Thrilling Adventure Sport River Rafting - My Journey From Kaudiyala To Rishikesh

River Ganga at Kaudiyala

Recently, I have been to Rishikesh, a well-known pilgrimage in India known for its temples and adventure sports. The most popular of them all is Rafting. Rafting is an adventures water sport or activity involving Raft, Paddles, River and you!

It is a heart pumping with the adrenaline rush, not for weak hearted or Water phobic persons.

With long weekend approaching, and Rafting in a season, I decided to utilize it to experience the sport. I came to know that Rishikesh is easily one of the most versatile places which sponsor this sport in the river Ganga.

Packed my bag and reached Rishikesh through tempo traveler. One can easily reach to Rishikesh by road, it is a well-connected place. One can get the commutation through private bus services or cabs.

Arrived at Rishikesh

Laxman Jhula at Rishikesh

The place was bustling with the Rafting companies. Each has their own guides and equipment. There are lots of tours & travels companies but I would advise to do some research first or visit the government tourism site like http://www.rishikeshtourism.in/ etc. This sport is very enjoyable if done safely and is a lifetime memory. There is a lot of decision making needs to be done thus planning is required.
For e.g.

   1.   What season do you choose to go?

   2. Which company you will hire

   3. What package or stretch you will choose

   4. What is the cost associated?

   5. Medical & Emergency checklist etc.

The prices may fluctuate based on season and location. To perk up the deal you may get additional activities that you can do before you begin your rafting expedition. The reason is activities are done near campsite area from where you begin your rafting. So, make sure you have plenty of time before hand otherwise, you may have to miss some of these activities to honor time.

Reaching Kaudiyala

Once you have decided all of the above, you will be assigned instructors, equipment etc. The vehicle can be hired to take you to Kaudiyala. It is around a couple of hours’ journey to Kaudiyala.

The Campsite

Campsite at Kaudiyala

You will be taken to the camp site area where you can relax till the rafting trip begins. You will find camps in groups depending on the company you hired for the trip. The camps are located near the bank of the river with mostly accommodation for two. Campsites have many recreational activities and there is much to be seen and done. Bonfire, Beach Volleyball, etc.  Now a day’s campsites are equipped with dining area, washrooms and other amenities to avail.

I took the package including lodging, meals, some activities like rappelling, kayaking, jungle walk. It’s quite a view to being alone in the valley surrounded by mountains. The day I arrived at Kaudiyala, I was assigned a camp and asked for my food preference as Vegetarian or Non-Vegetarian.

Activities

Nightout at Campsite

The rest of the day was spent to perform different activities. Rappelling was especially fun and exciting to perform, climbing down the bridge through rope on your own is an experience of its own. Each activity I perform is done with safety equipment wearing helmets and life jackets for water activities.

ADVENTURE SPORTS ACTIVITIES IN RISHIKESH

Water Adventure Sports/Games in Rishikesh

• River Rafting

• White Water Rafting

• Body surfing /Swimming

• Waterfall - Nature Trek

• Cliff Jumping in River Ganga

• Kayaking Activities

Beach/ Riverside and Jungle Camping Activities & Games in Rishikesh

• Night Stay Beach/ Riverside Camp

• Luxury Camping & River Rafting

• Jungle Camping & River Rafting

• Beach Volleyball

• Burma Bridge

• Loop Bridge

• Spider Net

• Rope Balancing

• Confidence Bridge

• Cricket

• Badminton

• Dart and Chess

• Bonfire in Night

Other Adventure Sports/Games in Rishikesh

• Zipline Activites

• Air Safari Activities

• Rock Climbing & Rappelling

• Mountaineering

• Trekking

• Bungee Jumping in Rishikesh

• Flying Fox Activities

• Swing Activities

• Paintball Adventure Activities

Real fun - Rafting

Thrill of Rafting

Next day was the day of rafting where we have to cover the stretch of 36 Kilometers in 8 to 9 hours. Since I was doing it the first time, I didn’t know, what to expect. We were given brief safety instructions explain about the Rafts, Rapids and their Grades, Safety Equipment and their usage, Signs of communication. We were also allotted two guides to take us through the journey and one specialist to guide us through kayak, in case anybody falls. The instructors took our valuables and equipment to pack it in a waterproof safety pouch to carry along with us in the journey.

Then the adventure begins the starting seems to be a bit simple, we just have to paddle but excitement begins when we approached the Rapids.

Approaching Rapids

Rapids are points in a river where you will find the water if moving swiftly with current or tricky to cross due to bending in rivers. Rapids are graded based on their difficulty. Rishikesh Rafting Trip has Grade 2 to Grade 4-5 Rapids. Being a non-swimmer I was quite nervous about it. But I must say if done properly it is quite safe and instructors, lifejackets and equipment are there to help & Save you. Always be in a group so that you are not alone at the time of distress.

The rapids are categorized based on the level of the challenges they offer. In total, there are six grades of rapids found around the globe. In Rishikesh, five grades of rapids are available:

o    Grade: 1 – Easy navigation across mild streams. Almost no risk involved.

o    Grade: 2 – Holds notably apart obstacles or rocks and proffers easy maneuver.

o    Grade: 3 – Reasonably adventurous rapids and require good judgment.

o    Grade: 4 – These rapids are strong enough to tumble the raft.

o    Grade: 5 – Dangerous rapids. Strictly for experts.

The names of major rapids in Rishikesh:

o    Black Money (Grade 1)

o    Sweet Sixteen (Grade 1)

o    Good Morning (Grade 1)

o    Body Surfing (Grade 1)

o    Club House (Grade 2)

o    Initiation (Grade 2)

o    Double Trouble (Grade 2)

o    Hilton (Grade 2)

o    Terminator (Grade 2)

o    Shivpuri Rapid (Grade 2+)

o    Three Blind Mice (Grade 3)

o    Cross Fire (Grade 3)

o    Roller coaster (Grade 3)

o    Golf Course (Grade 3)

o    Return to Sender (Grade 3)

o    Daniel’s Dip (Grade 3+)

o    The Great Wall (Grade 4)

Midway between Kaudiyala and Rishikesh

We reach mid-point, famous a Maggie point where you will find local dwellers sitting on a rock formation and serving Hot Tea and Maggie etc. when you take rest at mid-point. At this point, I was mostly exhausted but the sense of adventure made me keep going. After refreshing tea, we began our journey. The Rapids in the later half are of lower grade and can be crossed with relative ease. The flow of Ganga is quite strong from Kaudiyala to Rishikesh.

The end of journey

We reached the destination by sunset and it was a very beautiful sight to see the setting sun. After some rest. I went back to the Tour & Travel company I hired and picked up my belongings. But, since next day was a working day, I started my overnight journey to come back.

Useful Information

o   

Map Indications 

Stretch Length: 36 Kilometers

o  Grades of Rapids: Grade I, II, III and IV

o  Major Rapids: The Wall, Eddy Whirlpool and Daniel’s Dip

o  Approx time taken: 8 to 9 hours

Few more points to remember…

Best season: From mid-February to May and then from Mid-September to November

Reaching Rishikesh 

o    By Air: Jolly Grant (21 kilometers) in Dehradun is the nearest airport.

o    By Rail: Haridwar Junction (21 kilometers) in Haridwar is the nearest major railhead.

o    By Bus: Rishikesh has a fine network of buses linking it with important places such as Dehradun, Haridwar, and New Delhi.

In the end, I must say it was very adventures trip where I come to know many things about life. Things can go beyond your control don’t panic and keep your thoughts clear to tackle it. Respect nature as she is much more powerful than you. Life is too short, try to make most out of it.