Samrat Nepal

Location: Nepal, Asia
Departure Point: Kathmandu
Put-In-Point: Dolalghat.
Take-Out-Point: Chatara
Outward Travel: 3 hours
Grade: IV – V
Best Season: Oct-Dec, Mar-May
9 Days: Kathmandu-Kathmandu

Overview:

The Sunkoshi ‘River of gold’ has been rated as one of the top ten rafting trips in the world! It is also on the list of ‘must-do while in Nepal’. The river rises in Tibet and flows eastwards in Nepal through the great valley between the Mahabharat Lekh (hills) and the Himalayas. It forms the watershed for most of eastern Nepal and gathering strength from tributaries draining the highest mountains in the world it emerges onto the northern plains of India where it joins the Ganges. Our journey takes us 270 km through some of Nepal’s most remote areas giving you a unique wilderness experience. The first two days are relatively easy and allow time to train you as a team before the bigger rapids arrive. The rapids have acquired manes like Meat Grinder, High Anxiety, Jaws, and Big dipper, from previous experiences on expeditions. Say no more! The calmer stretches between rapids give you time to take in the phenomenal views, swim (voluntarily) in warm water, and camp on the pristine white sandy beaches.

Program

Kathmandu>Dolalghat>Roshi Khola. At 7 am morning meet in the indicated place. Office –store baggage and finalize plans a quick breakfast then we leave for Dolalghat. Very fascinating drive, it will provide you with a magnificent view of the Himalayas in clear weather. We should unload at Dolalghat, lunch will be served here and your expedition guide will give a full safety talk to you. As mentioned above the first two days is easy paddling. The first greater rapid is you are encountering a grade IV+ “Rotten Cave” where the Roshi Khola mixed up with Sunkoshi. Soon after we the rapid we will choose one of the campsites and unload the gears, pitch the tents, prepared the dinner, and enjoy your first camping meal with Rum punch.

Roshi Khola>Tamba Koshi confluence. Wake up with a hot cup of tea, have breakfast, pack up the gears, fold the tents up, loaded and roll them down in the river. You will stop somewhere halfway for lunch. Today you are encountering Meat Grinder grade IV+ rapid, it is fairly straight run down the center avoiding holes left and right. A few meters below here the Tamba Koshi joins with Son Koshi, on the left bank of confluence there you find a beach which will be suited for camping. You will be following the camp routines the same as the previous night. Same as the other rivers this junction also being very important to local peoples and there is a Shiva temple overlooking the two rivers.

Tamba Koshi confluence> Harkapur. As it is daily routines begin, the day follows with tea, etc. A few kilometers below Likhu joins with Sun Koshi and continues the rapids, starting with graded III+ ‘Pre-Anxiety’ and grade IV long ‘High Anxiety with a hole on the left halfway down and a series of holes at the bottom, float a whole and then stop for camping.

Harkapur> Rasuwaghat. Today we start with several grades 3+ rapids then a quick stop at khurkot, just in case we need to buy some foodstuff or perhaps a beer. And then be ready for big and interesting rapids ‘Harkapur 2nd and 3rd the hardest rapids on the trip, should be carefully scouted. The camping will be just below the rapids

Rasuwaghat>Jaws Rapid. 5-6 km brings you to the junction, where the Dudh Kosi joins with Sun Koshi from the left side. After this point river widens into an arid area of gravel, and then getting some unnamed rapids and will teach you into another aptly named rapid ‘Jaws’ and then to Camp.

Jaws rapid> Cascade team shower place. Today is the most exciting day out of the trip; we will encounter most of grade 4+ rapids named “Rhino Rock” followed by “Jungle Corridor” a kilometer of continuous white-water and then to the camp, the waterfall makes a great spot for a steam shower.

These last few days are mainly waved trains if you are interested you can try Kayaks, where our experts will teach you the basic skills needed to maneuver the boats or learn the Eskimo roll.

The last stretch of river will bring you to the last one grade 4+ ‘Big Dipper’ Rapid, and a series of huge standing waves. A few kilometers later, the mighty Arun River enters from the left gorge, and almost immediately after, the Tamur River also adds its water with and becomes the Sapta Koshi “The seven Rivers”. The confluence is called tribenighat; it has an interesting temple to visit if we have time. Now the sapta Koshi is surged onwards, carving a way through its last obstacle of the foothills. 5 kilometers later on the left bank, there is another larger Hindu Temple called Baraha Chhetri. On the day of the full moon in January every year, thousands of Hindu pilgrims visited here to pay their homage to Lord Vishnu. According to legend has it that, once a demon god inhabited this area and troubled the holy men and pilgrims. Hearing of this, Lord Vishnu, preserver of the Universe, decided to kill the demon, and taking the form of a pig for the purpose, he slated the demon in battle. The annual Barara festival commemorates this victory and inside the Temple, you will see a statue of Baraha, a pig-headed figure of Lord Vishnu. Back into the river and continue floating along with the powerful current, and then rounding a corner there is a suspension bridge swoops high over the river and the are hills dramatically give away to flat Terai and northern plains of India. This is the end of our classic and memorable river expedition trip here. Perhaps we will taking-out around 2 pm, pack up the gears and be ready for a long 15 hours drive back to Kathmandu or anywhere else?