Trisuli River
The put-in point for rafting on the Trisuli River is about a three to four hours’ drive from Kathmandu. It’s a nice bouncy river, but the rapids aren’t too big, making this an ideal river for beginners. The waters are usually quite warm, and from the river, pretty terraced farmland, local villages and enormously high hills can be seen. As this river also flows between Kathmandu and Pokhara (the highway runs parallel to it for some of the way) and river trip ends near the turn-off to Chitwan, it’s possible to arrange an onward transfer after the rafting fun, rather than returning to Kathmandu.
Bhote Kosi River
The Bhote Kosi River (meaning Tibetan river) is a little closer to Kathmandu, at two to three hours to the north-east. The Bhote Kosi used to have a longer raftable stretch, but due to a major landslide in 2014, only a shorter section remains navigable. Still, there’s enough for plenty of fun for a couple of hours and the water here is cool and refreshing – particularly good for the hotter months. There are nice river camps along the way here to stay for the night if you wish (although be warned that they get busy – and noisy – with partying Kathmandu students on the weekends).
Seti River
From Pokhara, rafting the Upper Seti is the best single-day option. At 90 minutes, trips on the Seti are a little shorter than the options from Kathmandu, but it’s much more accessible, at only a 30-minute drive away. It’s also chock-full of class three and four rapids and comes with glorious views of the Annapurna. Short and sweet.
