FAQs
Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu is the only international airport in Nepal. You will need to book a flight to Kathmandu where Callum or another guide will meet and pick you up from the airport.
Callum or another guide will pick you up from the airport and take you to your accommodation.
It really depends on what season you come in. In general light, loose garments are recommended in spring (March, April and May) and summer (June, July and August), while woollens and jackets or similar warm clothing’s are needed from November to February. Have a look at our Kit List for a detailed list of what you will need to bring on your trip.
All our trips are personally built around our clients. If you are having difficulty deciding what you want to do, please send us a message so that we can discuss in detail what would suit you.
Please see our Kit List for an idea of what you need to bring with you.
We will provide all the technical equipment needed, plus camping gear. The biggest thing you need to remember is probably the suntan lotion!
Yes! We use local Nepalese guides who have grown up and lived on the rivers for years. These guides have international qualifications in white water safety and rescue as well as raft guiding.
No, as long as you can follow a simple "Forwards", "Backwards", and "Hold On" instruction then you will be fine. On the trip you will be taught all the safety and rescue elements you need to know on the water. Safety is the priority during all parts of the tour and many clients have never rafted or kayaked previously. Rafting is a team sport that all abilities can participate in.
A basic level of fitness is needed to participate in any whitewater activity, and it can be physically demanding. Certain tours are more demanding than others. We have put a guide to fitness levels required for each river in the Rivers of Nepal section. If you have any concerns regarding your level of ability or fitness, please contact us and we will be happy to discuss any queries you may have.
On private trips it is all down to how many people you book on.
On open trips we try and keep group sizes relatively small, so that we can continue to offer a more personal experience and everyone can get to know each other. You can usually expect 2 rafts on most trips (6-8 people on each).
There is no max limit to the trip.
Yes, regardless of group size, we will have a suitable amount of safety kayakers on every river trip that is run, guaranteed.
Yes, all of the staff are qualified for the jobs they perform; from first aid to whitewater rescue. Safety is our priority during all tours. All the guides have their WRT training, International Rafting Federation Training and First Aid.
Callum is a British Canoe Union qualified Raft and Kayak guide and holds a Rescue 3 International Whitewater Safety Technician certificate, along with Wilderness First Aid. He also visit Nepal continually visit Nepal for long periods of time each year.
On expedition trips (Sun Koshi and Karnali for example) you can expect to spend around 6 hours a day paddling, depending on the season.
Remember - you’re on holiday! During the rest of the time you will have the option to play in the river learning to kayak, go on village walks, or just chill out reading books and sitting by camp fires... the list goes on!
While on the water and in Sirubari you'll be amazed what our Nepalese friends can conjure up. The food is one of the most talked about things on trips with a large variety of treats waiting for you!
On rafting trips you can expect eggs, pancakes, potatoes, toast, muesli, porridge, omelettes, and fruit for breakfast. For lunch, we choose from foods such as pasta, salads, tuna, baked beans, cheeses, salami, biscuits, crisps, bread, fried rice and fruit. In the evenings, dinner can include garlic bread, french fries, Dhal Bhat, chicken curry, mashed potato, Buffalo steak, chilli, Bolognaise, custard, rice pudding, fruit salad, popcorn and prawn crackers. We certainly won't let you go hungry! We also have lighter bites such as biscuits and bananas held in dry bags on the rafts for river time snacks!
Sirubari is a more traditional village and so lunch and dinner will almost certainly be Dhal Bhatt. While breakfast can be a range of things varying between eggs, pancakes, beaten rice, spiced potatoes, and popped corn! Tea is always available any time night and day.
While in Kathmandu and Pokhara there is a vast variety of restaurants and so it is up to you what you eat. We prefer to have group meals together in the same restaurant. But if people want to eat at different places that is up to you.
We can cater for vegetarians, vegans, and most personal dietary requirements. Please inform us prior to making a booking so that we can confirm this. We are happy to discuss any dietary issues prior to booking, please contact us if you have any queries. Don’t worry – you won’t go hungry!
To confirm a place on one of the trips, the sooner you can book the better. We do try to be flexible and it is possible to arrange last-minute bookings depending on circumstances. If you wish to enquire about a last-minute trip, please contact us as soon as possible.
Depending on which river trip you choose and as long as you inform us beforehand, your ability to swim should not be a significant issue. On rafting trips you will be using buoyancy aids and will be taught the necessary safety procedures and techniques in case you do end up in the water. The chances of you falling out are slim, but in the event you do the bunch of safety kayakers standing by will get to you quickly and safely rescue you.
We require that you take out travel insurance to cover you for the activities that you will be participating in prior to your arrival in Nepal. Make sure you check what river grade you will be running and to what altitude you will be trekking as not all travel-insurance policies cover you for outdoor activities. If you are unsure of what your existing travel-insurance covers, please contact your insurance provider.
Yes - Whether you are an individual, a couple, a family, or group we can arrange a tour to suit your needs. We can gather a group of individuals together to create a trip.
Rafting trips are a team sport, so don't worry - you won't be on your own!
Your gear will be joining us in the raft! We will of course supply you with dry bags to keep your belongings dry as dry as possible, however this is not 100% guaranteed to keep your kit dry. We wouldn't recommend bringing your laptop or iPad along unless you have your own professional dry bag for these type of items.
Yes! Anything is possible. We can tailor make trips to meet individual wants and needs. If there is something specific you would like to do just let us know. Anything from yoga instructors on the trip, to extra days relaxing, or sightseeing are possible. Just give us an idea of what you would like and we can arrange it.
We have a more in-depth articlel on our blog here. Below is a brief summery:
GRADE 1
Moving water, unobstructed and without technical difficulties. There may be small waves and riffles to challenge the paddler. Very small consequences if you get it wrong.
GRADE 2
Waves, small stoppers and other minor obstructions to avoid. Eddies and cushion waves may be strong. Small consequences if you get it wrong.
GRADE 3
Waves, stoppers and technical difficulties are more severe. There may be drops and powerful constrictions. The main distinguishing factor of Grade 3 water is that the paddler will have to follow a recognizable route to avoid obstacles and hazards. Reasonable consequences if you get it wrong.
GRADE 4
Severe waves, drops, stoppers and other obstructions. The route is not easily recognizable and will usually require careful inspection from the boat or bank. Grade 4 encompasses a wide range of rivers, from those with pool-drop rapids to those with extended continuous rapids; so there is a huge variation in difficulty. It is common to distinguish easier grade 4 rapids by grading them as 4- and harder rapids as 4+. High consequences if you get it wrong.
GRADE 5
Extremely difficult rapids with precise and technically demanding routes to be followed. Stoppers, currents and waves will be powerful and inspection is essential. Very high consequences if you get it wrong.
GRADE 6
All of the above carried to extremes. Grade 6 usually means unrunnable rapids, which may just be possible in certain conditions. You will most likely die or be paralized if you get it wrong.
Grading is an imprecise and controversial activity. A continuous grade 3 river may be more challenging than a pool-drop grade 4 river. Authors of river guides are purely their own untrustworthy opinion and should only be used for a general guide. A river is a dangerous, unpredictable and constantly changing environment. I recommend that you purchase insurance up to grade 5 for any river trip as our grading may vary from that the insurance companies use.
We are happy to take anyone rafting, as long as they fit a buoyancy aid. However, children below the ages of 16 are not able to raft or kayak on all of the rivers we operate due to safety risks. There are a several they can still go on. The Trisuli and Lower Seti are perfect for families or groups with younger children. Older children may be able to join the Kaligandaki and Sun Koshi River trips. Please contact us for further information.
We have trips suitable for all ages and abilities. There is technically no minimum age and no maximum age. As long as you can fit our buoyancy aid, then you are welcome. If you have any queries please contact us.
There are a range of actions to be taken depending on the severity of the sickness/injury. Anything from applying first aid, sitting out some activities, seeing a doctor, getting admitted to Hospital, or even flying home (hopefully not!). Our guides have a lot of experience dealing with sicknesses and injuries and will be able to make a good judgement call as to what to do in that particular situation.
Most of the trip costs are covered in the price. However there are a few meals that you will need to buy while we eat out in restaurants in Pokhara and Kathmandu, and any snacks you with to get along the way.
You will be paying for any drinks you wish as well. Alcoholic beverages are slightly cheaper than UK prices. And so we would suggest that you just base it on Uk prices. That means you have a little left over at the end!
Souvenirs are also very popular. It is down to you and your haggling skills (don’t worry we can help) to see how much you spend.
The Nepalese currency is the Rupee. Bank notes come in denominations of Rs. 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000. Coins are of 1, 2 and 5 rupee denomination.
You cannot get Nepalese Rupees outside of Nepal, and are refrained from leaving the country with them. This is to help stop the devaluation of the currency. We would suggest that you take out any money you wish to bring with you in USD as this is easy to convert once there. You can also use USD to pay for things before you collect your Rupeese.
There are ATMS in Kathmandu, Pokhara and other big cities/towns in Nepal that accept AMERICAN EXPRESS, VISA and MASTERCARD.
Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is caused by thin air at high altitudes starting from 3,000 meters and upwards, it may even lead to death. The main precaution that needs to be taken while trekking is not to go up too high too fast, so the body should be given enough time to acclimatize.
If you suffer from initial symptoms like headaches, shortness of breath, fatigue, nausea, inability to sleep, swelling of the face, hands and feet and loss of appetite, descend to a lower elevation immediately, and seek medical help.
The rafting and Sirubari trips do not reach a height of 3,000 meters and so this is not a concern to these trips.
The country code for Nepal is 977 and the area code for Kathmandu is 01, for Pokhara 061, Chitwan 056 and Lumbini 071.
Nepali time is GMT plus 5 hours 45 minutes.
Mobile coverage is wide in Nepal, even in the rural areas. And when there is no signal, you often just need to get to the top of the closest hill/mountain and you will find some. Internet facilities are available in hotels and cyber cafes in all major cities.
Popular among visitors are handmade apparels like woolen sweaters, jackets, trousers and caps. And the Pashmina shawl is a highly coveted item. Then there are ethnic and contemporary carpets, gems and jewelry, metal and wooden products, Khukuri (the curved metal knife), music CDs, Nepali paper products, pottery, spices, tea and Thangka paintings to take home.
Yes, we normally carry a waterproof camera around with us, however these will not be professional and may be sporadic. We would suggest that you bring your own camera so that if there is something you want to capture, you know it’s not been missed! If you would like to bring your own camera, we can provide a dry bag or Pelican box for the river part of the trip. Items are stored in these at your own risk and we would advise you bring your own professional case if you want to be extra sure it will stay dry.