Rafting
Nepal has earned a reputation as one of the best destinations in the world for white water rafting. Nepal's thundering waters, coming from the glaciers of the mighty Himalayas, provide unlatching thrills for rafting and immersing oneself in the landscape.
Rivers are graded on a scale of one to six, with one being a swimming pool and six a one-way ticket to your maker. Four is considered to be quite challenging without being exceedingly dangerous to the novice rafter. Five requires some previous river experience. Here are some of the popular rafting trips:
The Trisuli River (Grade 3+) is one of the most popular, if not the favorite, of Nepal's raftable rivers. Due to its proximity to Kathmandu and the easy road access which accompanies it, most rafting companies offer trips on the Trisuli. Rafters for the first time experience plenty of excitements. Many choose to incorporate a ride down with Trisuli, they prefer either a trip to Pokhara or to the Royal Chitwan National Park.
The Kali Gandaki (4 - 4+) winds through remote canyons and deep gorges for five days of intense rapids among gorgeous wilderness and mountain views. The run flows 120 km and its challenges are continuous. Trips on the Kali Gandaki begin and end in Pokhara and offer an exciting alternative to the Trisuli.
The Bhote Koshi (4 - 5) is worth special mention. It is a two-day run of pure adrenaline located only three hours from Kathmandu. Twenty-six km of continuous white water soaks rafters as they shoot through a veritable maze of canyons and boulders. Little more than a swimsuit is needed for Chips one.
The Raging Marshyangdi (4 - 5) is a relative newcomer in this group. The Marshyangdi run is four days of uninterrupted white water. Flowing through the gorges of the Annapurnas, it runs sandwiched between 52 km of boiling foam and towering peaks. Trips on the Marshyangdi start from Pokhara.
The Karnali River (4 - 5) is the longest and largest river in far west of Nepal. A two-day trek from Surkhet to the Terai is required to get to the banks of the river. The next 90 km are spent flying through spectacular landscapes and narrow gorges and down some of the most challenging rapids in the world. For the remaining 90 km, the scenery and wildlife are the main attraction, as is the abundance of fish The wilderness is uninterrupted by human habitations during the most of this trip.
The Sun Koshi (4 - 5) is Nepal's second offering for expedition rafting. With a put-in only three hours from Kathmandu, it is more easily accessible than Karnali while nevertheless offering an incredible stretch of exhilarating white water. The run is 270 km and requires 8-10 days to complete with road access only at the beginning and end. On the third day rapids reach the upper 4 classifications and the remainder of the trip is consistently intense - the white water stays white until the very end.
Hot Air Ballooning
To look up into the sky and see the towers of the Himalayas is awe-inspiring and certainly a valid and popular reason to come to Nepal. To walk among those mountains is more wonderful still. But to glide silently among them, this is perhaps the most thrilling of all. The adventure of hot air ballooning is now available in Kathmandu
Mountain Flight
Only awe-stricken silence can come close to matching the experience of going on a mountain flight to encounter the tallest mountains on this earth. No wonder mountain fly-bys have become a popular tourist attraction in Nepal.
Mountain flights appeal to all categories of travelers. For those who are restricted by time or other considerations from going trekking, these flights offer a panoramic view of the Himalayas in just one hour. Even those visitors who like the rigors of a trek still don't miss the opportunity to "conquer" the mountains in one fell swoop.
Travelers take off from Kathmandu in the early morning for an hour of spectacular mountain scenery. As the aircraft lifts up and heads towards the east, passengers don't have to wait too long to find out what's stored for them. There they are – the mountains, as they always have been.
MNBC Nepal’s Special Package
Village Special (3 nights / 4 days)
MNBC Nepal Special is a village tour combined with trekking. We can consider it special because so far no tour operators in Nepal have done it and it offers the most rewarding present and historical perspective on Nepali village life and the agricultural subsistence system. In this tour we fly the clients by helicopter to an area called Athrai in the Eastern Nepal Middle Hill region. It is located in the backdrop of Kanchanjunga Range and provides the most spectacular scenery in a most unspoilt region of Nepal. The most suitable time for this tour is between the months of December – April.
Botanical Packages
The wild Rhododendron blossoms in Nepal are incomparable to any parts of the world. Flowering begins from mid March at low altitude (2000 m) till July at Alpine Zone. The best places to view Rhododendron flowers in Nepal are Milke Danda, Gufa Pokhari in the east, Ryangboche, Pheriche and Gokyo Valley in the Everest region in the central Nepal and Ghorepani in the Annapurna region in the West. There are specific periods to see these flowers. In mid March, the Rhododendron can be seen in blossom in the ridges around Kathmandu, such as Phulchowki, Nagarkot (not in abundance). In April, Milke Danda is considered to be the best place to see many varieties of blossom in abundance. It is the most exciting and best place to be during the blooming period.
In May, Syangboche and Khumjung are places to see high altitude rhododendron. In mid time – the bush type alpine rhododendron, are found in blossom in Pheriche and Gokyo Valley.
If you wish to see just one variety of Rhododendrons in blossom, then it is Ghorepani in Annapurna region to visit in mid April.
In addition to Rhododendron, Primula flowering at Langtang Valley, north of Kathmandu offers an opportunity to view a natural botanical garden in its grandest setting. The best period for that is mid June to July. Even during the monsoon season, Primula flowering at Langtang Valley is considered as one of the natural “wonders” in Nepal.
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