (5029 m) to Bhagubasa 6/7 hrs. After breakfast we climb the steep, narrow zigzagging trail taking us to the ‘mystery lake‘. If there is not to much snow one will find the skeletal remains at the lakes edge. An optional short walk from here to the ridge gives great views of Trisul and Nanda Ghunti peaks. Return back to the Bhagubasa campsite. |
| Day 6: | Bhagubasa to Ali Bugyal (3330 m) 5/6 hrs. Walk back for about three hours to Bedni Bugyal and then descend steeply through the forests to reach the valley floor. We cross a small stream and then ascend to the village of Ali Bugyal. Overnight camp. |
| Day 7: | Ali Bugyal to Lohajung (2590m) 5/6 hrs; Drive to Gwaldam 2hrs. We move further down through more forest to get to Lohajung. We then drive the hotel in Gwalden. Overnight hotel. |
| Day 8: | Gwaldam to Pithoragarh: 8 hrs. Enjoy the fantastic views of the Panchuli region as we drive eight hours to Pithoragarh. We pass through lots of villages, towns and forests stopping along the way for photo opportunities and tea. Overnight hotel. |
| Day 9: | Pithoragarh to below Jhulaghat: 5/6 hrs. We drive for two hours to Jhulaghat, the starting point of our rafting expedition. We begin the trip with a comprehensive safety talk followed by a short initiation stretch through Class II rapids. We pass many beautiful stalagmite and stalactite formations on the river bank. We arrive at camp by late afternoon and hike to visit a nearby village. Overnight camp. |
| Day 10: | Jhulaghat to Pancheshwar. We run more good rapids until we reach the confluence of the Kali and Saryu rivers at Pancheshwar. Locals fish along this stretch using handmade boats. We set up camp just below the confluence and have a relaxed evening. Overnight camp. |
| Day 11: | Pancheshwar to Giant Beach. The rapids grow in size and become more frequent as the river increases in gradient. We negotiate a series of Class III rapids with some large waves and holes. Overnight camp. |
| Day 12: | Rest Day. Take a walk in the Jungle or to a nearby village. Go for a swim, learn to kayak or simply relax on the beach. Overnight camp. |
| Day 13: | Raft to Chooka. Today we cover about 20 km, finishing with a grade IV rapid called Chooka. Chooka is the largest rapid on the river with numerous holes and waves. We setup camp below the rapid, and discuss the days adventures over the campfire. Overnight camp. |
| Day 14: | Chooka to Boom to Kathogam. Final day of the expedition. We pass through more jungle with quality white-water and a chance to see wild elephants crossing the river. We arrive at Boom and then drive to Kathgodam to get the overnight train to Delhi. |
| Day 15: | Arrive Delhi. Arrive in Delhi in the early hours. Trip ends. |
how this holiday makes a difference
 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. We sponsor Clean Himalaya, a recycling and waste management project, dedicated to maintaining the sanctity and beauty of the Ganges and Himalayas. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |