River Rafting, 35 km · Kaudiyala to Rishikesh
The big one: 35 km down the Ganga from Kaudiyala to Rishikesh, through twelve rapids up to Grade IV. A full morning on the water.
Overview
This is the longest commercial rafting stretch on the Ganga near Rishikesh: 35 km from Kaudiyala down to town, roughly 28 km of it actually on the water, through around twelve rapids graded III to IV. It is the trip for people who want the real thing, not the short beginner stretch. The water does the talking. You drop through named rapids, The Wall, Daniel's Dip, Three Blind Mice, Roller Coaster and more, with calmer green stretches in between where you can body surf beside the raft or take the cliff jump if you're up for it. Big, cold, alive Himalayan water. It suits reasonably fit, confident swimmers who want a proper adventure morning. If you've never rafted, that's fine, the guide briefs you fully, but this is Grade III to IV, so come for the challenge, not a gentle float.
- 35 km, the longest run
- 12 rapids, up to Grade IV
- The Wall (Grade IV)
- Body surf & a cliff jump
Your day on the water, stage by stage
The hike, stage by stage, in the same shape as our package itineraries: what you do, in order, with a line on each part and what is and isn't included.
- ~ 9:00 AM · pickup Included
Collected in Tapovan
Your taxi collects you in Tapovan (Tapovan to Tapovan transport is included) for the drive upriver.
- ~ 1 hr drive Included
Up to Kaudiyala
About an hour along the Ganga to Kaudiyala, the put-in point and the start of the long run.
- Before you launch Included
Safety briefing & gear
Around thirty minutes to fit your life jacket, helmet and paddle, and a full safety briefing from your guide: commands, what to do in the water, how to hold the paddle.
- On the water Included
Into the rapids
You put in and start dropping through the rapids, Grade III and III+ warm-ups building to The Wall, the Grade IV that can flip a raft. Your guide calls every move.
The stages are in order. We haven't fixed exact clock times to each: the day is built around you, so your host confirms the start time and the plan with you. BMR is timing the full route on the ground.
Your route
A Tapovan-to-Tapovan loop: collected in Tapovan, driven about an hour up to Kaudiyala, then roughly 28 km of rafting down the Ganga through twelve rapids (Grade III to IV) to the take-out at Neem Beach, before the taxi back to Tapovan. This is a partner operation; the river grades and rapid names are theirs, and conditions change with the water level and season.
- 1Tapovan (pickup)Start
- 2Kaudiyala (put-in)
- 3Neem Beach (take-out)
- 4Back to Tapovan (drop)End
Good to know
Before you go
This is big water
It is graded III to IV, and The Wall can flip a raft. That is the point of this run, but it is not a gentle float. Be comfortable in moving water and up for a physical morning.
Who can, and can't
Ages 15 to 55, roughly 40 to 100 kg, and in good health. If you have a heart condition, have had bypass surgery, have epilepsy or severe asthma, this trip is not for you. Tell us honestly at booking.
What you'll wear
Quick-drying clothes you can move in, shorts and a T-shirt or similar. No saris, skirts or loose robes on the water. Bring a full change of dry clothes for after.
The season and the water
It runs mid-September to end of June. Rapid size changes with the water level, so no two days are identical, and the trip can be paused for unsafe conditions.
Give the day room
It is about six hours door to door, and Rishikesh weekend traffic can add time, so keep the afternoon loose.
What's included
- Tapovan to Tapovan transport (to the Kaudiyala put-in, and back from Neem Beach)
- All rafting gear: imported life jacket, helmet, paddle, and a wet suit in winter
- A trained rafting guide in your boat
- A safety kayaker on the river throughout
- A snack and a drink on the riverside
- Your BMR host coordinating the day
Confirmed when you book.
What's not included
- The rafting video (Rs. 2,000 per raft, split between the boat)
- Personal expenses
- Personal clothing and dry bags
What to bring
- Quick-drying clothes to raft in (shorts and a T-shirt)
- A full change of dry clothes and a towel
- Secured footwear (strapped sandals, not flip-flops)
- Sun protection
- A little cash for the video or a snack
Run with a licensed river team
This is a partner trip we stand behind: it runs with a licensed local rafting company, with a professional guide in every boat and a safety kayaker on the water the whole way. The gear is proper, imported life jackets and helmets, and your BMR host sorts the booking, the pickup and the day around you.
A licensed partner, not a random boat
It runs with a licensed local rafting company, with a trained guide in your raft and a safety kayaker on the river throughout.
Proper gear, sorted for you
Imported life jackets and helmets, paddles, and a wet suit in the colder months, all included, all fitted before you get on the water.
The honest bits, first
The real grade, who can and can't do it, the age and weight limits, and what the day actually costs. Before you book, not after.
One host, start to finish
The same BMR host handles the booking, the Tapovan pickup and the day, so you just turn up ready to paddle.
Common questions
Is it safe? I've never rafted.
First-timers do this run all the time. Every boat has a trained guide who briefs you fully before you launch, and a safety kayaker follows the whole trip. That said, it is Grade III to IV big water, so you should be reasonably fit and comfortable in moving water.
How big are the rapids?
Around twelve rapids, graded III to IV. The standout is The Wall, a Grade IV that can occasionally flip a raft. There are calmer green stretches in between to catch your breath, swim and body surf.
Do I need to know how to swim?
You don't have to be a strong swimmer, but you should be comfortable in water. You'll be in a fitted life jacket and helmet the whole time, and the guide tells you exactly what to do if you go in.
Who can't do this trip?
It's for ages 15 to 55, roughly 40 to 100 kg, in good health. It is not suitable for anyone with a heart condition, past bypass surgery, epilepsy or severe asthma. Please tell us at booking.
Is the car included?
Yes. Tapovan to Tapovan transport is included, both ways: you're collected in Tapovan, driven up to Kaudiyala, and after you come off the water at Neem Beach you're driven back to Tapovan.
When does it run?
Daily in season, mid-September to the end of June, departing around 9:00 AM. It's paused when the water is unsafe.