Pashupatinath temple roofs in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Krishna Mandir and Garuda column in Patan, Nepal.
Krishna Mandir and Garuda column in Patan, Nepal.
Pashupatinath temple roofs in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Boudhanath stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Prayer wheel in Patan, Nepal.
Swayambhunath stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Nepal Rafting Tour: Trishuli River and Kathmandu route map

5 DaysEasy

5-Day Nepal Rafting Tour: Trishuli River & Kathmandu

From $1,375 per person

  • Next departure Mar 15, 2027
  • Join a group of up to 10, or go private. Large groups welcome.
Duration
5 Days
Best season
Spring & Autumn
Max altitude
1,400m (4,593ft)
Difficulty
Easy

Easy: sightseeing, short walks and gentle hill trails, or a first rafting trip. Nights below 3,000 m (10,000 ft).

Ask about this tripSee dates & prices

We reply within one business day. No payment to ask.
Sherpa guides
Permits & logistics included
Private trips available
Altitude safety expertise
A US company, paid in dollars
Ask about this trip

Five days on the Trishuli River and in Kathmandu, with no high altitude involved.

The Kali Gandaki runs between two of the ten highest mountains in the world, and the Dudh Koshi drains the glaciers below Everest, but the Trishuli is the river most people actually get to know. It starts two hours from Kathmandu and takes you through real Himalayan gorges without three weeks of travel and a permit.

Hindu tradition holds that the Trishuli rose from three springs Lord Shiva made by driving his trident into the ground at Gosaikunda, and the river carries that story through the foothills before it joins the larger rivers of the plains. Its name means trident. The water runs green through subtropical forest, narrows through deep rock gorges, and opens into rapids that need your full attention.

This five-day trip pairs two days in the Kathmandu Valley with two days on the water and one night camped on a private beach, where the only sound is the river. It is for people who want the Himalaya without a multi-week commitment, and in the right season it is one of the most enjoyable things you can do in Nepal.

Road travel, rafting, wildlife activities and travel in remote places carry risks of illness, injury and death. Experienced staff, briefings and equipment reduce risk but cannot eliminate it. Your itinerary identifies your guide team, including Sherpa guides on Himalayan routes, and the support and equipment included.

SherpaHolidays Terms and Conditions SH-TC-2026-10-14. Your accepted booking version and mandatory rights remain in effect.

5 Days on the Water and in the Valley

Days 1 to 2  |  Arrival and Kathmandu

Land at Tribhuvan International Airport and transfer to your hotel in the city. Day Two is a full day in the Kathmandu Valley, visiting the UNESCO heritage sites while our team finalizes your river permits: old temple complexes, sacred Buddhist stupas, and quiet courtyards carved in dark wood.

Day 3  |  Into the Trishuli Gorge

Drive from Kathmandu to the put-in at Charaudi and start down the river. In autumn the Trishuli still runs full and fast after the monsoon, and in spring it runs lower, fed by snowmelt from the ranges above. After the safety briefing you pick up a paddle and run your first rapid by mid-morning. Lunch is on a gravel beach, and by evening you reach a private tented camp, where you can hear the river all night from your tent.

Day 4  |  Upset, Surprise, and Back to Kathmandu

The second day on the water is the one people talk about afterward. The gorge deepens and the rapids get serious. Upset and Surprise are the two with names, because they have histories; both are Class III to III+, and both are best run with a well-briefed team and a guide who has run them before. The landscape gets wilder as the river cuts deeper into the hills. Return to Kathmandu by evening.

Day 5  |  Final Morning and Departure

A slow last morning in Thamel for coffee, a final walk through the market, and anything you need before the airport. Then a private transfer to Tribhuvan International for your departure.

Day by Day

Day 1  Arrival in Kathmandu  The Sherpa Welcome

Your representative meets you at Tribhuvan International Airport with a traditional Sherpa welcome and takes you to your premium hotel in the city. The rest of the day is yours. Thamel is a five-minute walk from most central hotels and worth a wander: a crowded quarter of gear shops, bookstores, Tibetan carpet sellers, and restaurants that has been the starting point for Himalayan expeditions since the 1970s.

Stay: Kathmandu Hotel

Day 2  Kathmandu Sightseeing  A Walk Through History

The Kathmandu Valley has been continuously inhabited for over 1,500 years and has seven UNESCO-listed monument zones within about a 15-kilometer radius. Today is a proper introduction. At Swayambhunath, the Monkey Temple on its hilltop above the city, the painted eyes of the Buddha look out over the valley from the stupa's white dome. Pashupatinath Temple, on the banks of the Bagmati River, is the most sacred Hindu site in Nepal and one of the most important Shiva shrines in the world. Boudhanath, the great white stupa, is the heart of Nepal's Tibetan Buddhist community. Patan Durbar Square, the historic center of Lalitpur, has 17th-century stone temples and royal palace courtyards. While you are in the city, our team confirms your river permits, watches the water levels, and briefs the safety crew. Tomorrow you head for the river.

Stay: Kathmandu Hotel

Day 3  Into the Trishuli Gorge  The First Descent

Leave Kathmandu on the Prithvi Highway, which follows the Trishuli River valley west through terraced hills and small market towns. The drive to the put-in at Charaudi takes about two hours and gives you your first views of the river from above, green and wide and moving fast. At the bank you get a full safety briefing on paddle technique, river commands, self-rescue, and what to do if you come out of the raft. Life jackets, helmets, and dry bags for valuables are provided. Then comes the first rapid, and the next, and you settle into the rhythm of the river. Lunch is on a gravel beach halfway through the run, cooked by the support crew, who have gone ahead by road. By late afternoon the rafts pull in to a private sandy beach where the camp is already up, with tents, a fire, and dinner on the way. You can hear the Trishuli from every tent all night.

Stay: Private Tented Beach Camp

Day 4  The Adrenaline Reach  Conquering the Rapids

Breakfast by the river as the mist lifts off the water, then back in the rafts for the second, harder day on the Trishuli. The gorge narrows here and the river picks up speed. Upset is the rapid that catches people off guard: a high-volume drop with a powerful hydraulic at the base that tests every paddler's technique. Surprise earns its name with a blind corner that opens into a technical sequence, with no time to adjust once you are in it. Both rapids are Class III to III+. The landscape on this section is wild, with dense subtropical forest, waterfalls on the gorge walls after rain, and kingfishers and river eagles overhead. The run ends in the afternoon, and the vehicles take the group back to Kathmandu in time for a proper dinner and a night in a real bed.

Stay: Kathmandu Hotel

Day 5  Final Reflection and Departure

The last morning in Nepal is yours. Thamel is good for coffee and an unhurried last wander: the carpet shops, the thangka galleries, and the secondhand bookstore that always seems to have the book you wanted. Then a private transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport in time for your departure.

Stay: International Departure

The Sherpa Standard

Every SherpaHolidays trip is fully supported. Here is what that means on this one.

Accommodation and Meals

  • Kathmandu: Premium hotels on a bed-and-breakfast basis.
  • Beach Camp: One night of private tented camping on a riverside beach, with high-quality sleeping gear.
  • River Meals: All meals on the rafting days: breakfast, a riverside lunch, and dinner at camp, cooked fresh by the support crew.
  • Airport Welcome: Traditional welcome garlands and a full trip orientation when you arrive.

Leadership and Logistics

  • Lead Guide: An experienced, English-speaking river lead.
  • Paddle Guides: Professional guides in every raft, experienced on the Trishuli in all conditions.
  • Safety Kayakers: Dedicated safety kayakers following every raft for the whole run.
  • Support Crew: Camp staff and cooks who go ahead of the rafts and handle all riverside logistics.
  • Technical Gear: International-standard self-bailing rafts, life jackets, helmets, and dry bags for your valuables.

Transport and Logistics

  • Private Transfers: All airport pickups and drop-offs and all ground travel in private air-conditioned vehicles.
  • Permits and Fees: All river permits, local government taxes, and sightseeing entrance fees.


What Is Not Included

  • International airfare to and from Kathmandu
  • Nepal entry visa fees
  • Personal lunches and dinners in Kathmandu
  • Personal swimwear, river footwear, and medications
  • Comprehensive travel insurance, which is a condition of every booking. Your policy must cover emergency medical treatment, emergency evacuation, trip cancellation and interruption, and repatriation. We can recommend providers.
  • Tips for river guides, safety kayakers, and support staff
  • Single supplement (for those taking a private room)

Five Highlights

Autumn High Water

In the weeks after the monsoon the Trishuli still runs high. The waves are bigger and the current is faster, and the extra volume makes every rapid more demanding than the same stretch in spring, when the water is lower.

The Green Gorge

Subtropical forest lines the Trishuli gorge, thick and layered, and the river cuts through it green and fast. Water, forest, and rock together make one of the most striking landscapes in Nepal.

Upset and Surprise

These two rapids have names for a reason. Upset is a high-volume drop with a hydraulic at the base that punishes poor paddle timing. Surprise turns a blind corner into a technical sequence with no warning. Both are Class III to III+ at normal levels and harder in high water, and a good guide walks the team through each one in detail before you go in.

The Beach Camp

You spend one night on a private sandy beach, where the support crew has set up camp before you arrive: a fire, dinner, and the sound of the Trishuli in the dark, with no road noise, no city lights, and no schedule until morning. Most guests say it is the night they remember longest.

The Kathmandu Valley

Two days in a city that has been a crossroads for traders, pilgrims, and mountaineers for over a thousand years, with seven UNESCO-listed monument zones within a 15-kilometer radius. The valley and the river make a good pair.

Travel dates

The deposit is part of the total price, not an additional fee.

  • March 15 – 19, 2027 Available
    $1,375 per person
  • April 15 – 19, 2027 Available
    $1,375 per person
  • October 1 – 5, 2027 Available
    $1,375 per person

Scheduled departure deposit: $500 per person for bookings more than 90 days before departure

Private journey deposit: 30% of the trip price for bookings more than 90 days before departure

Final balance: Due 90 days before departure. Bookings made 90 days or fewer before departure are paid in full at booking.

Our conditions promise: A qualifying Nepal advisory change or trek-region closure within 60 days of departure lets you move dates free or take full credit for 24 months.

Scheduled departures: No minimum group size

SherpaHolidays Terms and Conditions SH-TC-2026-10-14. Your accepted booking version and mandatory rights remain in effect.

Questions about this trip?

Ask Sam or Gyalgin

We reply within one business day. No payment, no commitment.

Loading the inquiry form…

This is an inquiry, not a booking. Nothing is charged here.

  • Within one business day We reply within one business day.
  • Then A call, if you would like one.
  • When you are ready A deposit holds your place.

Or talk to us directly:

+1 (855) 743-7725 info@sherpaholidays.com

Things guests ask before booking

Straight answers about booking, payment and how we run every trip.

  • It is rated easy. The named rapids, Upset and Surprise, are Class III to III+. Before your first rapid, the guides give a safety briefing, and a professional guide sits in every raft.

  • Two days. You drive from Kathmandu to the put-in at Charaudi on Day 3, raft to a tented camp on a riverside beach for one night, and raft the bigger rapids on Day 4 before returning to Kathmandu that evening.

  • A professional guide in every raft, and safety kayakers following every raft for the whole run. Self-bailing rafts, life jackets, helmets and dry bags for your valuables are provided.

  • All meals on the rafting days are included. In Kathmandu, breakfast is included at the hotel and lunch and dinner are on your own. Bring your own swimwear, river footwear and any medications.

  • Groups of up to 10, or private for your own group. Scheduled group dates have no minimum, so they run with any number of guests. Large groups welcome.

  • The deposit is part of the total price, not an additional fee. A scheduled booking made more than 90 days before departure requires $500 per person. A private journey booked more than 90 days before departure requires 30% of the trip price. The balance is due 90 days before departure. At 90 days or fewer, full payment is due at booking. Your disclosure and invoice state the exact amounts and dates.

    Once your deposit is received, your price is locked except for government taxes, park fees or levies introduced after that date. We tell you in writing as soon as we learn of one and identify its amount and basis. A different route, hotel upgrade or optional activity is not an automatic extra charge; any additional cost requires your agreement before it is booked.

    SherpaHolidays Terms and Conditions SH-TC-2026-10-14. Your accepted booking version and mandatory rights remain in effect.

  • Scheduled departure deposit
    $500 per person for bookings more than 90 days before departure

    Private journey deposit
    30% of the trip price for bookings more than 90 days before departure

    Final balance
    Due 90 days before departure. Bookings made 90 days or fewer before departure are paid in full at booking.

    You cancel 90 or more days before departure
    Your deposit becomes credit toward any SherpaHolidays trip for 24 months. Payments above the deposit are refunded, subject only to a specific supplier exception disclosed and accepted before payment.

    You cancel 89 to 60 days before departure
    Cancellation charge: 50% of the total trip price

    You cancel 59 to 46 days before departure
    Cancellation charge: 75% of the total trip price

    You cancel 45 days or fewer before departure
    Cancellation charge: 100% of the total trip price. No refund.

    Our conditions promise
    A qualifying Nepal advisory change or trek-region closure within 60 days of departure lets you move dates free or take full credit for 24 months.

    We cancel or cannot provide contracted services
    Refunds for services not provided as required by California law. An alternative or credit is your choice, not a required substitute.

    Scheduled departures
    No minimum group size

    The traveler-cancellation table does not remove our conditions promise, rights under an already accepted booking, or refunds and other rights required by law.

    If the US State Department raises Nepal to Level 3 or higher, or your trek region is closed, within 60 days of departure, you can move your dates free or take full credit toward any SherpaHolidays trip for 24 months. This applies instead of the normal traveler-cancellation charges, including the 45-day rule and any supplier cancellation exception.

    Full credit means the payments you made for the affected trip, not only the deposit. We record the trigger and your choice in writing. The credit follows Section 4's use and validity terms. A free date move has no change fee; we disclose any price difference for the replacement trip before you decide. The promise does not replace a cash refund owed when we cancel or cannot provide contracted services.

    SherpaHolidays Terms and Conditions SH-TC-2026-10-14. Your accepted booking version and mandatory rights remain in effect.

  • Comprehensive travel insurance is a condition of every booking. Your policy must cover emergency medical treatment, emergency evacuation, trip cancellation and interruption, and repatriation. Confirm with your insurer that it covers your itinerary's activities and maximum altitude, including technical climbing, rafting, helicopter evacuation and search and rescue where applicable. Provide proof before departure. Consider obtaining cover when you book because some benefits have purchase deadlines.

    We are not your insurer. Receiving your documents is not a determination of coverage and does not guarantee payment of a claim. Medical and evacuation providers may require payment in advance. Keep insurer emergency details available during your trip.

    SherpaHolidays Terms and Conditions SH-TC-2026-10-14. Your accepted booking version and mandatory rights remain in effect.

  • Yes. Any departure can run privately on your dates, and we adjust pace, accommodation and rest days around you. If you want a different route entirely, we plan custom itineraries from scratch.

  • Guides from our own Sherpa team lead every trip in Nepal. Beyond Nepal we work with trusted local partners we have known for years, so there is always someone beside you who knows the ground well.

  • The Sherpa Standard section on this page lists everything included on this trip, from guides and permits to lodges and meals. International flights and travel insurance are the main things you arrange yourself.

Guest reviews

What guests say

5.0 average from 5 Google reviews
Read them on Google
I recently took a trip to Nepal and was met with wonderful service by the staff and amazing tours with the Sherpa guides. The cultural tours were by far my favorite. Highly recommend!!
Avin Fatehi
Took a trip to Nepal for 10 days and got an amazing tour of the area! Great people, great places 10/10 would go again 🔥🔥
Kevin Ye
I found Sherpa Holidays when I was looking to do the 23 days Annapurna circuit trek and they not only made me a custom itinerary to fit my needs, but they also made the entire process seamless. Highly recommend Sherpa Holidays for anyone looking to head to Nepal!
Justin Zhang
The staff were easy to communicate with and I had a wonderful trip.
Jack Cavada

Reviews shown as published on our Google profile.