White Water Rafting in Rishikesh
July 8, 2008
Cleansing your soul, learning yoga Asanas, inhaling mountain, fresh air are just some of the essentials needed for a perfect holiday. Rishikesh is a well-known pilgrimage centre but it is also a haunt for adventure seekers. The melting snow from the Himalayas passes through this city providing the optimum current required for rafting.
According to Hinduism, Goddess Ganga descends to cleanse our souls flowing from the Jata (Hair Locks) of Lord Shiva, who resides in the Himalayas. A dip in this sacred water washes all the sins and provides liberation to the departed souls.
The water flows down with such great speed that it looks white. The chilled water also reminds you of global warming. Inspite of the river and its tributaries getting polluted in various cities like Haridwar and Varanasi, you will still find the water here very clear and clean.
Rishikesh is the best place for adventure sports in India. Rafting is also available in Manali, Himachal Pradesh but that doesn’t have the current or the rapids like here. This sport is seasonal and usually opens after the monsoon, somewhere in the month of October and ends around March. These areas receive a lot of rainfall so it is best to inquire when the rafting season begins.
I was fortunate when I visited in October as the water levels were recorded the highest compared to the previous years. During this season, you do not have to book in advance as several operators offer this service. There are several packages depending on how brave you are. You can try 10 km, 15 km and so on. I am a daredevil so I took up the entire stretch of 32 km. There are kayaking options available as well.
I chose the Garhwal Himalayan Explorations to handle my rafting expedition. They were thoroughly professional and well-equipped to handle any emergencies. I was impatient for the expedition to begin but that didn’t change until the induction on safety was completed. The trainer covered every aspect of how to handle oneself, remain calm and maintain discipline so that safety of others was not compromised. Further instructions included steps on how to rescue one another and techniques to hold on if anyone fell into the water. This took around forty-five minutes.
The trainer who was handling my raft was a no-nonsense guy and didn’t like any jokes and laughter until he was sure everyone understood the possible dangers of rafting and not think of this activity as all fun and games outing.
There were twelve people in a raft along with the trainer. Each of us were given lifejacket and helmet. He checked every individual’s jacket and allotted where each one should sit. After understanding the commands, we finally set off. The full day rafting event started from Marine Drive to Munni Ki Reti, while other smaller routes are from Shivpuri to Munni Ki Reti and Brahmapuri to Munni Ki Reti.
Once I was in the raft, paddling and feeling the water gurgling around was magical. I felt in touch with my inner self, the surroundings and the higher beings.
The calm water suddenly got bumpy and the trainer yelled out commands how to steer the raft. People seated on the left had their set of instructions and the right ones theirs. As this was our first rapid, all of us were nervous and uncoordinated. This caused the raft to spin.
“Together,” yelled the trainer.
The cold burst of water, the attacking current was enough to panic even the trained swimmers. I had never imagined the calm water would have such a raging side. We managed finally and yelled out in ecstasy after we passed it. Each rapid had a name like roller coaster, butterfly and so on. The names befitted them appropriately as they behaved just like that.
My adrenalin rush was at its peak. It made my determination stronger as I took on every rapid with all my strength. Years of weight-training and building stamina were challenged to the maximum here. It was not all about physical ability but also the determination of the mind to see danger a few seconds ahead and yet have the steadfastness not to deter and surpass it.
If one member gave up, there were chances that the raft would capsize. But that was also a challenge on how to manage yourself and your fellow travelers safely.
White water rafting in Rishikesh is once in a lifetime experience and tourists from all over the world come to be a part of it. So buckle up, enjoy the nature and be a part of its wildness.
©Nayna, 2007-2008. All Rights Reserved.
Related Post: The Safe Way To Enjoy Adventure Sports
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6 Responses to “White Water Rafting in Rishikesh”
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How much did the rafting cost? Am going there in a couple of weeks and will be helpful.
Hi Manoj,
Thanks for writing in. The rates depend on the kms that you plan to cover. There are several packages that you can choose from. Have a good trip.
Thanks Nayna! Yep…am looking forward to it….missed doing rafting the prev two times i visited rishikesh…so making this an exclusive!
dear sir,I liked the site,I am somewhat interested in ecology,and have written few blogs on it on my site,Maybe I will visit your place someday.thank you
Very very exciting write-up… I just came back from Rishikesh and I am missing it already… I am running one of the camps over there. =) although I was born and raised in new delhi I LOVE RISHIKESH!