10-Day Karnali River Rafting Expedition in Nepal with Riverside Camping

Your Karnali rafting expedition begins with travel from Kathmandu toward Surkhet via Nepalganj. You will depart in the early afternoon and continue on a long journey toward the starting region of the expedition.

Depending on your vehicle choice, whether a private car, bus, or jeep, you will be picked up from your hotel or a pre-decided pick-up point in Kathmandu for a scenic overland journey. Overnight stay will be in Surkhet at a hotel.

Drive to the put-in point at Sauli/Dhungeshwor. Before setting out, you will enjoy a good meal and then continue on a scenic drive to the Karnali River, where your rafting expedition officially begins.

The ride winds through charming remote hamlets, lush forests, and riversides, offering a remarkable experience of the stunning Nepali countryside. Upon reaching the Karnali River, you will spend the night on its peaceful shore, enjoying the calm of nature and the splendid sight of the moon and stars on your first riverside night.

Day 3 marks the beginning of your rafting experience on the Karnali River, with its raging and foamy rapids. This serene and isolated river presents powerful and challenging rapids, making it an ideal setting for a thrilling rafting excursion. Your 507-kilometer Karnali River rafting expedition officially begins today, filled with both excitement and natural beauty.

After a safety briefing and a quick gear check, you will set off down the river through some medium rapids that serve as an introduction to the more formidable challenges ahead. As you paddle past stunning scenery, you will enjoy enthralling views of tropical green forests along the riverbanks, steep cliffs, and charming villages. Tonight, you will camp on the river's scenic pristine beaches beneath a canopy of stars, preparing for the exciting rafting days to come.

Today, the river enters a mysterious and narrow gorge known as God's House. This section brings continuous, high-adrenaline rapids and a more dramatic river setting.

The highlight of the day is navigating the notorious God's House rapid, one of the most memorable challenges of the expedition.

Continue rafting through intense rapids and lush vegetation as the expedition moves deeper along the Karnali.

The day concludes with camping near Seti Dovan, close to the confluence where the Seti River joins the Karnali River.

Today is a day of hard paddling through spectacular landscapes. The team navigates several more rapids while continuing downstream through the wild scenery of the Karnali.

By the end of the day, you will arrive at a campsite near Jamuna Village.

Take time to rest and explore along the riverbank.

You will come face to face with gigantic waves, vertical slopes, and sharp turns as you navigate the turbulent waters of the river amid breathtaking wilderness. The thrill is most pronounced as you take on these dominant rapids.

At the same time, the unspoiled and virgin natural beauty of the riverland offers a lovely contrast to the intensity of the journey, leaving you in awe of both nature's power and serenity.

Once out of the gorge, the rapids slowly ease off, and farther down at the confluence of the Bheri and Karnali, the river broadens and the gradient decreases as it meanders through astounding scenery.

Paddle off at the take-out point at Chisapani Bridge in the early afternoon. Afterward, begin the journey back toward Kathmandu.