Breakfast
Porridge, eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit, tea or coffee, cooked at camp
All destinations
All destinationsKali Gandaki River Rafting
5.09 reviews
Raft the sacred Kali Gandaki through the world's deepest gorge, with large rapids, riverside camps and stops at remote villages.
- Duration
- 3 days
- Grade
- Class III to IV
- Altitude
- 1,070 m (3,510 ft)
- Start and end
- Pokhara
- On the water
- 4 to 5 hours a day
- Best season
- Mar to Apr, Oct to Nov
- Accommodation
- Beach camping
- Meals
- All meals
- Group size
- Up to 8
Kali Gandaki River Rafting Overview
Raft the sacred Kali Gandaki through the world's deepest gorge, with large rapids, riverside camps and stops at remote villages.
Tour overview
This is a three-day rafting trip on the river that drains the deepest gorge on earth. You put in near Nayapul below the Annapurnas and paddle south through a steep, forested canyon, with Class III and IV rapids on the first two days. You camp on white sand beaches, with a campfire in the evenings. It offers the best whitewater in Nepal on a trip of less than a week.
The sacred river
The Kali Gandaki is holy to Hindus. It is where saligram are found: black ammonite fossils, worshipped as a form of Vishnu, washed out of marine rock that was lifted five kilometres by the collision that formed the Himalaya. You will see shrines above the water and pilgrims at the confluences, and your guides treat these sites with respect.
Who this trip is for
Anyone who can swim and is prepared to fall out of the raft. You do not need rafting experience, because you paddle under instruction while the guide steers. You do need to be comfortable in moving water: on Class IV rapids you are very likely to end up in the river at some point, and the safety kayaker will pick you up. The trip is not suitable for non-swimmers or small children.
Key highlights of the Kali Gandaki River Rafting
- Class III to IV whitewater rapids
- Camping on white-sand beaches
- The world's deepest river gorge
- Remote villages & temples en route
Itinerary
An early drive of three to three and a half hours from Pokhara, past Kusma, to the put-in at Maldhunga on the Kali Gandaki. After a safety briefing the afternoon runs Class III rapids down a narrowing valley, past the confluence with the Modi Khola at Modi Beni, to a beach camp just below it.
- Altitude
- 620 m (2,030 ft)
- On foot
- None, 3 hr drive, then rafting
- Night in
- Tented camp, Modi Beni
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
This is the longest day on the river. You run Class III and IV rapids through a deepening gorge, past Brahmin and Magar villages, riverside temples and waterfalls running down the rock, to a remote beach camp near Purti Ghat.
- Altitude
- 450 m (1,480 ft)−170 m
- On foot
- None, rafting day
- Night in
- Tented camp, Purti Ghat
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
A shorter morning on easier water as the gorge opens out, to the take-out at Mirmi, above the Kali Gandaki dam. After lunch by the river, you drive back to Pokhara through farmland and Gurung villages.
- Altitude
- 820 m (2,690 ft)+370 m
- On foot
- None, rafting, then drive
- Night in
- Hotel, Pokhara
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
What's included
- Airport transfers & ground transport
- Licensed English-speaking guide
- Accommodation throughout the trip
- All permits & national park fees
- Meals as per the itinerary
Not included
- International flights
- Travel & rescue insurance
- Personal trekking gear
- Tips & personal expenses
- Nepal entry visa (on arrival)
Dates and prices
Start date
16 Oct 2026
End date
18 Oct 2026
Available
8 left
US $247
Per person
Start date
6 Nov 2026
End date
8 Nov 2026
Available
8 left
US $247
Per person
Start date
16 Apr 2027
End date
18 Apr 2027
Available
8 left
US $247
Per person
Route map
The trail from start to finish, at a glance.
Packing list
Packing for the river
We provide a helmet, a life jacket, a paddle and a dry bag. The contents of the dry bag are all you have for three days, so limit them to one change of clothes for camp, something warm for the evening and your wash kit. Leave everything else at your hotel in Pokhara. Do not bring anything on the raft that you cannot afford to lose to the river, including good sunglasses without a strap.
- Sunglasses with a strap
- Water-resistant sunscreen, SPF 50, and lip balm
- A sun hat for camp. You wear a helmet on the river
- Swimwear or quick-drying shorts
- A rash vest or synthetic long-sleeved top, no cotton
- A light fleece or thermal top for cool mornings in March and November
- A spray jacket if you have one
- River sandals with a heel strap, or old trainers you do not mind getting wet. Flip-flops come off in rapids
- Dry shoes or sandals for camp
- A dry change of clothes and something warm for the evening
- A light sleeping bag or liner. Ask us if you need one
- A headtorch
- A small towel that dries quickly
- Any medicine you take routinely, in a waterproof bag
- Plasters and antiseptic cream for small cuts
- Insect repellent for the evenings
- Biodegradable soap
- A refillable bottle you can clip to the raft
- Purification tablets as a backup
- A waterproof camera, or a phone in a waterproof pouch, on a lanyard
- A power bank. There are no charging facilities
- A photocopy of your passport. Leave the original at your hotel in Pokhara
- Travel insurance details, naming whitewater rafting
- A little cash for drinks and tips, in the dry bag
Accommodation
2 nights, and where
| Where | Nights | Type | Room | Bathroom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beach camp below Modi Beni | 1 | Tent on a riverside beach | Two-person tent, shared, with a foam mat | None. A toilet tent at camp, and the river to wash in |
| Beach camp at Purti Ghat | 1 | Tent on a riverside beach | Two-person tent, shared, with a foam mat | None. A toilet tent at camp, and the river to wash in |
- Beach camp below Modi Beni
- Nights
- 1
- Type
- Tent on a riverside beach
- Room
- Two-person tent, shared, with a foam mat
- Bathroom
- None. A toilet tent at camp, and the river to wash in
- Beach camp at Purti Ghat
- Nights
- 1
- Type
- Tent on a riverside beach
- Room
- Two-person tent, shared, with a foam mat
- Bathroom
- None. A toilet tent at camp, and the river to wash in
Heat, hot water, power and signal
- Tents
- Two people to a tent, with a foam mat each. The crew sets up the tents while you swim.
- Toilet
- A toilet tent at each camp, set back from the water. Nothing is left on the beach when we go.
- Washing
- In the river, with biodegradable soap. There is no shower until you are back in Pokhara.
- Charging
- No charging facilities. Bring a power bank and keep your phone in the dry bag.
- Phone signal
- Patchy in the gorge and often unavailable at camp. Let people know you will be out of contact for two days.
- Water
- Boiled or filtered water from the kitchen for refilling your bottle. Do not drink river water.
- Campfire
- Most evenings, with driftwood from the beach.
- Safety kit
- Helmet, life jacket, paddle and dry bag provided, with a first aid kit and a safety kayaker on every trip.
Meals
Lunch
On a beach: bread, salad, tinned fish, cheese, vegetables, fruit and biscuits
Tea
Tea, coffee, biscuits and popcorn while the tents are set up
Dinner
Soup to start, then dal bhat, pasta or curry, and a pudding, cooked over the stove at camp
If you eat differently
- Vegetarian
- Straightforward. Most of the food the crew cooks is already vegetarian.
- Vegan
- Manageable with notice. The food is bought in Pokhara before we leave, so tell us when you book.
- Gluten free
- Rice, dal, potatoes, eggs and vegetables are safe. Tell us in advance so we pack enough of them.
- Allergies
- Tell us at booking. Once on the river we are several hours from a hospital, so bring any medication you need, including an adrenaline pen if prescribed.
A typical day
6:30Tea served at your tent
7:00Breakfast on the beach
8:00Pack your dry bag and take down the tent while the crew loads the rafts
8:30Safety briefing, then on the water
12:00One-hour lunch stop on a beach
13:00Two to three more hours on the river
15:30Arrive at camp for tea, with time for a swim if you wish
19:00Dinner, and a campfire if there is driftwood
21:00Bedtime. It is dark by seven, and most people are tired after the day
Difficulty and preparation
Physically moderate, but demanding on the water. You need to be able to swim and be willing to end up in the river.
- Three to five hours of paddling a day, under instruction from the guide, who steers.
- Class III and IV rapids on the first two days. Most people fall in at least once, and the safety kayaker picks you up.
- No rafting experience is needed, but you must be a confident swimmer.
- Two nights camping on beaches, with a toilet tent and the river to wash in.
- About three to three and a half hours by road from Pokhara to the put-in at Maldhunga, and a similar drive back.
Getting ready, week by week
Written for somebody who walks a bit and does not train. If you already run or cycle regularly, start partway through. Nothing here needs a gym.
- Trek
8 weeks before, stage 1 of 4
Swimming
Swim twice a week in a pool. Aim to swim 200 m without stopping and to float calmly on your back. Being relaxed in the water matters more than speed, because a swim in a Class IV rapid is short and disorientating.
Weather by month
Typical conditions on this route in each month, including the months we do not run this trip.
- Best
- Good
- Hard
- We do not run it
October
Best- Daytime on the river
- +29°C
- Night at camp
- +18°C
- The water
- +16°C
The most popular month. High, clear water, the rapids at their best, and settled weather.
Approximate air temperatures from Department of Hydrology and Meteorology records for the Pokhara and Kusma area. Water temperatures are rough guides; the river is snow-fed and runs colder after rain in the hills.
Booking and payment
How to book
Email us or send a message on WhatsApp, and tell us roughly when you would like to travel. You will receive a personal reply from someone who has been on this trip. Nothing is payable at this stage, and there is no obligation until you pay a deposit.
Deposit
A deposit of 30 per cent holds your dates, and the balance is paid when you arrive in Kathmandu, in cash or by card. At the same time, we ask for a copy of your passport, your insurance certificate and any dietary or medical information.
Payment
You can pay by bank transfer, or by card through a secure link. Card payments carry the bank's fee of about 4 per cent, which we show you before you pay. The balance in Kathmandu can be paid in US dollars, pounds, euros or Nepali rupees.
Cancellation
If you cancel more than 30 days before departure, the deposit can be transferred to any other date or trip we run, with no time limit. Within 30 days of departure the deposit is retained, because the permits, flights and crew are booked by then. If we cancel for any reason other than weather, you receive a full refund.
Private and group departures
Both cost the same for a party of five or more. A private departure runs on your dates at your pace and can be arranged for one person. A group departure runs on the dates in the table above. Most travellers book privately, at no extra cost.
Late bookings
We need at least five days' notice, or two weeks in late October. No permit is required, so the only constraint is filling a raft, since a raft of four costs less per person than a raft of two.
Reviews
Exceptional5.0 out of 5Reviews from Tripadvisor
- 5836
- 426
- 32
- 23
- 11
Muktinath Trip with Earthbound Expedition
September 2025, Tripadvisor
Having completed out visits to 105 of the 106 Divya Desams, the Vishnu temples glorified by the 12 Alwars, we were looking forward to visiting the only one left, Muktinath, located outside India. Situated in the mountains of Nepal, visiting Muktinath could present geographical as well as physical challenges such as difficult roads often throwing unpredictable landslides to altitude sickness one has to acclimatize with, not to mention the unpredictable weather. As we were wondering how to deal with the challenges and fulfill spiritual yearning, the name of Earthbound Expedition Nepal was highly recommended by a friend who had used their services. From the moment we contacted Earthbound, they were very responsive. Mr Rajan Simkhada, the President of the organization clearly outlined a schedule and assigned a tour guide to accompany us through the entire trip. We were assigned nice hotels with excellent food services; cab services were arranged wherever we visited. The tour guide, Rajan Prasad was very knowledgeable which made our trip extremely enjoyable. He was even prepared adequately with medication when we encountered breathing problem due to altitude sickness and also arranged the doley service to get us to the temple. The cab drivers they arranged were very pleasant and cooperative and extremely skilled in negotiating the narrow, winding and often unpaved roads snaking around the mountains. With all these help and the well worked out itinerary, everything worked like a well oiled engine; we completed successfully not only the trip to Muktinath but also sightseeing one of the most beautiful countries in world that Nature has blessed with. Overall, we had an outstanding experience with Earthbound Expedition.
Sowmian RRead on Tripadvisor
Earthbound Expeditions delivers 5 star service for trekking and cultural exploration
November 2025, Tripadvisor
I worked wth Earthbound Expeditions on a custom package in Nepal and Bhutan for a small group from the Appalachian Mountain Club Adventure Travel program. They are, in a word, excellent. Rajan, its President, seems to know EVERYBODY along the way. He helped us create an amazing custom package and managed the complex logistics without flaw. He chose excursions, accommodations, and culinary experiences each over the moon in their atmosphere and quality. He was able to understand the type of group we were bringing and adapt each piece to delight them. AND, he delivered at every level of operations. When I became unable to continue our trip due to a respiratory infection, he lined up care at a private hospital and an extended stay after my release at a Pokhara resort (Bar Peepal) where I could rest and recover while my medically assisted transportation back to the US was set in place by my travel insurance. Alongside the other AMC leader of our trip, they managed to complete the tour to the utter delight and satisfaction of each of our 14 participants. If you are planning a trip of any sort to Nepal, Bhutan, and the surrounding area, you really MUST check out Earthbound Expeditions!
Janis SRead on Tripadvisor
Fabulous Nepalese Adventure!
November 2025, Tripadvisor
I went on a 14 day group adventure through Nepal led by Rajan the owner of Earthbound Expeditions. The experience far exceeded my already high expectations. Rajan went above and beyond to make sure we had the perfect Nepalese experience. His passion for Nepal and its culture was contagious and I went home with a hunger to learn more. Thank you Rajan and Earthbound Expeditions!
Alyne DRead on Tripadvisor
A Journey of A Lifetime - Mount Kailesh and Mansovar Tibet
October 2025, Tripadvisor
A Journey of a Lifetime – Mount Kailash & Mansarovar Yatra. I recently completed the Mount Kailash and Mansarovar Yatra, and I can confidently say it was a phenomenal experience with no stone left unturned. Every detail was meticulously planned, and the execution was flawless from start to finish. The energy throughout the journey was truly transformational. Our leader Badri Gajurel was a powerhouse of positivity and strength, constantly uplifting the group and keeping our spirits high even in the most challenging moments. His passion and dedication was contagious, creating a momentum that carried us through the entire pilgrimage with grace and enthusiasm. From the sacred serenity of Mansarovar to the awe-inspiring presence of Mount Kailash, every moment was infused with spiritual depth and emotional resonance. The support, care, and camaraderie among the group and the supporting team of Earthbound Expedition made this not just a trip, but a deeply personal and soul-stirring experience. If you're considering this journey, I wholeheartedly recommend it. It’s not just a travel experience—it’s a spiritual awakening.
Krishna PRead on Tripadvisor
Frequently asked questions
Answers to the 6 questions travellers ask us most often. If your question is not here, contact us and we will answer it.
We grade it Class III to IV. Rest days are built in to help you adjust, and a good level of everyday fitness is enough to enjoy it. Tell us about your experience when you enquire and we will give you an honest assessment of whether the trip suits you.
The best time to go is autumn and spring (September to December, and March to May), when the weather is most settled and the views are clearest. We also run the trip outside these months on request. Ask us and we will tell you what to expect.
Groups are small. Many of our trips run for just one or two people, and we keep group sizes low so that the pace suits you and your guide has time for everyone. You can also book the whole trip privately.
A 30% deposit, about $74 on this trip, holds your place, and the balance is due before you travel. You can change your dates free of charge up to 60 days before departure.
Yes. We arrange all national park fees and trekking permits for this route, and they are included in the price. You need a valid passport and a Nepal entry visa, which you can obtain on arrival.
Every itinerary can be adjusted to suit your dates, your pace and the time you have. If you would like extra rest days, a different start, or to add another region, tell us and we will plan the trip around you.
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3 days
$247 per person
