Located along the border of India and Nepal, the Mahakali River trip is an exciting river journey along scenic terraced-cultivation and quaint old Kumaoni villages. Coupled with the sparkling water and wonderful sandy beaches this trip promises you a wilderness journey of a lifetime. It is great for beginners to rafting and kayaking, as well as experienced adventurers as it has a few big rapids, like the ‘Chuka’, ‘Dimberghat’ and ‘The Creek’ rapids, to thrill you.
A completely self-contained trip, you will run the river rafting with our experienced guides in the day time and bask in the natural beauty of the region in the late afternoon and evening. For enthusiastic anglers – catching the Mahseer fish is an absolute delight, as we camp around Pancheshwar which is a popular fishing spot.
We take the overnight train to Kathgodam and reach in the early hours of the morning.
A seven hour drive to Pithoragarh gives you splendid views of the Trisul, Nanda Devi and Panchuli mountain ranges. Drive through the towns and villages of Kumaon which provides a rich cultural background for the trip. Don’t be surprised if you want to stop often to take photographs of the diverse flora and fauna, and the people of this region along with the Himalayas in the background. Overnight at Pithoragarh hotel.
A two and a half hour drive from Pithoragarh brings us to the confluence of Gori Ganga and Kali rivers at Jauljibi, the starting point of the expedition. After a comprehensive talk on river safety as well as basic instructions, you are ready to experience the thrill of grade 3 rapids. The sights and sounds of the many villages we cross add to the special experience of being on the river. We pitch camp late afternoon, followed by dinner around the campfire after an amazing day on the river. Overnight at camp.
The second day on the Kali begins with a grade 2 rapid. Enjoy the white water as we raft or kayak through the ‘Squeeze’ at Juhlaghat. The river banks sport stalactite and stalagmite formations, reminding us of what we learnt in school. In the afternoon, we pitch camp by a waterfall and we can either choose to hike up to it or laze around the campfire, eat dinner and hit the sleeping bag. Camp overnight.
Get ready for some more action on the grade 2-3 rapids to reach Pancheshwar, the confluence of Kali and Saryu. This is a great spot for fishing. Camp overnight.
Expect loads of thrills today as we move from Pancheshwar towards Sonali Gaon and encounter grade 3 rapids as the river picks up volume. The untouched beauty around is breathtaking and has us all wishing for the day not to end. Camp overnight.
The river run from Sonali Gaon to Pari Gaon takes us through Kali’s biggest rapid, the ‘Chuka’, a grade 4+ rapid. As the rapid has several channels we will scout around before running it. A few more grade 3 rapids before we reach camp across the river from Pari Gaon. There will be plenty to discuss and remember about the day when we sit around the camp fire tucking into a hot, delicious meal. Camp overnight.
The last day on the river we start from Pari Gaon to reach the take out at Boom. There is a distinct shift in the vegetation around as we enter the Terai region and you may find wild elephants sharing the river with you! After lunch load up and drive to Kathgodam to board the night train out of Kathgodam to Delhi.
This is the end of the journey folks; we’re back to Delhi, bright and early.
February, March, September, October, November.
# The Kali Smash: a shorter trip possible during high flows - September & October.
Delhi – Kathgodam
Kathgodam – Pithoragarh
Pithoragarh – Jauljibi - Chaukidari Camp
Chaukidari Camp – Waterfall camp
Waterfall Camp- Nidal Camp
Nidal Camp- Sonali goan Camp
Sonali gaon Camp – Pari gaon Camp
Pari gaon – Boom – Kathgodam
Delhi
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