Kayaking in Nepal

Adrift adventures is an owner run company offer whitewater kayak adventures for paddlers of all levels…beginner to expert…led by Nepali guides who are trained and experienced on all rivers. We offer 4-15 days kayak classes to help improve your skills, including paddle strokes, Eskimo rolls, bracing, rescues and the art of reading whitewater…plus can also provide full support for kayak expeditions to remote and unexplored areas in Nepal

If you are a already part of the paddling community, then you know that running a river is not just about the adrenalin fix you are sure to receive, but about sharing a unique river culture, good times with new friends from around the world, riverside camping, fresh air, exploring yourself and embracing what Mother Nature has provided us in a totally unique environment on the other side of the planet. And if you are not yet part of this community – then here’s your chance to join one of the coolest outdoor adventure scenes on the planet!

We are members of the Nepali National Rafting & Kayaking Team..  . We grew up here...on the banks of these rivers...we are proud of our extraordinary country...and we invite you to join us and see what adventure, life & nature is all about...

Bring your own boat, or rent gear from us...even better, trade your used kayak in for a trip with us.

What to Bring

When thinking about what to bring on the river, consider that you will be camping in the remote wilderness with limited access to outside world. There are no showers, no beds or fancy hotels and certainly no TV. It is a good idea to be prepared for all types of weather as you just never know what Mother Nature is going to give us. When thinking about clothing, consider quick dry adventure type fabrics. We will provide all of the essential camping equipment including shelters, tents & simple mattresses as well as the dry bags and pelican boxes for storage. If you have your own sleeping bag and/or good therma-rest then bring it with you, otherwise we will provide for you. If you don't want to bring your own kayaking kit, we have quality Peak UK equipment available and can provide everything from essential paddles, spray decks, helmets & dry tops to throw bags, dry bags & peli-boxes.

Below is a suggested packing list.
½ pants /shorts
sport sandals
polypropylene / quick dry long shirt
t-shirts
track pants / long pants
warm fleece **even in warm months - makes a great pillow**
waterproof windbreaker style jacket
shoes & socks
warm hat (in cold months Oct-Feb)
towel
toiletries **we provide toilet paper and antibacterial soap**
sun glasses (with strap)
waterproof sunscreen
personal first aid kit **we bring a standard emergency first aid kit - please bring your own personal medications etc**
flashlight / head lamp
water bottle (with strap or carabineer)
sleeping bag **if you don't have your own sleeping bag - we will provide for you**
camera (waterproof camera best)
a little cash for treats and tips

What's Included

• Professional English speaking local guides, highly trained & safety certified to international standards in first aid and WRT
• Professional safety kayakers
• Kayaks (we have a huge fleet of some of the newest play boats, creek boats and all round boats to chose from)
• Paddles (we have a good selection of both righty & lefty paddles as well as some bent shafts & split shafts)
• Full kit including spray decks, helmets, PFDs, dry tops, wetsuits, dry bags, peli boxes, throw bags, repair kits, air bags etc.
• Top of the line camping equipment including toilet tents, shelters, personal tents, tarpaulins, mattresses, sleeping bags etc.
• Fresh, delicious & hygienically prepared food while on the river, including tea, coffee & hot chocolate as well as drinking water
• Round trip local bus transportation (sometimes private 4WD, micro-van or big bus & sometimes tourist bus)
• Industry standard first aid kits

What's NOT Included

• Unrelated transportation, visas, travel documents, departure taxes etc...
• Items of a personal nature (toiletries, clothing, camera etc)
• Alcohol and junk food
• Plastic bottled mineral water
• We prefer to treat local stream water and help preserve our environment
• Insurance
• We provide insurance for our crew - but participants must be properly insured through an emergency travel plan
• Tips for guides
• Understanding the River

Season:

The best time to find quality whitewater in Nepal is Sep-Dec and Mar-May; however, you CAN paddle all year long! During these prime months, water levels are most reliable and there are plenty of travellers around to fill boats and guarantee departures. If you are an avid paddler looking for big volume, then the monsoon months (Jun-Aug) may be perfect for you. And if you are in Nepal during the winter months, the Lower Seti River is surprisingly warm and we are happy to provide wetsuits to keep you comfortable on even the coldest of rivers like the raging Marshyangdi which maintains great water levels even through the driest season.

River Grading:

Water volume and technical hazards determine a rapids grade. Class I-II are small and simple waves. Class III/III+ are exciting, but not too difficult or technical. Class IV/IV+ provide a great adrenalin rush with the chance of falling out or flipping the raft. Class V is extreme, challenging, potentially scary and usually requires a great deal of scouting and is the highest level we run in Nepal with only our absolute best guides in charge. Please understand that Mother Nature makes the rules in all outdoor pursuits, and often rivers, trails, roads change making rapid levels constantly fluctuate from season to season.

What to Expect :

If you are an experienced kayaker, you are invited to join any of our scheduled rafting trips and enjoy the comforts and safety of the group environment. Here's a description of a typical day on the river, so you know what to expect.

Regardless of the category of river you have chosen, from a relaxing float to pant-wittingly scary, our multi-day river trips follow a similar routine.

Before each departure:-

We will have a pre-departure meeting at our office at kathmandu. Here you will meet your guide and fellow participants and have a chance to get to know each other and ask any last minute questions.  Our guides will double check special meal requirements, medical issues and discuss specific trip logistics. We will take some time to double check kayaks and make sure all gear fit perfectly and are ready for the river. Though this is not compulsory, we always give you the opportunity to test your boat out on the lake and try a few rolls before heading on the river to make sure you are 100% comfortable.

Most trips depart around 7am.  With our own private bus and 4WD jeep we are lucky to travel in comfort to our put-in points.  Travel time depends on the river you have chosen, but most of the best short multi-day trips are located within 3 hours drive of kathmandu. Once we arrive at our put-in, we will ask for your assistance to unload the gear and start pumping up the rafts, loading up dry bags.  Most trips in Nepal are fully self-supported, which means we have to bring everything down the river with us because there are no roads near by – this is true adventure.  So, after all of our camping supplies, food and personal gear is loaded securely on the support rafts, we are ready to go.  Personal gear such as clothing & sleeping bags etc. will be packed into 100% waterproof dry bags while cameras, sunscreen, medications, cigarettes, extra eye contact lenses and other essentials needed through the day will be stored in 100% waterproof pelican boxes which are almost indestructible.  This means you do not have to carry anything inside your kayak giving you total freedom and comfort.

Depending on the time of day, we will either have lunch before setting off or sometimes lunch will be prepared a couple of hours down river.  Your guides will double check everyone’s personal safety equipment to make sure lifejackets and helmets are secure and then we will provide a comprehensive safety briefing for all rafting participants. Regardless of your kayaking experience we must teach you about our signals, systems and safety instructions so that we can work as a team and help each other throughout the trip. A recap basic rolling, t-rescues and how to be rescued by a safety kayaker will be provided and then it's time to head down stream and look for some action.

We usually paddle for a maximum of 2 ½ -3 hours at a time before stopping for lunch or arriving at camp with a maximum of 6 hours kayaking in one day.  Most rivers have rapids followed by relaxing flat sections to recompose ourselves, enjoy the scenery and relax. We provide additional safety kayakers to accompany paddling participants so you don't have to stay by the raft the entire time; you may go at your own pace.

Most rivers in Nepal offer amazing white sandy beaches to set up camp.  We typically sleep in open air shelters which are 100% waterproof and reminiscent of an outdoor back-packers dormitory.  If you prefer some privacy we are more than happy to provide individual two man tents.  We do the best we can in the environment we are in to be sensitive to Mother Nature and keep our camps and rivers clean and expect that our participants follow the same practices.  Toilet tents will be constructed as far away from the river as possible, organics will be composted or fed to the fish and all garbage is carried out with us. 

Hot water will be prepared for tea, coffee & hot-chocolate within an hour of arriving at camp with some sort of snack like popcorn.  While you relax on the beach, write in your journal, try out some local fishing techniques, play volleyball with the new friends from around the world, jump back in your kayak and play in a near by play wave, or take a walk and explore the surrounding wilderness or near by villages, our crew will prepare a hygienic and delicious meal combined with Western, Nepali, vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. 

When possible we will enjoy a campfire, but first we make sure local the community and environment can spare the wood, as for us a fire is for enjoyment and for a local village it is used for survival.  Whether we have campfire or not, we will enjoy the evening together, new friends & crew alike, sharing stories of past adventures and learning about each other & our unique cultures from around the world until we fall asleep to the sound of the lapping river underneath the starry skies.

Why you choose Adrift Adventures?

• Sfety is always our priority.
• All excursions are efficiently organized and operated.
• Well-trained, well-spoken and experiences white water rescues & Wildness, first Aid Training, Friendly Educated staff.
• Highly up to date well equipped such as brands new self bailing rafts, Paddle, life jackets supplied by USA.
• Consideration of local knowledge and extraordinary experiences of safety concerns.
• Professional instruction and extensive demonstration.
• Deep Knowledge of all rivers & Call of Rapids.
• Expedition accompanied by safety kayakers.

To Social Concerns:-

• Sustainable & Eco Tourism Practices.
• We also always carry fuel from cities for cooking & support environmental campaigns. Redistribution of income to local communities in need.
• Understanding of native cultures & Environment.

Adrift Adventures offers a wide variety of rafting & Kayaking  packages on Himalayan rivers using professional raft guides and gear. Trips are tailored to fit any need…from easy-going class 3 to rollicking class 5 rivers, for private individual or basic group trips, and from one-day to twelve-day trips.

 In addition…

• Safety is always a high priority
• Our experienced and knowledgeable guides speak English
• We understand and explain local culture and geography
• Our staff is trained in whitewater rescue and wilderness first aid
  
• We use state-of-the-art self-bailing rafts, gear, paddles and life jackets
• Our raft trips are accompanied by safety kayakers
• We practice sustainable eco-tourism
• We re-distribute profits to local communities in need