Even the most fearful seek adventure at some of time in their life, may be as a refuge from the monotonous or for the sake of their elaborate bucket lists. One of the favorites among that adventure, for many has been River Rafting. The thrill experienced as the clear water gushes past one, occasionally having the tides hit our face and to experience the chilly nature of the water is a moment most of us will remember in our life. India is home to some of the best river rafting adventures, thanks to the beautiful and pristine rivers, a resource that we continue to cherish. Therefore here are some of the place where one can flock to, to experience river rafting at its best.
Contents
- 1 Indus River, Ladakh
- 2 Beas River, Kullu
- 3 Yamuna River, Mussoorie
- 4 River Ganga, Rishikesh
- 5 Tons River, Uttarakhand
- 6 Kameng River, Arunachal Pradesh
- 7 Lohit River, Arunachal Pradesh
- 8 Spiti River, Himachal Pradesh
- 9 Zanskar River, Ladakh
- 10 Barapole River, Coorg
- 11 Bhagirathi River, Uttarakhand
- 12 Alaknanda River, Uttarakhand
- 13 Kundalika River, Maharashtra
- 14 Betwa River, Madhya Pradesh
- 15 Tattapani River, Shimla
- 16 Keylong River, Himachal Pradesh
- 17 Mhadei River, Goa
Indus River, Ladakh
Ladakh is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful environments one can be in. One of the most prominent activities here is River Rafting at the Indus River. The site is rightfully known as the ‘Singhe Khababs’ or ‘Out of the Lions mouth’. This river stretches to the north before entering Pakistan. The scintillating waters of Indus are quite mighty for its tides which make the experience even more exciting. Besides, the experience is further enhanced by the beautiful snow clad mountains that follow us throughout the journey as we raft our way. The climate is also ideal with chilly winds and fresh air that only add to the freezing waters.
Level: Grade 1
Best time to Visit: November to March
Distance of the Stretch: 25 Km
Beas River, Kullu
Besides being one of the most common holiday destinations, Kullu is filled with adventure and is particularly famous for its white water rafting. The rafting takes place at the Beas River that flows through the Kullu valley which is referred to as ‘Dev Bhumi’ or ‘the Valley of Gods’. The visitors have three options in the activity which is the long ride, medium ride and the short ride. The region in itself would feel like the gift of god with beautiful mountains that are filled with snow which is a treat for our eyes. The adrenaline filled rafting experience at Kullu is a must visit by adventure lovers and nature enthusiasts.
Level: Grade 1
Best time to Visit: June to July
Distance of the Stretch: 14 Km
Yamuna River, Mussoorie
The river flowing through the Yamuna Bridge is perfect for white water rafting and often makes it a thrilling experience among the visitors. With its narrow gorges and rapid tides, the clear water brings the adrenaline in us. To make the experience almost unforgettable the lofty peaks of the Himalaya provides us with a vision that cannot be forgotten easily. Over the years Yamuna has also been considered to be the hub of River rafting in India with two stretches namely the Nainbagh to Juddo and the Yamuna Bridge to Juddo with the former being the most popular. The experience will captivate your senses.
Level: Grade 1 and Grade 3
Best time to Visit: September to June
Distance of the Stretch: 9 Km
River Ganga, Rishikesh
One of the most sort after and loved destination to do River rafting is amid the roaring tides of River Ganga among the naturally enduring landscape of Rishikesh. Located in the foothills of Himalayas the beauty is almost surreal and has an influx of large number of tourists especially from the overseas. The activity is offered under the professional guidance here and is said to be one of the most memorable experiences. Popularly, there are four stretches on which the activity is performed, namely The Brahmapuri to Rishikesh stretch (9 km), the Shivpuri to Rishikesh stretch (16 km), the Marine Drive to Rishikesh stretch (24 km) and the Kaudiyala to Rishikesh stretch (36 km).
Level: Grade 1 and Grade 4
Best time to Visit: September to November
Distance of the Stretch: 9 – 36 Km
Tons River, Uttarakhand
The biggest tributary of the Yamuna River, river rafting at Tons is considered to be one of the most challenging adventures one would undertake in their life. Tons consists of exciting rapids some of them being, ‘On the horns of the tons’, ‘Tons squeeze’, ‘Confluence’ and ‘Tuni Bazaar’. The river passes through the beautiful valleys and villages of Uttarakhand highlighting the culture of the region. There are various camping and river rafting expeditions that are offered to enhance the experience further. The entire packaging is thrilling and is one adventure that needs to be ticked off our list at the earliest.
Level: Grade 3 and Grade 4
Best time to Visit: April to June, September to November
Distance of the Stretch: 10 Km
Kameng River, Arunachal Pradesh
The exhilarating Kameng river is a real thrill for the visitors to come for rafting with a river that decides its own course and behaves unusually. A tributary of Brahmaputra, the river is said to originate from the glacial lake that was located under the Gori Chen Mountains in a quaint village of Tawang. It is considered to be one of the best destinations for river rafting in India. The landscape is surrounded by lush green forests and culture rich villages and valleys that one passes through as one indulge in the thrilling and adventure spirited experience.
Level: Grade 4
Best time to Visit: April to June
Distance of the Stretch: 25 Km
Lohit River, Arunachal Pradesh
The Lohit River has not been explored much in the years but it is said to be among one of the most exciting experiences in River rafting and kayaking. A yet another tributary of Brahmaputra, the long stretch of this river enters India through Tibet and is surrounded by beautiful landscape consisting of alpine forests and thick jungles. With fierce rapids and clear waters, the rafting experience here is going to be a unique one for anyone wanting to explore a new place filled with adventure and beauty. Till now there have been very few rafting expeditions but is a potential gem of the years to come.
Level: Grade 4
Best time to Visit: April to June
Distance of the Stretch: 25 Km
Spiti River, Himachal Pradesh
One of the fiercest yet thrilling river rafting experience is offered by the magnificent Spiti River that flows through Himachal Pradesh. With its mesmerising landscape that consists of pristine valleys with lush greenery and mountain ranges along with snow covered glaciers, it provides a gifted vision for the ones indulging in this pleasurable adventure. The unique part of this experience is that one can spend up to 6 days rafting in the roaring tides of the Spiti River. The initial point is the Tuting region and it flows through Pasighat and finally ends its adventure at Sumdo. For people who love adventures in the water this is one place that should not be missed.
Level: Grade 4
Best time to Visit: July and August
Distance of the Stretch: 180 Km
Zanskar River, Ladakh
A rafting experience at River Zanskar is a blessing with its blissful scenery with mountains that watch us from the top to its chilly climate where one can enjoy the nature’s beauty in the cold breeze. This adventure is as much for nature lovers as it is for adventure seekers. The experience covers the stretches of Padum and Nimmo along with some of the prominent terrains of the Ladakh region and rafting in its icy cold waters is an exhilarating experience for the ones who undertake this adventure. Therefore this experience is something the visitors don’t miss when they come to the region.
Level: Grade 3 and 4
Best time to Visit: May to October
Distance of the Stretch: 120 Km
Barapole River, Coorg
One of the thrilling regions of South India gives us an unforgettable experience in River Rafting. The river is situated on the Deccan Plateau in the western Ghats and is intense in its rapids. Coorg is scenically blessed with immense stretch of greenery consisting of plantations. River rafting at the Barapole River is unique as it consists of rafting in the upper section of the river and the lower section of the river. The river passes through the magnificent regions of Coorg. Its Rapids have been given a few peculiar names such as Morning coffee, Milky Churn, The wicked witch and the Grasshopper.
Level: Grade 2 and 7
Best time to Visit: July to August
Distance of the Stretch: 150 Km
Bhagirathi River, Uttarakhand
The exciting experience of rafting at Bhagirathi river is not complete without the mention of the beautiful valleys that the cover the stretch as the river takes one through its rapids. The rapids of the Bhagirathi River have been given some quirky names such as Elephant rock, the chute, Sharp S and Confluence. Also the river encompasses two of the Ganga’s most prominent rapids namely the wall and Daniel Dip which makes it an even more thrilling experience. The beauty of the landscape covered in the pine trees and snow capped mountains would be etched in our memory as we get done with this amazing adventure.
Level: Grade 3 and 4
Best time to Visit: April to June
Distance of the Stretch: 150 Km
Alaknanda River, Uttarakhand
Alaknanda River is the second largest tributary of the River Ganga. It originates from the infamous Garhwal and makes its way through Chamoli and Rudraprayag. The rafting experience in the River is challenging and it is also said that some rafters take 6 days to cover the stretch which carries intense rapids. The landscape surrounding the river is worth mentioning with its breathtaking beauty of the valleys and mountains that will blow our mind. In India, this experience is considered one of the most difficult ones among the other River Rafting adventures and people who successfully sail through this would find the experience easier the next time they undertake.
Level: Grade 4 and 6
Best time to Visit: October to April
Distance of the Stretch: 25 Km
Kundalika River, Maharashtra
Over the years Kolad has become one of the most loved destinations for adventure in India, with Sahyadri being the perfect destination to undertake Rafting activities. Kundalika enters Kolad from the mighty Sahyadri hills and passes through to the Arabian Sea. It is a small river and is considered to be the fastest flowing river of the south. It is also attractive due to the splendid lush greenery that covers the forests along the way. The best time to visit the destination is during the monsoon when the thrill of the adventure becomes manifold. The exhilarating experience has also become one of the most prominent weekend getaways for people living in and around the area.
Level: Grade 3 and 4
Best time to Visit: June to March
Distance of the Stretch: 10 Km
Teesta River, Sikkim
Betwa River, Madhya Pradesh
The historically significant city of Orchha is one of the prominent heritage cities that was said to have been built by Emperor Jahangir. Here lies the adventurous Betwa River which is known for its thrilling experience at River rafting. Along the course of the journey one can also explore the city with its castle like buildings which are designed intricately along with the lush greenery that fills the landscape. The river passes through the lofty Vindhya range and passes on to the Yamuna. The turbulent river is perfect for an exciting and indulging time in the river that first timers should definitely not miss.
Level: Grade 1 and 2
Best time to Visit: July to August
Distance of the Stretch: 6 Km
Tattapani River, Shimla
Shimla is one of the most preferred holiday destinations of the tourists and its natural beauty has been much appreciated over the years with people flocking to the destination during the cold. One of the exciting things one can indulge in this place is River rafting. The place offers some of the most sought after river rafting experiences in its beautiful white waters of Satluj River. The adrenaline starts from the point of Chaba and retains its thrill all the way to the end of the stretch at Tattapani River. The river is called so due to the hot water springs that is experienced at 65 degree Celsius.
Level: Grade 1 and 2
Best time to Visit: October to July
Distance of the Stretch: 12 Km
Keylong River, Himachal Pradesh
A little town situated on the highway between Leh and Manali, over the years it has gained prominence due to the thrilling experience that visitors had while river rafting. The adventure passes along the waters of Chenab and comprises of rather turbulent tides. The stretch passes through routes of Koksar and Tandi and also through Darcha and Udaipur. The all encompassing landscape of this godly place consists of snow capped mountains and thickets of flora and fauna that makes for a blissful vision. Keylong has also become of the prominent tourist destinations for adventure seekers and nature lovers.
Level: Grade 2, 3 and 4
Best time to Visit: April and June
Distance of the Stretch: 90 Km
Mhadei River, Goa
One of the most exciting destinations of Goa has many thrilling adventures out of which a must try is the white water rafting experience. Rafting has not been explored to a large extent at Goa but the city surely offers an unforgettable experience with high quotient of adrenaline. The Mhadei river consists of two stretches, the first one which is likely for beginners while the second one for advanced Rafters. The former being the Mhadei River and the latter being Tilari River. The best time to enjoy this experience is during monsoons. The river is also one of the most beautiful rivers with quirky rapids such as Big daddy, Y fonts and Pipeline.
Level: Grade 2 and 3
Best time to Visit: October to April
Distance of the Stretch: 10 Km
