Rafting the Ganga: what a first trip is like

The Ganga above Rishikesh runs fast through a forested valley, with rapids that are exciting without being frightening on the shorter stretches. Most first-timers book a half-day trip and wish it had been longer.

Choosing a stretch

Trips are named by where they start upstream. The shortest finish in a couple of hours; the longer ones from Shivpuri and beyond take most of a morning and pass rapids with names like Roller Coaster and Golf Course. Operators collect you in town and drive you to the start.

The season

Rafting usually runs from September to June and stops for the monsoon, when the river rises too high to run safely. The water is coldest early and late in the season.

Safety

Choose a licensed operator, wear the helmet and life jacket you are given, and listen to the safety talk before you launch. A guide steers each raft and tells you when to paddle and when to hold on.

What to bring

• Clothes that dry fast, and a change for afterwards.
• Sandals with a strap, or old trainers.
• Sunscreen; the river reflects a lot of light.
• Nothing you would mind getting wet.

Many trips stop at a sandy beach for a cliff jump or a swim in a calm stretch, if the guide judges the water safe.