{"id":26770,"date":"2018-02-25T18:13:17","date_gmt":"2018-02-25T18:13:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.unsponsored.co.uk\/press\/?p=26770"},"modified":"2018-02-25T18:15:13","modified_gmt":"2018-02-25T18:15:13","slug":"rafting-kali-gandaki","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unsponsored.co.uk\/press\/rafting-kali-gandaki\/","title":{"rendered":"Rafting the Kali Gandaki"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Kali Gandaki<\/a> is a River and Soul favorite<\/a>! This river is named after the Goddess of Destruction, Kali, and known for sixty rapids in 60 minutes. The Kali Gandaki<\/a> is normally a 3 day trip however you can up it to a 4 day trip by starting further upstream if you are keen for it. It is full of thrills, twists and turns, ending in a calm jade green reservoir.<\/p>\n

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The Whitewater Rapids<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Kali Gandaki<\/a> will blow your mind! The water is fairly warm (I\u2019ve kayaked it in just a rashy before) and has loads of big and bouncy rapids! The 3 day run starts off at a place called Baglung Pul and finishes at the Dam at Marmim. You can start higher than Baglung Pul if you wish. Just note that the higher you go the steeper the rapids, the terrain can be difficult to access and I can guarantee your trusty guidebook (Whitewater Nepal) will not have directions! So you will have to rely on your scouting ability to get you in and out the river in one piece. This and the lack of easy access is often the reason why most commercial companies wont run a trip beyond 3 days. River and Soul<\/a>, however, can make it a 4 day tour \u2013 Check out our bespoke tours<\/a>.<\/p>\n

You jump into the river and have about 10 minutes before you get to the first main rapid. Not much warming up time! These rapids are a set called Little Brother (Grade 4<\/a>) and Big Brother (Grade 4+<\/a>). They are big and bouncy and will require you to get out and scout! The fortunate thing with this big water river is that the running lines are also big. There is plenty of room to manoeuvre, but make sure you don\u2019t stray too far! One wrong turn can end you up with a serious injury \u2013 it is a grade 4 river after all!<\/p>\n

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Little Brother and Big Brother set the pace for the rest of the journey, other rapids such as Rafter\u2019s Refund (Grade 4<\/a>) and Morning Glory (Grade 4<\/a>) keep everyone on their toes. There are several other grade 4 rapids throughout the three days with dozens of grade 3 and 2 to have fun and play on! There is just such a variety of rapids from boulder gardens to big bouncy waves, there is something for everyone!<\/p>\n

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The last day is a half day. Starting with grade 3 and then slowly dies off into a reservoir which is a beautiful jade green colour due to the hydro electric dam built here. Calm flat water allows people to jump in for a swim, play some classic rafting games (like \u2018The Grand Old Duke of York\u2019 or \u2018Endies\u2019) or why not ask your guide to teach you how to steer a raft!<\/p>\n

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The Kali Gandaki<\/a> rises and falls with the seasons. Right after the monsoon in September the river will be at its largest and river beaches will be few and far between. You better have the right guides who know where they are! Commercial rafting normally doesn\u2019t take place until late September\/October. This allows the river to fall a bit which can make it safer for clients with less experience. Between September and December the Kali Gandaki can easily drop several feet in depth, meaning the lines are constantly changing. It is important to scout the rapids before you run them, even if you have run them dozens of times before.<\/p>\n

Being a company favourite, several of the River and Soul tours feature the Kali Gandaki \u2013 take a look at them here!<\/p>\n

Camping<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Everyone helps to unpack the full rafts of gear, the more hands there are the faster the camp comes together! Everyone pitches in from lugging the gear up the beach, to putting up tents and digging a toilet. There is lots to be getting on with! (Don\u2019t forget to collect fire wood!) But once its done then you can sit back and relax. Chill round the fire, play cards, read a book or lay back and stare into the stary nights sky\u2026<\/p>\n

Your guides will be cooking a tasty meal up as soon as they land. You\u2019ll normally get served some fresh popcorn and tea once you\u2019ve set up your tent. For dinner you\u2019ll be treated to a different meal every night \u2013 from the classic Nepalese Dhal Bhatt to Lasagna with a twist (the twist is that its actually more like spaghetti bolognese). <\/p>\n

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Find out more of the food your likely to experience in our FAQs<\/a>! <\/p>\n