Uttarakhand has many glacial fed rivers and these rivers offer good rafting stretches with a calm smooth sailing run for novices’ paddlers & few patches of stressful rapid of grades 4 & 5 for professional rafters. Uttarakhand has many places along with Rishikesh where this exhilarating sport can be relished.

River Rafting at Rishikesh/River rafting on the Ganges

River rafting at Rishikesh or white water rafting on the holy river the Ganges is one of the quintessential rafting destinations in India and worldwide also. The entire rafting stretch from Devprayag to Rishikesh is full of excitement with total navigation of 65 Kms. Though the cruising is approximately gentle with an encounter of few rapids of grade 4 & 5. For the last decade, Rishikesh has been catering to all levels of rafters – first-timers, beginners & professionals. Rishikesh also boosts good camping sites, alongside river Ganges. Mostly specialized Rishikesh rafting packages include other various experiences also like camping, Bonfire with music, trekking, river/nature walks, Bungee Jumping, etc. The rafting stretch from Kaudilya to Rishikesh is 34 Kms, The next spot is Marine drive at a distance of 24 Kms & then comes Shivpuri with a distance of 16 km from Rishikesh & the closest one is Brahmpuri at 10 Kms from Rishikesh.

Alaknanda River Expedition

It is one of the must-to-do adrenaline-soaked white water rafting expedition of total 140 Km. The entire rafting trip is done in 06-07 days. The expedition starts from Chamoli & winds up at Devprayag. The complete expedition is recommended for professionals only, though the novice/beginners can also take 01 or 02 days soft section of grade 2 & 3 like from Chamoli – Kaldubagarh & Maletha to Srinagar. The River often has easy grades rafting through smooth surfaces but also has some stressful rapid of grade 03 & 04 on confluence spot, at mighty rock beds, and tricky curves. The Alaknanda river expedition package gives thorough details of day-wise rafting schedules.

White water river Rafting on the Tons River

Rafting on the Tons of rivers should be on any paddlers list. Since the complete stretch is flanked by the jaw-dropping backdrop, rustic native villages, wooded alpine forest, gorgeous canyons & exquisite campsites. Most importantly, all paddlers find fun with splashy rafting opportunities on this sacred river (a being tributary of River Yamuna). The less experienced paddler can also try to test their skill on a moderate stretch of 25 Kms between Mori to Tuni. Afterward, the river turns bit outrageous when river Pabbar unites with river tons, which offers the stretch of nearly 40 Kms till Icchari with rapid of Class 4& Class 5. White water river rafting on the Tons river, packages give the insight of complete details.

Kali/Mahakali River Rafting

River rafting on the Mahakali river is really serious business & requires a big commitment. Unlike other rivers, mighty Kali river covers its course along the solitude terai hills, thickly forested region & handful choice of campsite/beachside. Over the route of a total 200 Km, Kali river offers many rapids of grade 3, 4 levels but also boosts the calm stretch like Jhulaghat/Jhoolaghat to Pancheshwar which is good for novice/first-timers. Pancheshwar is also a popular spot for Angling, particularly for Mahaseer fishing. The complete run from Jauljibi to Boom (Tanakpur) is done in 06/07 days. Kali river also demarcates the India & Nepal border. (Find the complete details of river rafting on Kali River).

Rafting Levels

GRADE I: Easy, small waves. No obstacles.
GRADE II: Moderate difficulty with clear passages.
GRADE III: Difficult, high irregular waves, narrow passages. Requires precise maneuvering.
GRADE IV: Difficult, powerful waves. Very precise maneuvering required.
GRADE V: Extremely difficult, violent, and highly congested. Team of experts only.
GRADE VI: Not to be run.