Trip overview
Sunkoshi River Rafting is one of the ten best white water rafting trips in the world. Big rapids, warm water beautiful scenery and most camping make this a classic multi-day river trip. Sunkoshi River Rafting is Great trip for intermediate and advanced kayakers in Nepal. At its best in medium to high flows.
The river rises near the Tibet and is joined by the Bhote Koshi just downstream from Barabise.
The sun koshi flows eastwards in Nepal through the great valley between the Mahabharat Lekh Mountains and the Himalaya. It form the watershed for most of eastern Nepal and gathering strength from tributaries draining. The highest mountains in the world it emerges onto the northern plains of India where it joins the Ganges.
The volume increases considerably with the flow from these tributaries. In November, the flow at Dolalghat is about 100 cfs., which is approx. 11,00 cfs.; lower down the river, through the big rapids of the ‘Jungle corridor’ it would be about 400 cubes which is approx. 11,000 cfs- a typical low flow on the Grand canyon of the Colorado. At the lake –out at Chatara , the flow is a mighty 800 cfs.-still only a fraction of monsoon levels.
Most raft groups at present start at Dolalhat, and from here the first few days are relatively easy and are a relaxed warm –up for the rapids below. Most major rapids are pool/drop with huge bouncy pressure waves near the bottom-similar to the rapids of the Grand Canyon of the Colorado. Days of running big rapids and floating through lush green countryside make this a truly memorable river experience.
River flows vary immensely – from the huge post-monsoon run-off in late September down to low winter flows in January and February, rising again in May with snow melt and per-monsoon rains. With the right group and experience it is possible to raft in high water conditions post –monsoon in September or in May. At this time the river the river is high and wild and certainly not for the faint-heated.
