Among many other adventure activities, Rishikesh offers white water rafting, an adventure sport in the Ganges; in the foot of the Himalayas. This is one of the best places in India for rafting having 5 different grades of Rapids ranging from Grade-I to Grade-V. Grade-I is the easiest and Grade-V is the most thrilling and fearsome, requiring skill! If you are an adventure enthusiast, this article is for you.
A rapid is a short but furious stretch of the river with obstacles that cause the boat to travel in a roller-coaster style. The Rapids are classified depending on the level of difficulty required in maneuvering the raft in the roughness of the river flowing vigorously along sharp cuts of rock barriers; and one can choose the grade depending on his/her capability.
Brief Information on River Rafting at Rishikesh
Before I share my own rafting experience, let me give you a point wise gist about White Water Rafting in Rishikesh. This will give you a clear picture of the activity and help you decide if you should go for it.
- Activity Period: September to June every year.
- Timing: 8 AM to 3 PM daily.
- Cost: Rs. 1000/- to Rs. 2500/- depending on the level (As of 2023).
- Duration: 2.5 Hr to 7 Hr depending on the level.
- Age limit: Above 14 years and below 50 years.
- Weight limit: Minimum 35 kg and maximum 100 kg.
- Caution: Participant must be physically fit. And should not have any medical condition like Heart problem, Back or Neck injury, Recent fracture, Dislocation, Blood Pressure, etc.
- Best time: September end to mid-November and March ends to mid of May.
My Rafting Experience
On my trip to Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, I decided to experience the white-water rafting. It is called white water rafting because as the raft plunges in the rough water and the rapids, the water appears white.
It was a sunny morning of early November and I, accompanied by a friend of mine booked for a Grade-III rafting, which costs us around Rs. 1000/- per person. We were taken to Shivpuri from where the raft would begin its expedition which would end in Rishikesh, near Lakshman Jhula, covering a distance of around 16 kms in approximately 3.5 hours. The names of the major rapids in this grade are Roller Coaster, Return to Sender, Double Trouble and Golf Course. However, I have no idea how these rapids got their names!
Preparing the Raft
We inflated our raft with a manual hand pump. It was a laborious task and took us around 30 minutes for its complete setup. The raft had 6 chambers, and each had to be inflated separately from different nozzles. We then carried the raft supported on our shoulders to the river. Struggling by its weight we splashed it on the water by pushing it through the pebbles.
After putting on our life jackets and head gear we were ready to sail. The raft can accommodate 6 persons and we had other companies. Our raft guide Govind was a jolly guy and he proudly claimed that he had 10 years of experience in this field!
Sailing through the River
The sky was clear with the sun bestowing tender November warmth. Surrounded by the foothills of the mighty Himalayas, the sacred Ganges was flowing majestically. Guided by Govind we were stroking our oars in a circular motion pushing the water behind. The raft was moving forward hurriedly but steadily with water spattering the raft.
The Thrill of Rapids
We were avidly oaring though the river, and at the same time I was trying to capture some snaps in my camera, when Govind warned us that a rapid was approaching. We hold our oars tightly and became more cautious and excited than before. As we encountered the rapid, it gave me the impression of a roller coaster ride with steep slopes and dramatic up and down movements. Our raft almost turned upside down with water swashing all around, however it didn’t. The violent jerks stimulated our moods, and the real amusement had just begun! The rapid was rightly named as ‘Roller Coaster’. Few more rapids were still waiting to engulf us!
Body Surfing
After the rapid, Govind gave another thrilling option called Body Surfing where we can jump out of the raft and surf along the flowing river! We were assured that the life jacket will keep us floating and that we will be harnessed to the raft. I did not resist myself from experiencing the activity and without much thought I plunged into the sacred Ganges. The raft was slowed down a bit during this activity, but the flow of the river was intense. I was swimming along with the raft supported by the life jacket and the harness. Swimming in the middle of the great Ganges was indeed worth it, but I had to sacrifice my brand-new sunglasses into the river which I forgot to take off before the jump! Poor me!
Cliff Jumping
The raft stopped mid-way for refreshments and snacks where another adventure called Cliff Jumping welcomed us. It was another sport where the endeavour was to jump from a 40 feet high cliff into the river, with life jackets on. I opted for the jump. I was made to stand at the edge of the cliff and suddenly a guy pushed me from behind without warning and I found myself falling down and my weight sank me deep into the river. Breathless for a moment, struggling through the water, the life jacket finally pulled me up and I breathed. It was indeed a stimulating pursuit but it’s better to go for it if you can swim.
More Rapids
Our raft continued its journey passing through other rapids, bouncing vehemently at times and again stabilizing. Each time our raft passed over a rapid all the crews became more zestful and shouted with excitement. At times some other rafts crossed us, and we wave at them enthusiastically.
The End
We rafted through the majestic Ganges for around 3.5 hours. Parallel to the thrill, I admired the scenic beauty of the route. The raft was sailing smoothly now. I saw the suspension bridge “Lakshman Jhula” at a distance and our journey was about to end.
The entire experience was extremely enchanting! The activity gave me a wonderful experience and a very pleasing memory. It you are seeking for an adventure and happen to be somewhere where you have the option of river rafting; just say YES!
For more adventurous stories do check out my Skydiving and Trekking blogs below: