White water rafting means cruising down a rushing river in an inflatable rubber raft or white water kayak over crashing waves and swirling rapids for the excitement of a lifetime. Nepal has earned a reputation as one of the best destinations in the world for white water rafting. No matter how difficult and unsafe it may sound, rafting can be enjoyed by people of all ages. There are experienced river guides to take you along on an enjoyable ride which is not only white water all the way but also the beautiful scenery around. The adjoining slopes of the rivers often contain dense vegetation and interesting wildlife. Rivers are graded on a scale of one to six - one being a swimming pool while six requires a fair bit of river running experience. Here are some of the popular rafting trips:

The Trisuli River (grade 3+) is one of the most popular, if not the favourite, of Nepal’s raftable rivers. Many choose to incorporate a ride down the Trisuli with either a trip to Pokhara or to the Royal Chitwan National Park.

The Kali Gandaki (4 - 6+) winds through remote canyons and deep gorges for five days of intense rapids among gorgeous wilderness and mountain views.

The Bhote Koshi (4-5) Twenty-six km of continuous white water batters rafters as they shoot through a veritable maze of canyons and boulders.

The raging Marshyangdi (4 - 5) run is four days of uninterrupted white water.

The Karnali River (4 - 5) The first 90 km are spent flying through spectacular landscapes and narrow gorges and down some of the most challenging rapids in the world. For the remaining 90 km, the scenery and wildlife are the main attraction.

The Sun Koshi (4 - 5) run is 270 km and requires 8-10 days to complete with road access only at the beginning and end.