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Region: Asia, the Himalayas, Nepal
Activity: rafting
Season: March - April, October - December.
Dates 2009: 24 March - 07 April, 24 October - 07 November
In the tiny kingdom of Nepal, the same beautiful mountain ranges which draw trekkers and climbers shape an incredible variety of whitewater challenges for paddlers.
The diverse geography of this small country encompasses extremes from the highest peaks on earth to steamy lowland jungles. Nepal is only 100 miles wide but rises from near sea level on the Gangetic plain to over 29,000 feet at the top of Mount Everest.
The National Parks are home to an abundant population of varied wildlife ranging from wild elephant, Greater one-horned rhinoceros, leopard, blue bull sambar, numerous types of deer, and the most magnificent of cats -- the Royal Bengal tiger. The birdwatching is some of the best on the subcontinent with more than 800 species of birds recorded.
Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, has fascinated traders for centuries and has long been the center of commerce between India, China and Tibet. Arriving in the city is seemingly a step backward in time -- temple squares and bazaars bustle with a diversity of people and wares.
The possibilities for sightseeing and experiencing the exotic are endless -- shops carry unique items such as Tibetan rugs, Nepalese wood carvings, exquisite jewelry and other remarkable goods; and there are more eccentric characters per square mile than imaginable.
Sun Kosi Rafting
Sun Kosi means "River of Gold" - perhaps named after the gold that is sometimes panned from the river gravels, or maybe it refers to the orange color of the water during the Monsoon when the river is thick with alluvial silt.
The Sun Kosi flows eastward in Nepal through the great valley between the Mahabharat Lekh mountains and the Himalaya. 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.
Paddling the Sun Kosi is often described as one of the "ten best rafting trips in the world". Big rapids, warm water, no roads, continuous white water, beautiful scenery and great camping make this a classic eight day rafting trip. It is also an excellent river for kayaks.
Itinerary:
Day 01. Arrive Kathmandu. Hotel accommodation. Welcome dinner.
Day 02. Enjoy a free day to sightsee. Explore this medieval capital's narrow streets and bustling marketplaces. Visit Hindu and Buddhist temples with our English-speaking guides.
Days 3-10. Depart Kathmandu. 3-hour drive to Dholalghat. Put-in on Sun Kosi River early afternoon. Eight incredible days, descending 180 miles down the "River of Gold" on exhilarating whitewater as you pass through pristine canyons, remote villages and terraced mountains. Camp on beautiful sandy beaches as you take in the culture of rural Nepal.
Day 11. Take-out in Chattra. Enjoy the change in scenery as you leave the canyons of the Sun Kosi and emerge onto the startling flat plains of India. Depart Chattra for Royal Chitwan National Park in southern Nepal. Arrive in the evening.
Day 12. Explore Chitwan National Park by elephant, dugout canoe and foot in search of rhino, boar, Bengal tiger, buffalo, sloth bear, langur and rhesus monkeys, civet cat, mongoose, jackal, otter, marten and porcupine in their natural habitat.
Day 13. Depart Royal Chitwan National Park, via the Trisuli Valley, for Kathmandu. Hotel accommodation in Kathmandu.
Day 14. Sightsee in Kathmandu. Day free for shopping and leisure.
Day 15. Depart Kathmandu.
Cost: USD 1980 (min. 7 pax).
Payment: Deposit 250 USD, final payment 45 days prior to departure.
Included:
- Expert leadership
- All road transportation from Kathmandu to Kathmandu
- transfers,
- rafting and camping gear,
- meals during rafting,
- hotel accommodation in Kathmandu,
- Royal Chitwan National Park and safari fees,
- breakfasts in Kathmandu and Chitwan
Not included:
- Nepal visa fee,
- airport tax,
- lunches and dinners in Kathmandu and Chitwan, a
- lcoholic beverages
- personal expenses
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