Best Season: March till May & October till November
Total Duration: 3 Days
The Kali Gandaki river, just a 3-hour drive from Pokhara, named after the goddess Kali (a Hindu god), rises in Mustang, an enclave of Nepal on the Northern side of the Himalayas. As it tumbles down between the Dhaulagiri and the Annapurna region, it creates the world's deepest river gorge. Once an ancient trading route to Tibet, it is now a popular trekking route.
From Baglung (Kusma), the river flows 70km through a wilderness area with few villages and people to our take-out at Andhi Khola (before the electricity dam). Turbulent rapids intertwine with abrupt drops as we dodge our way down intricate chutes of sparkling water, and village terraces cling precariously to the slopes. Surreal snow-capped peaks hang suspended above us as we drift through somber canyons whose black walls glisten in the shadows. Rafting in Kali Gandaki, both experienced and first-time rafters will enjoy the abundant, thrilling rapids, whether on a raft or the popular option of Inflatable Kayaks.