Ride & paddle · Kanchenjunga & the east
Sun Koshi river expedition
- 9 daysDuration
- River levelHighest point
- ActiveDifficulty
- ★ 4.951 reviews
270 river kilometres over eight days, from the middle hills to the Terai plains, camping on white sand with no road within reach.
The Sun Koshi is one of the ten best multi-day river journeys in the world, and the reason is simple: 270 kilometres of continuous Grade III and IV whitewater, in a gorge with no road along it, ending on the plains.
You launch three hours east of Kathmandu and take out eight days later near the Indian border. In between there are named rapids — Meat Grinder, Jaws, Rhino Rock — long calm stretches through terraced hillsides, and a beach camp every night with a fire and a kitchen.
- 270 km of river with no road access for eight days
- Grade IV rapids including Harkapur, Jaws and Rhino Rock
- Beach camps on white sand, with a fire every night
- A swiftwater-certified guide team and a safety kayaker throughout
The essentials
- Duration
- 9 days
- Highest point
- River level
- Group size
- Max 12
- Style
- Rafting expedition
- Starts and ends
- Kathmandu to Kathmandu
- Best season
- Oct–Nov · Apr–May
- Accommodation
- 7 nights camping on river beaches, 1 night in a Kathmandu hotel
- Meals
- All meals, cooked on the beach by the river crew
- Transport
- Private vehicle to the put-in, flight from Biratnagar
- Permits
- Kanchenjunga restricted-area permit + conservation area entry
The shape of the journey
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
When to walk it
April to May and October to November. The east catches the monsoon early and hard.
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
- Prime
- Shoulder
- Closed
Day by day
9 days, as they are actually walked. Your guide may reorder a day for weather — that is the point of having one.
-
1
Kathmandu briefing
River safety session, wetsuit and PFD fitting, dry-bag packing, and a very early night.
- 1,400 m
- Kathmandu hotel
- Dinner
-
2
Drive to Dolalghat, first river day
Three hours east to the put-in, rigging, a warm-up session on flat water, then 20 km downstream to the first beach.
- 620 m
- 20 km
- 3 hr on river
- Beach camp
- All meals
-
3
Into the gorge
The river tightens and the first serious rapids arrive — Meat Grinder and Punch and Judy back to back.
- 560 m
- 35 km
- 5 hr on river
- Beach camp
- All meals
-
4
Harkapur day
The biggest water of the trip. Both Harkapur rapids are scouted from the bank before anyone runs them.
- 480 m
- 32 km
- 6 hr on river
- Beach camp
- All meals
-
5
Rest day and side walk
A slow morning, laundry on the rocks, and a walk up to a hillside village for the view back down the gorge.
- 480 m
- 3 hr walk
- Beach camp
- All meals
-
6
Jaws and Dead Man's Eddy
A long river day with two of the most technical rapids, and a lunch stop on a sandbar in the middle of the river.
- 380 m
- 40 km
- 6 hr on river
- Beach camp
- All meals
-
7
The Dudh Koshi confluence
Volume nearly doubles where the Dudh Koshi comes in, and the rapids change character completely.
- 300 m
- 42 km
- 6 hr on river
- Beach camp
- All meals
-
8
Rhino Rock to the plains
The last big rapid, then the gorge opens and the river spreads out across the Terai. Final beach camp with a proper fire.
- 180 m
- 48 km
- 6 hr on river
- Beach camp
- All meals
-
9
Take-out and fly to Kathmandu
Derig at Chatara, drive to Biratnagar, and an afternoon flight back to the city.
- 1,400 m
- 25 km
- 3 hr on river
- Breakfast, lunch
Is this trip for you?
No paddling experience required, but you need to be able to swim, hold onto a rope, and get back into a raft. Eight days of camping with no road access.
What is included
Included
- Swiftwater-certified lead guide, raft guides and a safety kayaker
- All rafting equipment, wetsuits, PFDs, helmets and dry bags
- All camping equipment including tents, mats and a toilet tent
- All meals from the put-in to the take-out, cooked on the beach
- Private vehicle to Dolalghat and to Biratnagar airport
- Biratnagar–Kathmandu flight
- River permits and one night in a Kathmandu hotel
Not included
- International flights and Nepal visa
- Travel insurance covering whitewater rafting
- Personal sleeping bag (hire available)
- Drinks and tips for the river crew
What to bring
- Sleeping bag rated to 5 °C — beach nights are mild
- Quick-dry shorts and river shoes with a heel strap
- Sun shirt with long sleeves — eight days of reflected glare
- Sun hat with a retaining cord
- Sunglasses with a strap
- Head torch
- Two sets of dry camp clothes
- Reef-safe sun protection, more than you think
Demo photography, from the region rather than this departure. Every image is CC0 or public domain.
Departures
20% deposit confirms your place. Balance due 45 days before departure.
| Dates | Availability | Price | Book |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Oct – 26 Oct 2026 | Places open | $1,260 | |
| 8 Nov – 16 Nov 2026 | Few places left · 3 left | $1,260 | |
| 11 Apr – 19 Apr 2027 | Places open | $1,210 | |
| 2 May – 10 May 2027 | Places open | $1,210 |
Your guide
Guide profiles are fictional. The photographs beside them show the terrain each guide works in — they do not depict the people described.
What travellers said
★ 4.9 from 51 fictional demo reviews.
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★★★★★
Eight days, no roads
I did not see a vehicle for a week. Sunita's crew ran the whole thing like a machine and still had time to teach me to paddle properly.
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★★★★★
Harkapur
Scouted from the bank for twenty minutes, ran it in ninety seconds, talked about it for three days.
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★★★★★
The beach camps
Fire, stars, a cook producing curry on a sandbar in the middle of a river. Better than any lodge I stayed in that month.
Things to know
Do I need rafting experience?
No. Most people on each departure have never held a paddle. The day-two session covers commands, positions and what to do if you swim, and the first two river days build up gradually.
What happens if someone falls out?
It happens, usually in Harkapur or Jaws, and it is generally the highlight of somebody's trip. A safety kayaker runs every rapid and the throw-bag drill is practised on day two.
Is there any way to leave the river early?
Not easily. There is no road along the gorge for the first six days. This is a genuine commitment, which is part of why it is worth doing.
October or April?
October and November have higher, faster water straight after the monsoon. April and May are warmer with lower flows and more technical rapids. Both are excellent; October is more dramatic.
You might also consider
Close relatives.
Same region or same spirit, different commitment.
Not quite right?
We will build it around you.
Different dates, a shorter version, a family pace or a route that is not on this site. Private departures start at the same price as scheduled ones.