Marsyandi River Rafting

The MARSYANDI is the mother of all rivers in terms of technicality. In the local dialect, it means the ‘raging one’ and rage it does! It is steep, powerful, and not to be underestimated. It has some of the wildest commercially run white water in the world. This river has a reputation amongst rafters as one of the best due to both the intensity of the rapids and the awe-inspiring mountain scenery. Unlike some of the lower rivers, the MARSYANDI is usually a clear turquoise blue. The rapids wrap themselves around weirdly sculptured boulders and flow beneath impossible undercuts as the river drops down out of the Annapurna. If you ever see a group of wizened river rats drowning in a bar you may hear the MARSHYANGDI described as an Adrenaline overload, Most beautiful river I have ever done, Orgasmic, a Jewel of a river or Liquid madness!

It may be a dream whitewater run, but it is a logistical nightmare. Even still, our guides fight amongst themselves for the honor of running it. The huge boulders require instinctive and expert river reading skills to identify the right lines. The rapids are so continuous and technical that we run the rafts empty for greater maneuverability. In true Nepali style, we employ porters to carry our gear. Don’t worry; we still manage to squeeze on board our extensive first aid kit and the exceptional Drift Nepal lunch box.