Sun Koshi River Rafting

Sun Koshi River Rafting is one of the ten best rafting trips in the world. Sun Kosi White Water Rafting / Kayaking offers big rapids, warm water, no road or towns, beautiful scenery, and great camping make this a class multi-day river trip. Sunkoshi River Rafting is an excellent trip for intermediate and advanced Kayakers. Rafters should be reasonably fit and comfortable on big water rafting in Sun Koshi River.

Sun Koshi means ‘River of Gold‘ – perhaps named after the gold that is sometimes panned from the river gravels, or alternatively it refers to the orange color of the water in the monsoon when it is thick with alluvial silt. The river rises near Tibet and is joined by the Bhotekoshi just downstream from Barabise. Most rafting trips start at Dolalghat for this Multi-Day White Water Rafting in the Sunkoshi River. And for a short rafting day trip, Sukute Beach Rafting package is also available which starts from a couple of KM ahead of Dolalghat.

The Sunkoshi river flows eastwards in Nepal through the great valley between the Mahabharat Lekh mountains and the Himalayas. It forms 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 Gangas.

Sunkoshi River Rafting Starting Point Dolalghat
Sun Koshi River Rafting Ending Point Chatara and Kathmandu
Total Rafting Distance 270 KM
River Days 9 Days
Rafting River Grade III TO V+
Best Seasons October, November, March, April, and May
Accommodation Camping
Meals Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

The volume increases considerably with the flow from these tributaries. In November, the flow at Dolalghat is about 100 cumecs; lower down the river, through the big rapids of the Jungle Corridor’, it would be about 400 cumecs which are approx. 11,000 cfs – a typical low flow on the Grand Canyon of Colorado. At the take-out, at Chatara, the flow is a mighty major river of the World.

This is a large volume pool/drop river. Most of the major rapids are formed by monsoon debris brought in by side streams, and loose rockfall. These rapids change from year to year depending on the severity of the monsoon. A large monsoon in 1984 washed away Hakapur 3, which at the time was the hardest rapid, and created Meatgrinder and several new rapids.

From the put-in at Dolalghat to the take-out at Chatara, 272 km later, there are no roads or towns, just the occasional picturesque village and friendly shouts of ‘Namaste’ from the bank – this is unspoiled, rural Nepal at its best. All along the river are beautiful white sandy beaches for camping and the lower section of the river is heavily forested with troops of monkeys and an abundance of birdlife.

Sun Kosi River Rafting

Highlights of Sun Koshi River Rafting 

  • Beautiful Beach Camping
  • Numerous high Rapids of the Sun Koshi River
  • Rafting through jungle, villages, and waterfalls
  • Long Rafting of 270 KM for 8 days
  • Hindus temple on the way of rafting
  • Rafting from the nearby Tibetian border and ends on the nearby Indian border.
  • Enjoying the remoteness of Nepal

Detail Itinerary of Sun Koshi River Rafting 

Day 1: Kathmandu – Dolalghat and Rafting to Pachuwarghat 

Today is our first day of SunKoshi River rafting so we will leave Kathmandu early and drive towards Dolalghat which is approx 2 hours drive from Kathmandu and 60 KM in distance. Our camping team is ready there to serve breakfast on the beach of the river. Our rafting guide will offer some major safety instructions, uses of rafting equipment, and sings once the breakfast is over. 

Dolalghat is the point where two major rivers Indrawoti and Bhotekoshi meet and the river Sunkoshi forms. Today’s rafting will be easy and smooth rafting with some Class III rapids which assist us to get prepared for more major and numerous rapids on the way for the next couple of days. We will prepare our camp on Pachuwarghat beach which is an excellent place to enjoy the night. 

The night will be spent with a campfire, exchanging conversation with each other and sharing stories or jokes or even might be a song and dance in the dark night. This will be followed by dinner and overnight in the tent. 

Meal Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner 

Day 2: Rafting from Pachuwarghat to Chainpur

Today is our second day of Sun Koshi River Rafting which starts with morning breakfast in the camp. Spend some time with the team on the bank of the river with fun and yoga. Then we will start our second day of Sunkoshi rafting which will be welcomed with numerous Class II and III rapids. 

We will pass through different villages, Hindu temples on this rafting route. And today, we will spend a night in Jhagare where camping gears are deployed and installed. Enjoy the night with fun followed by dinner. 

Meal Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner 

Day 3: Rafting from Chainpur to Jhagare

Another beautiful day for Sunkoshi Rafting, we will start our day with breakfast and start our rafting in Sunkoshi. After rafting for a couple of hours, we will see the Tamakoshi River joining Sun Koshi which makes the river a large and large volume of water for rafting. We will experience numerous river rapids like Meat Grinder (Class IV-), Judy (Class III), Pre-anxiety (Class III), Punch (Class IV-), and High-anxiety (Class IV-) today. 

Today is a nice day in terms of rafting and white water river rafting for rafters. The evening rafting goes smoothly and easily before camping. We will set up a camp in Jhagare where we will spend a night. Enjoy another night on the bank of the river. 

Meal Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner 

Day 4: Rafting from Jhagar to Raighat

Wake up with sunrise on the bank of the river in Jhagar. Today is our major day in terms of world-famous rapid and adventure. We will have our breakfast in the camp and start our day four Sun Koshi river rafting. After rafting for a few hours, we will reach the major rapid of this trip: Harkapur I and II (Class V-) rapids

After passing these rapids, the Sun Koshi River joins another big river Dudhkoshi. Joining these two rivers, the Sun Koshi river becomes enormous with a large water volume. We will spend a night today in Raighat. Another beautiful night in the back of Raighat with fun and relaxation. 

Meal Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner 

Day 5: Rafting from Raighat to Rasuwaghat 

Another beautiful morning with some excitement and expectation. Today will pass through Jaws Rapids ( Class IV-), Dead Man Eddy, and Rhino Rock ( Class IV). Rhino Rock is today’s extreme adventure highlight of this rafting. Besides these major rapids, the day followed with other small rapids during this Sun Koshi River Rafting. 

Spent a night in Rasuwaghat after this big day of rafting. We will set up a camp on the bank of Sun Koshi River for today’s night. Campfires, Singing, Dancing, and conversation are always part of this trip after rafting. 

Meal Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner 

Day 6: Rafting from Rasuwaghat to Waterfall

Start our day with an early breakfast for today’s adventure. We will pass through the Jungle corridor where the river goes narrow which is full of rapid. We can enjoy the numerous waterfalls on this rafting trip where we stop to enjoy the waterfall. We also prepare our lunch near the waterfall and enjoy lunch and again start rafting in the Sun Koshi River. 

After rafting for a couple of hours, we will set up our camp on the bank of a river near the waterfall. Enjoy the beautiful night in nature where you can get lost. 

Meal Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner 

Day 7: Rafting from Waterfall to Tribeni

We will be woken up by the sound of Waterfall today. Meditation and relaxation with the sound of water make you completely calm and relaxed. We will have our breakfast and start our rafting which is comparatively easy and soft. There are two major rafting rafts for today’s trip which are Big Dipper (Class IV) followed by Blackhole (Class III). Once this rapid is crossed, the Sun Koshi river gets mixed with Arun and Tamor rivers. 

Sun Koshi River name changed into Saptakoshi after merging with 7 big rivers of Nepal. Today’s rafting is more calm and easy. We will spend a night on the bank of the Tribeni River. 

Meal Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner 

Day 8: Rafting from Tribeni to Chatara and back to Kathmandu 

Today is the last day of our Sun Koshi River Rafting. We will have our breakfast in Tribeni and start our rafting today. We will raft for some time and reach Baraha temple which is a famous Hindu Temple. We will explore the temple and again start our rafting towards Chatara which is the ending point of this rafting trip. 

We will enjoy lunch in Chatara and get back to Kathmandu. There are multiple ways to return back to Kathmandu which is by Local Bus, Car Rental, or flying back from Biratnagar airport. If you want to get relaxed for a couple of days then spending a night in Chitwan National Park is a good option. In this way, Sun Koshi River Rafting package ends here. 

Meal Includes: Breakfast and Lunch

About Sun Kosi River Rafting

Most rafting groups for Sun Koshi River Rafting start at Dolalghat, and from here the first few days are relatively easy and are an excellent warm-up for the rapids below. From day three onwards, every day has at least one or two major rapids along with a lot of smaller fun ones. Most major rapids are pool/drop with huge bouncy pressure waves near the bottom – similar to the rapids of the Grand Canyon of Colorado. 8-10 days running big rapids and floating through lush green countryside make this a truly memorable river experience in Nepal.

Sun koshi River rafting
It is possible in larger flows to extend a Sun Koshi rafting trip by starting higher up at Balephi or Khadichour. For those with limited time, you could consider flying into Lamidanda on the Dudh Koshi rafting the last 30 km of this famous river and then the bottom half of the Sun Kosi – this would make about a six-day trip Kiver flows vary immensely – from huge post-monsoon run-off in early October down to low winter flows in January and February, rising again in May with snowmelt and pre-monsoon rains.

With the right group and experience, it is possible to raft late Sept/Oct. At this time of year, the river is high and wild and certainly not for the faint-hearted.

Description of Sun Kosi River Rafting 

Dolalghat to Tamakoshi 63 kms, Dudh Koshi 74 kms, Chatara 135 kms.

From the put-in at Dolaghat, the first day or two is easy paddling. Below the first bridge at Dobhan Taar the river enters a beautiful small canyon with waterfalls and lush tropical growth. As the canyon opens up, note the large Bat cave on the right – but please do not disturb these sensitive animals. Some 10 km or so below here is the first rapid of note: “No Exit’ is an easy class 3. Below the confluence of the Roshi Koshi on the right is a Shiva temple called Kusheshwar Mandir that is a great place to wander around.

From the river, it’s recognizable by a large bunyan and a pipal tree. About 5 km past the next bridge is the first major rapid – ‘Meatgrinder’. Class 4 – it’s a fairly straight run down the center avoiding holes left and right. A few km below here the Tamakoshi joins the Sunkoshi on the left with a beach on the confluence.

There is another beautiful Shiva temple overlooking the confluence of the two rivers. A few km brings you to the next bridge and the large village of Khurkhot where it’s possible to buy food, beer, and cigarettes. Several more km brings you to another bridge and 5 or 6 km below a bouncy class 3. here are “Punch and Judy’ rapids – Punch is an easy class 4 and is shortly followed by Judy,

A few km below the confluence of the Likhu Khola is a short, class 3 rapid Pre-anxiety’, and this is followed soon after by ‘High Anxiety’ – a long class 4 rapid with a large hole on the left halfway down and a series of holes at the bottom. Tokshel Hakapur is a porter town at the next bridge on the trail to Okhaldunga. Several village stores stocks such food staples as beer, and the very best brands of alcohol – have you ever tasted Cleopatra whiskey?

One km below here is the hardest rapid on the river, ‘Hakapur 2’, which should be carefully scouted. This was formed by a rockfall on the right and a massive mudslide constricting the river flow on the left. Boulders washed into the middle of this rapid form a large ledge with bad pour-overs and serious holes.

This is not a nice rapid to swim and there have been several accidents here. There’s still the best part of the Sun Koshi to be enjoyed so if you have any doubts, we suggest a portage on the left bank. If you do decide to run this, then you should have a safety cover set up below with throw lines in position and ideally a rescue raft or kayaks to pick up swimmers – kayakers can earn their beers on this one!

Sun Kosi River Rafting

Some 5 km below Hakapur, look out for the famous Dudh Koshi coming in like a narrow canyon from the left. Below here, the river valley widens into an arid area of gravel and rocks that is almost 2 km wide. Below the next bridge is a small rapid followed by ‘Jaws’ – quite a long rapid with a large ledge on the bottom right that forms a huge hole at certain levels. ‘Dead man’s eddy’ below this has the dubious habit of collecting most things that float downstream.

Some 15 km and a few small but fun rapids bring you to ‘Rhino rock’. This is just above the next bridge and marks the beginning of the jungle corridor’. This section contains 6 rapids in about 10 km and is an exhilarating section of white water. At the end of the rapids, a series of waterfalls cascade in from both banks and this is a great place for a wash and massage.

The rapids on the last few days are mainly wave trains and these bring you down to the last major rapid on the river ‘The Big Dipper’, which is a series of huge standing waves (that in low water hide some nasty holes) – an exciting climax. A few km later and the mighty Arun river enters from a gorge on the left, almost immediately afterward, the Tamur river also adds its waters and the combined river becomes the Saptakoshi (Seven rivers). The confluence is called Tribeni Ghat and has an interesting temple to visit if you have time.

The river, now the Saptakoshi, surges onwards, carving its way through its last obstacle, the foothills. On the left bank after 5 km is another larger Hindu Temple called Baraha Chhetra. On the day of the full moon in January every year, thousands of Hindu pilgrims throng here to pay homage to Lord Vishnu.

Legend has it that once a demon god inhabited this area and troubled the holy men and pilgrims. Hearing of this, Lord Vishnu, preserver of the Universe, himself decided to kill the demon, and taking the form of a pig for the purpose, he slew the demon in battle. The annual Baraha festival commemorates this victory and inside the Temple, you will see a statue of Baraha, a pig-headed figure of Lord Vishnu.

Back on the river, you float along on the powerful current, and then, rounding a corner, the hills dramatically give way to the total flat Terai and the northern plains of India: you have reached the end of a classic and memorable river journey.

Sun Koshi River Rafting Cost Includes: 

  • Highly trained English speaking White Water Rafting Guide
  • Highly trained and certified Safety Kayakers 
  • Transfer from Kathmandu to Dolalghat and Pick up from Charata to Kathmandu
  • Accommodation in a tent on the bank of the river 
  • 3-course meals per day during rafting 
  • High-quality Kayaking and Rafting equipment along with helmets, paddles, dry bags, PFDs, and Pelican boxes
  • First Aid Medical Kit 
  • Treated water during Rafting 
  • Photo and Video of White Water adventure in Sun Koshi River Rafting 
  • All permits for Rafting in the Sun Koshi River 
  • All Local and Government Taxes 
  • Support staffs for camping 

Sun Koshi River Rafting Cost Excludes: 

  • Nature of personal expenses 
  • Personal toiletries, clothing, camera and more 
  • Alcoholic beverages and other essential items 
  • Health Insurance of yourself – staff are insured by the Company. 
  • Things not mentioned in the “Cost Includes” sections.  
  • Trip for staffs – optional but not mandatory 

Things to Pack for Sun Koshi River Rafting 

Here are some of the essential items you need to have in your backpack for this 7 nights 8 days rafting trip. We have listed really essential items which are useful during this white water rafting trip. 

  • Smalls towel 
  • Swim Suit
  • Fleece or Trousers 
  • Sunscreen – 50 
  • Sunglass 
  • Tshirts 
  • 2 pair of Shirts 
  • 3 underwear 
  • Flashlight 
  • Water Bottle 
  • Camera and spare batteries/charger 
  • Cash for personal expenses 
  • Sport sandals
  • Jacket – Waterproof 
  • Lip guard

Meals for Sun Koshi Rafting Trip

During this entire trip, we will prepare food for our guests in front of you on the bank of the river. Our foods are hygienic and nutritious which helps you to make your day fruitful. Most of the foods used in this trip will be frozen and packed. If you do have any issue regarding food then do let us know early during the time of reservation so that we can adjust it accordingly. We offer you some continental along with local food on this trip so that you don’t get monotonous with the same relative menu for this entire trip. Here goes the sample food menu for this Sunkoshi River Rafting Package.

Breakfast: Tea, Coffee, White chocolate, Muesli and Cornflakes, Yogurt. Eggs, Toast, Hashed potatoes, Pancakes, Porridge, etc.

Lunch: Bread, Cheese, Tuna, Salami, Baked beans, Salads, Fresh fruits, Dry Fruits and Cookies

Dinner: French fries, Pasta, Chowmin, Curries, Steamed or Fried vegetables.

Note: We may provide Nepali Dal, Bhat set also if you are interested in Nepalese local meal.

Sun Koshi River Rafting Video 

You can send your enquiry via the form below.

Sun Koshi River Rafting