Listed below is our suggested packing list when rafting and kayaking with GRG’s in Nepal.

Day Trips:

•  Swimsuit
• Sun cream
• Shorts or cropped trousers and T-shirt you don’t mind getting wet
• Clothes for traveling in before and after the trip
• Sun glasses with sports strap
• Capped hat if you wish
• Teva style sandals or trainers
• Warm fleece for after the trip
• Camera (can be stored in our dry bags/box whilst rafting)
• Small amount of money for snacks and treats if you wish
• Water bottle
• Towel
• Personal medication

 Whilst rafting, your belongings will be transported to our take out point by a member of staff. They will not be traveling on the raft with us.

Overnight trips / expeditions you will require the above as well as:

• Sleeping bag and mattress (if you do not have, please ask and we can provide for you free of charge)
• Dry clothes for the evening(s). Make sure you bring warm clothes with you as the night times can get cold, especially in the winter months.
• Warm hat, gloves and scarf for the winter months
• Pajamas (Thermal Pajamas are recommended in the winter months)
• Small wash kit – biodegradable products are preferred if you have them
• Torch
• Book, deck of cards or small travel games
• Personal medication (please let us know of any pre-existing medical conditions before participating in any whitewater trip)
•  A small amount of money for treats here and there
• Photocopy of your passport & visa 

Please note when choosing your clothes for the trip/expedition, please try to be sensitive of local culture. Many of our river journeys go through remote areas where local people traditionally dress conservatively. If you dress in short or tight clothes you may cause offense and you will almost certainly gather a crowd of interested followers! 

When joining our expedition trips, you will be given 100liter dry bags that will be shared between two. It is best to pack into a rucksack that can be put inside these dry bags.

We will provide you with your rafting equipment (helmet, dry top, wet-suits when required)

Read our post about 7 extra things to pack that you might not have thought of!

We recommend that you wear either Teva style sandals, or trainers. Basically any type of sports shoe that will stay on your feet should you go for an unexpected swim!

If you are joining us for a Canyoning adventure, then we can provide special booties for you

If you are visiting us from Europe, America or Australia, yes, you will require a visa. Although tourist visa’s are available upon arrival at Kathmandu Airport, we would strongly recommend obtaining your visa before departure as it will save you a great deal of time once you land in Nepal. For more information visit this site  

Visit our Nepal page to find out more info on prepping for your trip.

If you are joining us for an expedition trip, we recommend you only take the items you will need on the river. The rest of your belongings can either be stored at your hotel or in our office. Whichever you are more comfortable with.

If you are joining a day trip, your bags will be taken straight to the end point of the rafting so that they do not have to travel on the raft with us.

You’ll be amazed what our guides can conjure up on the river. Our food is one of the most talked about things on our trips. We have a large variety of treats waiting for you! On rafting trips you can expect eggs, pancakes, potatoes, toast, muesli, porridge, omelettes, and fruit for breakfast. For lunch, we choose from foods such as pasta, salads, tuna, baked beans, cheeses, salami, biscuits, crisps, bread, fried rice and fruit. In the evenings, dinner can include garlic bread, french fries, Dal Bhat, chicken curry, mashed potato, Buffalo steak, chilli, Bolognese, custard, rice pudding, fruit salad, popcorn and prawn crackers.

We certainly won’t let you go hungry! We also have lighter bites such as biscuits and bananas held in dry bags on the rafts for river time snacks!

When we are on the river we will be cooking outside on gas stoves. We try to buy all our food locally so as to help the local communities.

 If it’s your birthday or a special occasion do let us know as we can even rustle you up a cake on the river!

All our food is fresh, delicious and hygienically prepared.

We can cater for vegetarians, vegans and most personal dietary requirements; please just make sure you let us know of filling out your booking form. We are happy to discuss any dietary issues prior to booking, please contact us should you have any queries. Don’t worry – you will not be going hungry!

 Yes of course! We have all the experience required to safely to get you down the river. We will teach you everything you need to know on the water and also ensure that safety is the priority during all parts of the tour, many of our clients have never rafted or kayaked previously. Rafting is a team sport that all abilities can participate in.

Certain tours are more demanding than others, so a basic level of fitness will help you enjoy your experience more. If you have any concerns regarding your level of ability or fitness, please contact us and we will be happy to discuss any queries you may have.

YES!!!! We run many day tours for those who are short of time or who just want a taster of whitewater rafting and kayaking. View our Trisuli, and Canyoning trips. 

All our day trips depart from our office in Thamel, Kathmandu at 6.30am.

Arrangements can be made to depart from Pokhara or Chitwan on request. The majority of our trips will see you back in Kathmandu, Chitwan or Pokhara around 7pm the same day.

Expedition departure times vary and will be communicated to you before the trip.

Of course, and the Trisuli river is perfect for this. We highly recommend getting off the bus and traveling by raft instead! 

 Of course this is your choice, but if you are confused which river trip you would like to join, send an email to Chrissy and she can give you all the advice/info that you need.

You can also find more information about which river to raft in our recent blog post.

Is it too much of a cliche to say, you get what you pay for? 

GRG has the best selection of kayaks in the whole of Nepal and all our equipment is of top quality. We also have some of the best guides working for us and pay our guides above average. We also provide you with the best quality (and quantity) of food. 

We will always have a suitable number of safety kayakers on trips and all of this costs more. We do not cut corners on your safety. 

This depends on which trip you are on. The majority of our day trips will be back at around 6.30-7pm. We can drop you in Kathmandu, Chitwan or Pokhara depending on your travel plans. All our multi day tours return at different times, but usually around 7pm.

We can get as involved in your trip as you want. If all you want is a day trip or expedition then that is fine by us, but we are happy to help collect and drop you at the airport, organise additional accommodation in Kathmandu, offer sightseeing tours and organise your whole holiday if you wish. All you have to do is tell us what you want out of your holiday and we will make it happen.

We try and keep most our groups relatively small, so that we can continue to offer a more personal experience. You can usually expect 2 rafts on most of our trips. (6-8 people on each). If you are joining a kayak clinic, groups are normally around 4 pax. However if you are looking to visit us with a large group, we can offer the option of booking you a private trip. We prefer smaller trips as it gives every one a chance to get to know one another better and allows us to serve you better.

Yes, regardless of group size, we will have a suitable amount of safety kayakers on EVERY river trip we run, guaranteed. Please see our safety page to see what else we do to keep you safe on rafting trips with GRG’s.

Yes, all of our staff are qualified for the jobs they perform; from first aid to whitewater rescue. Safety is our priority during all of our tours. All our guides have their WRT training, International Rafting Federation Training and First Aid. Read more about what we do to keep you safe.

 On our expedition trips (Sun Kosi and Karnali for example) you can expect to spend around 6 hours a day paddling, depending on the season. When taking part in a kayak school, it is entirely up to you how long you stay on the water for but on average, it will usually last around 5 hours. Remember – your on holiday! During the rest of the time you will have the option to relax at our camp, village walks, reading books, sitting by camp fires… the list goes on!

On our trips, your food, drinking water, accommodation, transport and equipment will all be covered. It is a good idea to bring some money with you, but you will only need a small amount if you wish to buy small snacks or souvenirs along the way. And of course it is entirely up to you whether you would like to tip your guides. 

There are no cash machines near any of the rivers we run so you will need to get money from the city before your trip. 

To confirm a place on one of our trips, the sooner you can book the better, however we are flexible and can arrange last-minute bookings.If you wish to inquire about a last-minute trip, please contact us.

It is totally up to you, and GRG can be as involved or not as you wish. If you want us to prepare a whole package for you, we are more than happy to, airport collections, hotels, additional activities, or you are free to go off by yourself. 

Nepal offers a whole host of opportunities, from sightseeing, mountain biking, trekking, shopping, paragliding… the list goes on and on. 

Our tours are created around the rivers we use frequently, however depending on the specific demands and requirements of our customers, prices will vary slightly. We can provide you with estimates based upon information such as tour dates, tour duration and group size. We offer quality food, transportation, equipment and guides. All of our guides have the necessary qualifications and are fully insured by GRG’s; we are also one of the few companies that are fully registered and paying tax in Nepal. We pay all of our staff above the national average yet remain extremely competitive in terms of our prices in relation to other adventure businesses in Nepal.

Please view our terms and conditions page for more information.

Depending on which river trip you choose and as long as you inform us beforehand, your ability to swim should not be a significant issue. We have professional ISO-certified life jackets and we will teach you the necessary safety procedures and techniques in case you do end up in the water. We always have safety kayakers on our trips so you will never be far from safety. Chances are you will not fall out of the raft , but in the event you do, we will have a bunch of safety kayakers standing by to quickly and safely rescue you.

If you are booking online, we require a 25% deposit via Paypal to secure your booking.

The remaining can be paid upon arrival in cash or by credit card in our office. Please note credit card payments will incur a 3,5% service charge.

Bookings made from within Nepal require full payment before commencement of the tour.

No, I’m afraid you are responsible for your own travel insurance.

Yes,  We highly recommend that you take out travel insurance to cover you for the activities that you will be participating in. Make sure you check what class river you will be running and to what altitude you will be trekking as not all travel insurance policies cover you for outdoor activities. If you are unsure of what your existing travel-insurance covers, please contact your insurance provider.

 Yes: Whether you are an individual, a couple, a family or group we can arrange a tour to suit your needs. Many individuals join our groups and end up making many friends along the way. Rafting trips are a team sport, so don’t worry – you won’t be on your own!

Yes! With GRG anything is possible. In the past we have tailored trips to meet individual needs and provided full tours. If there is something specific you would like to do just let us know. In the past we have created an ‘adrenaline junkie’ 2 week trip for a rugby team, we’ve hired a trained Yoga instructor to join our multi day rafting trip and we’ve hosted fishing trips. 

 Children are not able to raft or kayak on all of the rivers we operate. However, we have had many school groups and children traveling with us in the past and we are happy to have them join us on certain raft or kayak trips. As long as they are able to wear a life-jacket, children are welcome to join. The Trisuli river is perfect for families or groups with children. Older Children may be able to join the Kaligandaki and Sun Kosi River trips. Ask us for more information

Yes, we usually take our own waterproof camera and GoPro on river trips and can make you a CD or copy them to your USB at the end of the trip. Alternatively, you can view them on our facebook page. If you would like to bring your own camera we can provide you with a dry bag or Pelican box. (Items are stored at the owner’s risk).

Most of our trips are suitable for all ages. The youngest rafter we have ever had was 4 and the eldest was an 85 year old lady who came with her grandchildren! Typically, our clients are around 20-40 years

Most of our trips are in very remote areas, all our guides are qualified in First Aid and CPR as well as Swift Water Rescue Techniques. In the unlikely event you become sick or hurt, we are able to deal with a variety of situations and organise evacuations where necessary. If you have any pre-existing medical issues, please make us aware of these before starting the trip.

Grade I: Fast moving water with riffles and small waves. Few obstructions, all obvious and easily missed with little training. Risk to swimmers is slight; self-rescue is easy. (not found in Nepal)

Grade II: Straightforward rapids with wide, clear channels which are evident without scouting. Occasional maneuvering may be required, but rocks and medium-sized waves are easily missed by trained paddlers. Swimmers are seldom injured and group assistance, while helpful, is seldom needed. (Lower Seti)

Grade III: Rapids with moderate, irregular waves which may be difficult to avoid and which can swamp an open canoe. Complex maneuvers in fast current and good boat control in tight passages or around ledges are often required; large waves or strainers may be present but are easily avoided. Strong eddies and powerful current effects can be found, particularly on large-volume rivers. scouting is advisable for inexperienced parties. Injuries while swimming are rare; self-rescue is usually easy but group assistance may be required to avoid long swims. (Lower Seti, Trisuli)

Grade IV: Intense, powerful but predictable rapids requiring precise boat handling in turbulent water. Depending on the character of the river, it may feature large, unavoidable waves and holes or constricted passages demanding fast maneuvers under pressure. A fast, reliable eddy turn may be needed to initiate maneuvers, scout rapids, or rest. Rapids may require “must” moves above dangerous hazards. Scouting may be necessary the first time down. Risk of injury to swimmers is moderate to high, and water conditions may make self-rescue difficult. Group assistance for rescue is often essential but requires practiced skills. A strong kayak roll is highly recommended. (Trisuli, Kaligandaki)

Grade V: Extremely long, obstructed, or very violent rapids which expose a paddler to added risk. Drops may contain large, unavoidable waves and holes or steep, congested chutes with complex, demanding routes. Rapids may continue for long distances between pools, demanding a high level of fitness. What eddies exist may be small, turbulent, or difficult to reach. At the high end of the scale, several of these factors may be combined. Scouting is recommended but may be difficult. Swims are dangerous, and rescue is often difficult even for experts. A very reliable kayak roll, proper equipment, extensive experience, and practiced rescue skills are essential. (Marsyandi, Bhote Kosi, Sun Kosi, Tamur, Karnali)

Grade VI: These runs have almost never been attempted and often exemplify the extremes of difficulty, unpredictability and danger. The consequences of errors are very severe and rescue may be impossible. For teams of experts only, at favorable water levels, after close personal inspection and taking all precautions. After a Class VI rapids has been run many times, its rating may be changed to an appropriate Commercially unraftable.

Whilst there are hundreds of hotels to stay in in Kathmandu, we recommend International Guest House as they are close to our office, have a lovely secluded garden and offer a range of rooms. You can contact them directly to book your room and they even offer free airport collection.

Yes, but only on certain rivers. The Trisuli is the best river to raft during the monsoon. Contact us to find out more.