Season:- October till mid June
Distance from Delhi: - 230 km.
Nearest Airport: - Jolly Grant,
Dehradun.
Nearest Railway station: - Haridwar.
White water rafting is an adventurous
activity which is done on inflatable boats or raft on a river which consist of
rapids to add pleasure to the pax in the raft. The rapids are graded from I to
VI depending on the danger level.
White water rafting has gained
popularity in India. Rishikesh is considered as the rafting hub of India for
beginners where rafting is done on the holy river Ganga. The Ganges consist rapids a maximum grades of IV; however the grades of the rapid changes and depend on
the level of water in the river. To experience the real rafting at The Ganges we
should raft at least for 3 days starting from Devprayag.
There are lots of options for
accommodation at Rishikesh, but the real fun is staying at the beach camp on
the bank of river Ganga where you can enjoy the sound of the river water, the chirping of the
birds and insects , the wind etc. When you wake up early in the morning
on the bank of the river Ganga you feel so fresh and energetic accompanied with the morning
tea.
Note: - If you really want to enjoy the nature then
select camp site which are isolated or away from the busy areas.
Many companies offer such facilities which may
vary from Rs 1200/- to Rs 3500/- per day which includes a rafting trip, accommodation, food etc.
there are around 35 of beach camps in Rishikesh run by the local organizations
as well as by big adventure tourism companies.
Rafting stretch option in
Rishikesh:-
Option 1: - Rafting from
Devprayag- Kodiyala (31 km)
Drive to Devprayag. In this
stretch of rafting you will experience the beautiful scenery with option to spot
various kinds of birds and wild goat. This section is more or less gentle with
only Grade III rapid named‘Daniel Dip’ near Kodiyala. If you love to collect driftwood
then this is the right section to do so, where you will find wood that varies in
different shape, size, weight etc.
Asked the service provider for packed
lunch, this will be served on the river beach while rafting down.
Option 2: - Rafting from Kodiala-
Shivpuri (16 km)
This section of the stretch
consists of rapids like ‘The Wall’ Grade IV + rapid before Marine Drive. From
Marine Drive to Shivpuri consists of rapids with Grades I, II and III. ‘Three
Blind Mice’ Grade III is a major rapid in this section. Beside this there are
other rapids like Black Money, Return to the Sender etc.
Option 3: - Rafting from
Shivpuri- Rishikesh (15 km)
In this section you will find
rapids varies from the Grade II, III and III +. The major rapids in this
section are ‘Roller Coaster’ and ‘Golf Course’ before Bhrampuri.
There is an option of cliff
jumping from a base of about 18 ft (which varies on the water level). You will
also find Maggie and tea stalls at the cliff jumping point which tastes much more better than usual after
rafting for the whole day in the cold water.
These three options can be
completed in three days, but if you are ready for hard work & full of adventure then it can be
completed in two days by combining Option 2 and 3, and then asked the service
provider for packed lunch during the trip which adds an extra bonus.
Safety is the most important aspect during
rafting. Please do check about the service provider and equipment quality before
rafting, though The Ganges is regarded as the safest river for rafting still a lot of accidents
happens due to ignorance & negligence . A Safety kayaker accompanying the raft is a must during a
trip and always make it sure that this comes with the trip. As the saying goes "Precaution Is better than cure ". Few things that the service
provider will provide you during rafting is helmet, life-jacket, paddle and
even some of them provide wet suits. Safety instruction before rafting is an important
part since it will provide information of Do’s and Don’ts during rafting so Ears wide open during briefing. :)
Happy Paddling...
