The Trishuli River (Nepali: त्रिशूली नदी) is one of the major tributaries of the Narayani River basin in central Nepal. Etymology
The Trishuli is named after the trishula or trident of Shiva, the most powerful god in the Hindu pantheon, There is a legend that says high in the Himalayas at Gosaikunda, Shiva drove his trident into the ground to create three springs – the source of the river and henc
e its name Trisuli. Course
The stream in Tibet crosses the Nepalese border at Gyirong Town, with the Kyirong gorge opens out at Ragma (3000 m). Thereafter, it flows through Nepal and joins at Devghat the Narayani River, which at a lower stage flows into India and joins the Ganges. Basin data
More than 60 per cent of the total drainage basin of the Trishuli lies in Tibet with about 9 per cent being covered by snow and glaciers. 85 per cent of its catchment area of 4,640 square kilometres (1,790 sq mi) lies above 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) out of which 11 per cent lies above 6,000 metres (20,000 ft). It has been regularly gauged at Betrawati at an elevation of 600 metres (2,000 ft). The average lowest and the melt season discharges of this river are close to average discharges recorded on the Narayani River. Water sports and tourism
Trisuli is Nepal’s most popular rafting river with impressive gorges, exciting rapids, some easier sections and easy accessibility from Kathmandu and Pokhara. Rafting in Trisuli is one of the most popular outdoor activities in Nepal. Trishuli River is made up of snow melt of Mt. Ganesh and Langtang Himal. Chitwan National Park is also easily accessible. Most of the travel and tour agents in Nepal show off Trishuli River Rafting as one of the most adventurous river rafting activity in Nepal. Dangers
Trishuli River is also one of the dangerous river of Nepal. The curvy Prithvi Highway is a bad fate for many Nepalese people traveling to and back from the capital.[4] Every year, several buses and trucks fall and disappear into this wild river, making the corridor a dangerous pass for people. ITINERARY (please note that with the Trishuli we do not have a pre-departure meeting.) Day 1
Our trips meet at 0600 hrs in the morning (always make a point of checking this as it can change depending on the time of year) at our office in Thamel. Because all the restaurants are closed at this time, bring a cinnamon roll, some fruits or a large bottle of gin for breakfast. Once we have everyone collected, we have a short walk to our chartered bus. The bus ride takes us out the Kathmandu valley and through the rice fields to the valley rim. From here, the road drops dramatically 700 meters to the village of Baireni on the banks of the Trishuli River. At the river, everyone is fitted with a lifejacket, spray jacket, and helmet. Then the trip leader and safety kayaker give an extensive lesson on river safety, paddling technique and what to do if you suddenly find yourself not sitting in a raft anymore. Most of the people we take down the river have never been in a raft before, and our guides gear the safety talk to neophytes. Rafting on the Trishuli is sort of a full body activity, with much more involved than simply paddling forward and backward. You learn how to throw your body weight around the raft in desperate, yet effective attempts to swing the raft around boulders and through massive crashing waves - you'll be amazed at just how big a wave can get. It's sort of like playing Simon Says in a big rubber playpen sliding down a roll roaster while you get water thrown on you. Nothing can match the exhilaration of running the rapids as the rushing water draws the raft into the torrents; the adrenaline rises with each wave bucking the raft. The guide shouts instruction above the delighted screams of the crew as we maneuver the raft through the churning waters. While the rapids are great fun, the slow times are just as relaxing…. look back at the river valley, watch birds at the riverside, may be see a troop of langur monkeys chattering away in the forested slopes. Most of your time on the river will be thrilling rapids and idyllic scenic floats, the rest of the time you are camping on sandy beaches by riverside villages, feeling the presence of the river in the roar that pervades the air. Though some of the rapids can be quite challenging, it is nothing beyond a spirited, well-instructed crew with a skilled guide helm. Great care is taken to ensure a safe a trip. We have safety kayaker on each trip and our experienced raft guides are trained in emergency and medical procedures. We use top quality, self-bailing "Avon" inflatable rafts and all members are supplied with good life jackets, helmets and paddles, as well as waterproof jackets. Waterproof barrels for storing cameras, binoculars and valuables are also provided. Food served is delicious, wholesome, varied and needless to say hygienically prepared. The first day provides about 5 hours of rafting. We have a couple of kilometers of smaller rapids to polish our paddling skills before we drop into the first class III-IV drop, affectionately known as Snail's Nose. Snail's Nose has a relatively easy entrance then all the water is pushed up against the left side of the river banks in a chaotic, boiling series of pulsing waves. We normally stop for lunch below here just above Monkey rapid. A huge banyan tree provides shade and you can wander down to a small tributary which has a very beautiful waterfall to explore and some premium swimming pools, while our staffs prepare lunch. After lunch, try to scan the forest around Monkey rapid and you may see why it got its name… From Monkey rapid there is a stretch of class III whitewater and then we come to the crux of the day, which is a long, technical rapid called Teen Devi (this translates as three goddesses). The guides often scout this one, as with changing water levels the ride can become, really interesting. Don’t worry though, your trustworthy and stalwart safety kayaker is waiting for you at the bottom, providing of course that he isn’t still surfing on one of the several massive waves to be found along the way. After Teen Devi, things settle down for a while, and then it's back into the soup with big crashing waves finishing the day off at Twin Rocks. We then drift down below Charaudi to our campsite. Royal Beach is well named and this sprawling area of white sand is our riverside home for the night. We set up camp and have some leisure time to play volleyball, explore the surrounding villages or simply read a book and relax. Eating is one of the main activities, as rafting promotes a very healthy appetite. Day 2
At around 0700 hrs in the morning, we gather one more time for a steaming hot coffee. This is not just to wake you up but also to prepare you for yet more river journey ahead. Here lies an opportunity to refresh your memory of cruising the monsoon waves just the previous day. Fun paddling of five hours and we get to run the main canyon section of the Trishuli. The swift waters are confined to narrow gorges as we run such exhilarating rapids as Ladies Delight, S-Bend, Highway, Monsoon, Upset and Surprise. At Mugling the waters of the Marshyangdi tumble into the Trishuli increasing the volume of the already swollen river. After Pinball rapid at Mugling the river eases a bit, but there are still a few challenging rapids and the scenery and geography is very impressive. Trishuli is a monsoon special river journey. With real voluminous water and sandy beach due to the monsoon debris, it can offer you the best short day river experience ever. At the takeout, the rafts are carried up and dried, while you can relax in the shade and have a cold drink. From here it’s a four hours bus ride back to Kathmandu, usually arriving around 1900 hours.
** End of Arrangement**
