Bhotekoshi River Rafting
A beautiful steep mountain river only a few hours drive from Kathmandu offering two days of intense and challenging activity.
The River
"Bhote" roughly translates as "river from Tibet" so there are quite a lot of rivers with this name in Nepal. This Bhote kosi is the main branch of the sun Kosi and it has been descended by kayak from near the Tibetan border at Kodari. The Arniko Highway follows the river from Kathamandu to Lhasa, so access and souting are relatively easy. The upper valley above Barabise is impressively narrow with steep hill sides shooting up over 200m from the river, and there are come dramatic and scenic gorges down at river lever. Just to drive up the highway and look at the river is like reading an erotic novel- it quickens the blood and excites the mind!
Technically, the Bhote kosi ends just after Barabise where the Sun Kosi joins as a stream from the left: we have taken our description down to the dam at lamosangu, as this is the usual run. There is a new hydro scheme near Kodari and proposals for other schemes that if implemented at some time in the future, will mean that almost all of the river will be diverted.
Rafting
The Bhote Kosi is probably the most exciting short rafting trip in Nepal and has area variously described as:
"Like a pin-ball machine-and you're the ball"
"Like being flushed down an open air toilet".
This isn’t the raft trip for everyone, but if you're into fun, challenge, intense physical activity, and non-stop action then this could be you. It makes a great dimax for any team who have just finished a longer multi-day raft trip and want to continue the adrenaline high that white water induces.
- Difficulty in Nov :
- 4(5)
- From :
- Borderland Resort (Alt. 1020m)
- To :
- The Dam (Alt. 760m)
- Grade :
- 1-2
- Distance :
- 17 km
- Days :
- 1-2
- From Pokhara :
- 5 hours
- Av. Gradient :
- 16m/km (80 ft a mile)
- Volume in Nov :
- 40 cms (1200cfs)
- Best Season :
- Oct-Nov, Mar-may
- Day 1
- We start our journey from Kathmandu by private bus towards the tibetan border. We make a short tea stop at Dolalghat and continue on two hours puti in point for a early lonch. Then the guides will brief you on the safety aspects of the trip and its time to see what you are made of! We jump straight into grade 4 rapids like Gerbil in the plumbing and Frog in the Blender. By afternoon you will be wide eyed and exhilarated. To finish the day off we have Carnal Knowledge of a Deviant Nature, a huge rock slalom with a 2 meter drop into a hole and a pool! where your mates sit laughing. We exit and the bus drives us back up stream to our campsite.
- Day 2
- Wake up to the sound of the roaring river and a choice of a hot or cold breakfast. Today we thrill and spill our way down numerous drops and eddies. bump around boulders, occasionally getting stuck on them. Then we enter a narrow canyon and on to the Midnight Special, a gun barrel of a rapid which slams you up against a wall. Next we have The Great Wall, Liquid Bliss and the long, hard class 4 plus rapid Jhon Holmes.
