THE ALAKNANDA RIVER RAFTING EXPEDITION
A self contained multi-day river adventure down the Alaknanda & Ganga rivers. The trip starts from our base camp on the Ganges river near the pilgrim town of Rishikesh. A scenic drive for 4 hours takes us past the town of Devprayag, where the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers meet to form India's holiest river, the Ganga. We reach Rudraprayag, which is on the road to India's holiest shrines for the Hindus, Badrinath and Kedarnath. Rudraprayag is at the confluence of the Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers, and this is where our multi-dayer begins. Rudraprayag is possibly best known for the infamous man-eating leopard shot down by Jim Corbett in 1932 in its forests. Journeying 128kms to Rishikesh, the run takes you through thick forests and deep gorges, ending each day at a different river beach to make camp for the night, enhancing the adventure of being on the river. Foaming rapids, sandy beaches and starry nights make this a truly outdoor trip, even for the first time rafter. |
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| Itinerary |
| Day 01 : |
Board morning Shatabdi Express from Delhi leaving at 6:55 am. Reach Hardwar at 11:30 am and transfer to Camp Silver Sands. We check into Camp Silver Sands, which is located on a large sandy beach on the banks of the Ganga river - briefing on Camp, its activities and the trip to follow. Short run till Shivpuri to get familiarised with paddling commands and safety techniques, negotiating a few rapids, like "Three Blind Mice", "Crossfire", and the "Body Surfing rapid". Return to Camp for hot tea / coffee and snacks. Campffire barbecue dinner & overnight Camp. |
| Day 02 : |
An early morning drive to Rudraprayag (4 hrs), the put in point. Enroute we stop at Devprayag, to see the confluence of the two rivers (the Alaknanda and the Bhagirathi) which meet to form the Ganga. After Lunch, help in getting the rafts readied and packing bags. Expedition begins with a big Grade IV rapid, "The Holy Hole", at the confluence with the Mandakini. Camp after about 2hrs on the river at Venturi Beach. |
| Day 03 : |
Raft past the Temple Rapids and the town of Srinagar. Rapids keep coming in quick succession. Soak in the sun, river and scenery, staying alert to help negotiate rapids. Lunch at a waterfall and continue to make camp for the night after Srinagar. Long day on the river, covering about 25 river kms till Maletha beach. Campfire dinner and overnight Camp. |
| Day 04 : |
Raft down to Devprayag, the confluence of the Alaknanda & Bhagirathi rivers. The river is now called the Ganga. Camp at Beas Ghat, a famous fishing spot for the mahseer, also called the Ganga Gold. Cover 30 kms for the day. |
| Day 05 : |
A relaxed day with few rapids. A day for swimming, body surfing, relaxing and spotting wildlife. Make 30 kms to reach camp below Kaudiyala, after running a couple of Grade IV rapids, "Daniel's Dip" and "The Wall". Afternoon transfer to Hardwar to board the evening Shatabdi home. Arrive Delhi by 10:30pm. Trip ends. |
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