04.27.07
White-water down the Bhotekoshi
by Surendra Phuyal
Raging yet serene rivers gushing down the Himalayan slopes. Changing landscapes: every thing from deep yet mystic mountain gorges and canyons, to colorful and vibrant and lively ethnic settlements, terraced fields and vegetations, and head-on collisions/interactions with the topography and geology of the world’s highest (and deepest as in Kali Gandaki) region.
Nepal has over 4,000 rivers and rivulets, raging down her gorges and valleys and the flat plains down south.
And a few dozen amongst them are considered more-than-suitable for white-water rafting, kayaking and other related outdoor activities such as sidewalks to explore nature and culture, canyoning and rock-climbing. The government has opened over a dozen Himalayan rivers for white-water rafting and kayaking. The most popular amongst them are the Trishuli, the Bhote Koshi, the Kali Gandaki, the Karnali, the Tamor, the Seti and Marshyangdi.
A British Army officer Col. John Blasford, ODE, is believed to have led the first white-water rafting expedition in Nepal in 1976. 
Hundreds of thousands have experienced the adrenaline rush and fun of rafting and kayaking on a range of rivers across the length and breadth of Nepal ever since. For real class-five adventure seekers, the Karnali, the Marshyangdi, the Kali Gandaki and the Marshyangdi offer tremendous opportunities.
Having said that one shouldn’t underestimate the Bhote Koshi, northeast of Kathmandu Valley.
On a recent weekend afternoon, our team of about 32 raft-paddlers and a dozen kayakers “ needless to say the world class Nepali river guides, Kathmandu-based expatriates and tourists and local white-water aficionados like myself amongst them “ started off from Borderlands Resort, north of Barhabishe Bazaar in Sindhupalchok, nearly 100 kilometers northeast of the bustling city of Kathmandu.
General safety orientation by our world class Nepali river guides prepared us for the adventure. And following the raging Bhote Koshi currents, with lots of rock hazards and obstacles, we flowed past amazing wonders of the mountains. The sceneries that we enjoyed while flowing in calmer sections were simply stunning. At one point, we saw honey-bee hives on a steep rock face above us that were impossible to hunt even by Sindhupalchok’s most skilled local honey-hunters. And seasonal bamboo bridges created by the local indigenous engineers and interesting human settlements and activities as we sailed past the villages and towns like Barhabishe and Balefi added species to our fun.
All the rapids looked just fine, except that some were really scary. The dreaded ‘Great Wall’ rapid stopped us all and our guides made us to get off the boats so that they could cruise over that on their own. “It’s a technical one Sir,” the great river guide told us. “We will need to struggle with the water and the rock to get our rafts out the narrow but massive flow of white water.” Later, as we saw it, two guides really struggled for nearly 15 minutes to get the raft flowing again. Soon we got on the rafts again, only to be surprised by similar rapids. It was such a good thrill, scary at times, but loads of fun! Thanks god we were all safe in the end!
Minus the growing pollution by the towns of Barhabishe, Balefi etc, Bhote Koshi still looks pristine. “It continues to remain one of Nepal’s world class rivers so close to the capital city,” says Megh Ale, the president of Nepal River Conservation Trust, a non-profit organization dedicated to conserving Nepal’s pristine rivers.
“Another problem is: the dams that the planners are planning without enough homework, proper environment impact assessment and stakeholder participation.”
If rivers like the Bhote Koshi are conserved, experts say, Nepal “ already the Mecca for white-water thrills “ has the potential to attract more and more adventure-seekers from around the world.
All that for several centuries “ and generations “ to come.
Pics by Surendra Phuyal [surendra.phuyal(at)gmail.com]
and Rajesh KC
Iceland said,
June 29, 2007 at 3:36 pm
I´V NO WORD´S,FELT LIKE AN DREAMED.ONCE I USED TO BE THERE PLAYING KAYA EVERY SINGLE DAY.BUT THE TIME HAS BLOWEN ME AWAY SO FAR THAT I CAN´T EMAGINE………..!SO THNAK YOU,
HAVE A GREAT LIFE
JANAK K. NIRAULA
Bishnu lama Baghdad Iraq said,
July 1, 2007 at 3:56 pm
It is really great & looks beautiful
kritanjali plano, TX said,
July 3, 2007 at 1:37 am
the pictures are awesome i feel like i am travelling the way out of kathmandu…….. the picture will really enhance the tourism industry of Nepal…..
Mausam Khanal/Kathmandu, Nepal said,
July 13, 2007 at 12:18 pm
Surendra dai,
very very nice photographs of whitewater rafting.
next time also we will there in bhotekoshi
Mausam
Achyut Dahal/Kathmandu, Nepal said,
July 17, 2007 at 1:21 pm
Dear Surendra Dai
The pictures are so beautiful. Thank you for your photo coverage in Bhotekoshi River Rafting(white water rafting).
Achyut Dahal
Coordiantor
Nepal River Conservation Trust
Kevin KTM said,
July 20, 2007 at 1:26 am
LOVELY PICTURES !!
Keep Up the good work guyz !!
shobha ram (mathura) india said,
August 8, 2007 at 6:50 pm
hello
deffinaitly
very good picture
nepal pyaro cha
Rudra Bhandari, Shantinagar-1, Burney, jhapa, Nepal said,
August 23, 2007 at 9:16 pm
Thanks for nice pictures. my Nepal my Pride.
Shrijana/ nepal said,
August 29, 2007 at 6:07 pm
wow!!!!!!!~~~~~~!!!!!!!!!! , owesome what a photo of nepal? amazing photo good job keep it up
kamal lama ,,,,, Nuwakot said,
September 2, 2007 at 5:58 am
KAMAL LAMA FROM NUWAKOT
NAMASTE ALL THE GORKHE,S & ADVENTURE LOVER
LET,S JOIN WITH HIMALAYAN COUNTRY
WE HAVE TO APPRICIATE FOR YOUR PHOTO THOSE ARE REALLY BEAUTIFULL. THIS IS ONE OF THE RAFT GUIDE.THANK YOU ONCE A AGAIN YOU DOING GOOD JUB.IT CAN HELP FOR THE TOURISM PORMOTATION.I AM THERE WITH WHITE HELMET.
HAVE A GOOD ONE………………
Bishal Bhakta Upadhayaya/Lalitpur said,
September 3, 2007 at 5:39 pm
Nepal’s beauty attract all over the world’s visitor.Badhai cha ramro photo click gareko ma,Good job & best of luck.
Ramesh said,
September 5, 2007 at 8:44 pm
VERY GOOD FOR THIS SECTOR
padma/jakarta said,
September 17, 2007 at 2:59 pm
great pics to promote tourism in Nepal
pradeep tamang malaysia kaulampure said,
October 19, 2007 at 3:05 pm
First of all I would like to thanks to Photographer, Phalano.com and welcome to all tourist in Nepal because of like this wonderful picture of Himayan country and Rivers of Nepal is really great, beauti full scene. It makes us very happy and also popular in all over the world knows Nepal is the best. I love very much our Nepal.
Thank you very much once again.
pradeep tamng
malaysia kaulampure
From:-
Resham Bdr.Tamang, Yamunadanda VDC-8, Sindhupalchok
Now in France (Cannes)
Surendra said,
October 26, 2007 at 4:40 pm
I will be coming there for WWR…being a Nepalese i never been to those places. But i have some experience and have done in Canada.
ram sharan suyal canada edmonton nepal said,
October 27, 2007 at 6:47 am
thank you
great prictures beautiful nepal . thank you so much for sharing keep up
Kesab Bastola/Louisiana said,
November 15, 2007 at 6:23 am
Very nice pictures of beautiful white water rafting.
Thank you for posting these wonderful pictures
L.K.Timsina/ Arunachal/India said,
November 15, 2007 at 9:57 am
Iam enthralled by ecstacy of Bhotekoshi.Bravo.
kritam said,
November 22, 2007 at 7:51 pm
NEPAL RIVER IS BATTER QATAR SEA
subash ,sweden said,
November 23, 2007 at 3:45 pm
nepal is one of best play ground for who loves adventure life . Nepal has many rivers but just few rivers are only open for commercials rafting and nepal is best place for rafting and kayaking who likes do multiday trips and play in different grade of rapid,different volume of water and best nature.
no doubt ín these thing but government policy is so bad they are making so much dam without any survey and research.
bhotekosi is one of river which we are going to loose soon cz of govenment’s bad decision. so we have to save nature and our play ground.we have to stop making dam without any research about beauty , nature n tourism.
Rajendra Bhattarai said,
November 25, 2007 at 6:47 am
HI ,THAX FOR ATTACHING THE PHOTO OF NATURA BEAUTY OF NEPAL.FROM AUSTALIA
Anita,usa, said,
December 9, 2007 at 7:14 am
o my god .it is relly cool picture.
Ultimate Descent river (guides) boys (Thamel) said,
February 5, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Real thing …. we flash the water in the bhote kosi river and water flash us every days. some time local khoyako birko flash us too. To se picturs in internet is flash much better saila.
Saurav\ktm said,
March 14, 2008 at 1:53 pm
i have been there and i know how fun we have in there and those pic reminds me same as i have seen and i slaute to photographer and the moments of the joy
Krishna Thapa Pacific Ocean said,
March 21, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Nice, white co2 of bhote koshi………..since…..missing them alot. have a fun down the BHOTE KOSHI.
Krishna
Jaya ram Adhikari... russia said,
April 19, 2008 at 9:56 am
Beautiful Nepal Really great …..
dhruba acharya new delhi said,
July 29, 2008 at 3:06 pm
brautiful, try others……..