The Trisuli is Nepal’s most popular rafting river. It has impressive gorges, moderate white water, a few exiting rapids; some easier section all easily accessible from Kathmandu and Pokhara. According to legend says that high in the Himalayas at Gosainkund the god Shiva drove his trident in to the ground to create three springs (the source of the river) and hence its name Trisuli. The river has carved some truly impressive gorges in its lower part as it cut its way through the 2000-meter high Mahabharat range. These gorges are also the route followed by the main Highway from India to Kathmandu. The opposite side to the road is relatively wild and you should see some wildlife a profusion of colorful birds, including eagles and vultures. The rapids on the Trisuli are mainly big, bouncy and relatively safe.” Flips” (where the raft capsized) or other accident are rare in normal water conditions and if you wish it is possible to walk around the few difficult rapids.
Grade: Class 3+ (4)
From: Baireni
To: Gaighat
Av.gradient: 3m/km
Volume in Nov: 300cms (10,000 cfs)
Best Season: Oct-Dec, Mar-May
Day 1
A few kilometers give those starting at Baireni a chance to get “warmed up”. The first slightly harder rapid a class 3+ comes after 5 km this rapid was named ‘Snell’s Nose’ by Nepalese rafters in honour of Colonel John Blashford-Snell who was one of the first to run it and broke his nose so doing. More mainly class 2 water brings you after another 5 km to a longer more interesting class 4- rapid on the left after a left hand bend. This is known by many as ‘ Monkey’ rapid no doubt after the mannerisms of the rafters after running it – leaping around, spitting, scratching with delight, grinning and chattering the name has nothing to do with the troops of monkeys you will see on the right bank. A few kilometers down to river we reached to camp side for lunch called ‘Blue Heaven’ a purpose – made rafter’s put-in, restaurant and campsite; also foot suspension bridge-warning of the approach to ‘Teen Devi ‘ rapid. Teen Devi used to be a class 4 and probably the most difficult rapid on the river. After three kilometer brings you to the confluence with the Budi-Gandaki with its blue water entering on the right, a path opposite winds up the bank to the village of Benighat.
Day 2
About 6km after Benighat the left hand side of the valley is blocked by a high vertical cliff dropping spectacularly straight into the river. A long rapid follows shortly after wards on the right known sometimes as ‘ Twin rocks ‘ this is a class 3 + in low water. There are a couple of Raft Company put in on this section between the highway villages of Charoudi and Majhimtar. After the rapids known as ‘ ladies Delight’ is on the left class 3+ in low water another 3 km through this gorge bring you to two rapids first of them known as ” Upset”. “Upset” is infamous and probably the most photographed rapid on the river there is always a monstrous hole and a wave here that seem to dwarf a raft having 4 +. W should reassure you like most big holes it’s not as fearsome as it appears most raft bob out with most of their crew and right way up but an excellent sport for action photos. One kilometer after ‘Upset’ and just after a left hand bend is ‘Surprise’ a class 4. There is a popular rafter put in just below close to the small village of Fishling and then shortly afterwards the river enters a deep awesome gorge. The gorge ends after about 2km and the river then curves away from the highway and there is a possible campsite on the bend. Two kilometer further brings you to the picturesque village of Kuringhat. This Village is built on a bluff on the right with two suspension bridges swooping gracefully over the river to the left bank. The wide beach on the left has goods vehicle access and is a favorite put-in for the more relaxed raft trip down to Narayanghat and Chitwan .
Day 3
After Kuringhat the river again turns away from the highway and there is a dramatic landslip as the river curves around to the left for several hundred meter’s high, the hillside has had its surface flesh stripped away to reveal the raw white bones of the underlying rocks. Towards the end of this big bend you will notice some steps out in the cliff on the right and these go up to ” Brigand’s Bend” river camp. Just down stream is an aerial cable car that is the only other access to the camp Just after river enters a gorge again warning of another rapid around the corner called ‘S’ rapid. Two km on and a cable car crosses the river and heralds the approach to Mugling, the town is on the left, some 70 meter above the river. An elegant new suspension bridge crosses just above the confluence of the Marsyandi. “Pin Ball” rapid follows closely after the confluence class 4 ” Pin Ball” is the last serious rapid on the river from here on down its mainly class 1-2 with one or two of the rapids class 3 in the right conditions. After that the river is also more peaceful because the highway is high above the river for most of time the 15km to the confluence with the Seti Khola has several small rapid the biggest might be a class 3 and is called ” Tea Pot” but most of the time you can just sit back, relax and enjoy the dramatic canyon. Below the confluence and close to the right bank is ” Coffee Pot” rapid which has a powerful whirl pool eddy where kayaks get swirled around like the grounds in the bottom of the pot about 2 km below the Seti confluence there is a wide beach on the left and the small village of Gai-Ghat. The highway is reasonable close to the river and this is a good take out if you do not want to continue further.