TRISULI RIVER
GRADE 3-4
1-3 DAYS
The Trisuli is Nepal's most popular rafting river. It has impressive
gorges, moderate white water, some exciting rapids and some easier sections,
all easily accessible from Kathmandu and Pokhara. According to legend, high
in the Himalayas at Gosainkund the god Shiva drove his trident into the ground
to create three springs (the source of the river) and hence its name Trisuli.
The river has carved some truly impressive gorges in its lower part as it cuts
its way through the 2000-metre high Mahabharat range. These gorges are also
the route followed by the main highway from India to Kathmandu. The side
opposite the road is relatively wild and you should see a profusion of colorful
birds, including eagles and vultures. The rapids on the Trisuli are mainly big,
bouncy and relatively safe. “Flips” (where the raft capsizes) and
other accidents are rare in normal water conditions and if you wish it is possible
to walk around the few difficult rapids.
Starting point: Baireni
End point: Gaighat
Avge. gradient: 3m/km
Volume in Nov: 300cms (10,000 cfs)
Best Season: Oct-Dec, Mar-May
Day 1:
We travel to Baireni by bus. From the put-in point a few easy kilometres give you a chance
to get warmed up. The first slightly harder rapid (grade 3+) comes after 5 km. This rapid
was named “Snell's Nose” by Nepalese rafters in honour of Colonel John
Blashford-Snell, who was one of the first to run it and broke his nose in the process.
More mainly grade 2 water takes you 5 km. to a longer and more interesting grade 4- rapid
on the left after a left hand bend. This is known by many as “Monkey Rapid”, no
doubt because of the antics of the rafters after running it – leaping around, grinning
and chattering. The name has nothing to do with the troops of monkeys you will see on the
right bank. A few kilometres downriver we reach a camp site for lunch called “Blue
Heaven”: a purpose-built rafters' put-in, restaurant and campsite. Here there is also
a pedestrian suspension bridge warning of the approach to “Teen Devi” rapid.
Teen Devi used to be a grade 4 and is probably the most difficult rapid on the river. After
another three kilometres you come to the confluence with the River Budi-Gandaki with its
blue water entering on the right. A path opposite winds up the bank to the village of Benighat.
Day 2:
About 6 km. after Benighat the left hand side of the valley is blocked by a high vertical cliff
dropping spectacularly straight into the river. A long rapid follows shortly afterwards on the
right known sometimes as “Twin rocks”. This is a grade 3+ in low water. There are
a couple of raft put-ins on this section between the villages of Charoudi and Majhimtar.
After the rapids known as “Ladies' Delight” (grade 3+ in low water) another 3 km.
through this gorge brings you to two famous rapids. The first of them is known as “Upset”
(grade 4+) and is probably the most photographed rapid on the river. There is always a monstrous
hole and a wave here that seems to dwarf the raft. We should reassure you that, like most big holes,
it's not as fearsome as it appears and most rafts bob out the right way up and with most of their
crew but it's an excellent spot for action photos.
One kilometre after “Upset” and just after a left hand bend is “Surprise”, a
grade 4. There is a popular rafting put-in just below this, close to the small village of Fishling,
and then shortly afterwards the river enters a deep, awesome gorge. The gorge ends after about 2 km.
and the river then curves away from the highway offering a possible campsite on the bend. Two km.
further on you come to the picturesque village of Kuringhat. This village is built on a bluff on the
right with two suspension bridges swooping gracefully over the river to the left bank. The wide
beach on the left has goods vehicle access and is a favorite put-in for the more relaxed raft trip
down to Narayanghat and Chitwan.
Day 3:
After Kuringhat the river again turns away from the road and there is a dramatic landslip several
hundred metres high as the river curves around to the left. The hillside has had its surface stripped
away to reveal the raw white bones of the underlying rocks.
Towards the end of this big bend you will notice some steps cut in the cliff on the right and these go
up to “Brigand's Bend” river camp. Just downstream is an aerial cable car that is the only
other access to the camp. Just after this the river enters a gorge again, warning of another rapid
around the corner called “S” rapid. Two kilometres on and a cable car crosses the river
heralding the approach to Mugling. The town is on the left, some 70 metres above the river.
An elegant new suspension bridge crosses just above the confluence with the River Marsyandi. “Pin
Ball” (grade 4) rapid follows closely after the confluence. This is the last serious rapid on the
river and from here on down it's mainly grade 1-2 with one or two grade 3 rapids in the right conditions.
From here on the river is also more peaceful because the road is high above the river for most of time.
The 15km to the confluence with the Seti Khola has several small rapids – the biggest might be a
grade 3 and is called “Tea Pot” – but most of the time you can just sit back, relax
and enjoy the dramatic canyon. Below the confluence and close to the right bank is “Coffee Pot”
rapid, which has a powerful whirlpool eddy where kayaks get swirled around like coffee grounds in the bottom
of the pot. About 2 km. below the Seti confluence there is a wide beach on the left and the small village of
Gaighat. The road is reasonably close to the river and this provides us with a good take-out point.
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