The Western Bend River
Total Days : 10 - 11 Days
The Karnali, Nepal's mightiest river, is arguably the finest multi-day river trip in Nepal, and the classic Himalayan expedition. The Karnali's headwaters come off Mount Kailas in Tibet and slice through the Himalayas in a series of magnificent gorges and pristine forest.

For 180 kilometers we won't see a single sign of the modern world. It's one of the last places in Nepal that you can see old growth forest and have a real chance of seeing Nepal's wildlife. Expeditions have seen Langur and Rhesus monkeys, leopards, bear, martins, deer, crocodiles and gorals; even tigers. The river also supports some of the finest fish habitat in Nepal, with giant catfish and Golden Masheer prowling the depths. Midway through the trip we select a choice piece of beach and for two nights we stay at the same camp and people have an opportunity to explore this beautiful country, wallow in a mudbank, play in the region's plentiful waterfalls, or just hang out and learn something about their fellow rafters.

Whitewater ranges from easygoing class three, to bone crushing class five, depending on the time of year. Regardless of the month, the Karnali always offers good, hard rapids with miles of beautiful scenery and deep river gorges.