10-12 days
Grade 3-5

In traditional fashion, dozens of porters carry our gear on a two-day trek into Nepal’s most isolated and least explored area, in western Nepal. Originating from the holy mountain Kailash in Tibet, Nepal’s longest river the Karnali, descends through a series of magnificent gorges, deserted beaches and small villages. Few foreigners have ventured here and it has seen little development. This is more than just a rafting trip - it is an expedition, which our guides tackle with careful logistical planning. At Grade 4 to 5 the river has a huge volume, which bullets down through canyon walls in a series of wild rapids. It is so intense that it can only be tackled at low and medium water. If you want to run it at high water than you are on your own!

If you dare, the rewards are big! The banks of the river are lined with coniferous forest and, along the lower reaches, pristine jungles. River runners have reported sightings of leopard, bears, jackals, mongoose, pythons, crocodiles and even tiger prints around the camp. More elusive than the tiger, are the mysterious Raute people, a seldom seen nomadic tribe of whom little is known and less been written. Some of the top kayakers in the business were quoted as saying it is their unanimous view that this is one of the finest rafting rivers in the world. If you stay a few days at Royal Bardia National Park, then you will have put together one of the world’s best combined rafting and trekking trips.