Ideally clients will have met up yesterday for our pre-departure meeting when any last minute questions can be answered and last minute provisions can be bought. You’ll then head west out of the Kathmandu Valley for the long but interesting drive to Kohalpur, close to Nepalgunj where you spend the night.

Next morning you set off passing through the lowlands of the Terai and climb into the Churia Hills and Bardia National Park to the remote village of Surkhet. As you traverse the Terai you’ll enjoy splendid views and it’s a good chance to see some of the birds and wildlife of the area.

You’ll arrive in Surkhet in early afternoon before driving then follow a dirt road through sal and bamboo forests and Magar and Brahmin villages; this region sees very few travellers indeed and the smiles are as broad here as anywhere in Nepal.

You’ll arrive in Kalyani Dada around 16:00hrs, unload and meet with your sirdar or head porter and porter team. The team will set up the first of your comfortable camps.

You’ll rise early, pack and set off on foot for the river, pausing for breakfast around 08:00hrs. Afterwards you’ll help the camp staff clean camp, part of what will become a familiar routine, and then set off on foot again.

Reaching the river mid-morning you’ll spend time inflating the rafts and tying down our equipment and then the river guides give an important briefing – safety procedures and how to negotiate the white water outside the raft are covered. The role of the kayakers is explained and the various rapids covered. Your river guides are highly experienced and know the moods of the river well and so you are in safe hands.

After the briefing you’ll head onto the river for your first taste of Karnali action before arriving at the first of our riverside camps.

On the second day on the river you’ll face the prospect of paddling down to Jungle Ghat. We normally stop at the only village of any size on the upper part of the river to have a look around, meet locals and enjoy a cuppa. It’s here that Bhotia people of Tibetan descent drive their herds of sheep across a rickety suspension bridge following the trail that leads up to Jumla and eventually Tibet. Gurung and Chhetri porters rest before continuing their journey, taking supplies to high villages and the Brahmin store owners are always genuinely glad to see us – not because of the money we spend (there’s little besides tea and biscuits) but just because they are.

Back on the river you descend further, breaking before ‘Jailhouse Rock’ a surging eddy. Below all that can be seen is a pulsing plume of spray accompanied by the ominous rumbling of the river. From the side of the river the line looks pretty clear, but be warned, the water is a lot more powerful than it looks! ‘Inversion’ rapid follows, a series of massive standing waves that leads down into a steep canyon with a 100m high waterfall cascading onto the river. Tonight we camp at Scorpion Beach, home for a layover day too.

A layover day allows a chance to relax and explore on foot. The Karnali River gorge is one of the most heavily forested and pristine areas of Nepal. Wildlife is abundant as the steep canyon walls makes access impossible except by river. Langur and rhesus monkeys are common and the bird life is remarkable. Leopards have been spotted from the river and tiger paw prints in the sand have been seen too. Pythons are found here too.

Today you’ll have the chance to play volleyball, frisbee or take the kayak workshop we offer or simply chill-out.

Your expedition continues through rapids such as ‘God’s House’ and a series of canyons 7km long dotted with 16 or so rapids. The whole river narrows as you run such classic drops as ‘Juicer’, ‘Flip ‘n Strip’, ‘Totali Ghat’, ‘Snapshot’ and ‘Freight Train’.

At night we camp by the river. Camping on the Karnali is awesome – the massive floods of the monsoon deposit huge amounts of pure white sand along the river, perfect for camping on. Several spots have waterfalls and mud bath you can take advantage of and the Karnali is great for fishing, so bring some compact equipment if you want to try your hand.

We continue our descent this time towards the Seti.

The confluence of the Seti means that you are past the major rapids on the Karnali. It’s a perfect time to get into one of the small craft such as our inflatable kayaks or Soviet catamarans. You may also want to try your hand at shell kayaking. The steep canyon walls of the last few days recede into rolling hills and curious stone formations.

The Karnali is home to freshwater dolphins, marsh mugger crocs and the gharial, a fish-eating crocodile. After five days of white-water it’s nice to rest and watch the scenery pass.

From your last campsite nestled in the rock formations of the lower canyon you’ll drift down to Chisapani, the first town you’ve seen for a while now. Whilst small it’s hard to get used to the sound of human activity again. It’s here that you’ll board the bus back to Kathmandu.

For those that prefer to delay the return to the capital why not extend your stay in the region with a visit and stay in Bardia National Park – it boasts the highest number of tiger sightings in Nepal and much other wildlife besides.

Your trip ends on arrival in Kathmandu. If you need help with onward travel arrangements or accommodation just ask us and we’ll be pleased to assist you.