A Chance to Float on the River Ganga – Rafting in Rishikesh

Why Rishikesh is Special

Rishikesh, a tiny town in the Dehradun district of Uttarakhand state, is a famous religiously important place due to the presence of the River Ganga, along with the stories of its connection with Lord Rama and Lakshmana. Two suspension bridges across the River Ganga also have their own name in the map of tourism, as it is believed that Lord Rama and Lakshmana used such bridges to cross the river when they came to Rishikesh to do penance for killing a Brahmin. This town always looks busy with a lot of people in its narrow streets, as it is close to Haridwar, another famous religious place of Hindus, where thousands of devotees visit daily.

Rishikesh, with its proximity to Delhi at a distance of 250 kms through a well-laid highway, is also always buzzing not only with devotees but also with youngsters. It is due to water sports activities, especially river rafting in the famous river, that many of them are thronging to this place.

Apart from rafting, other adventurous activities like backpacking, kayaking, mountain biking, rock climbing, and rappelling are also added attractions for tourists in this small but beautiful place.

A Divine Trip Turned into Excitement in Water

The sight of rafters in the river was tempting enough for us, too, on a casual morning trip from Haridwar to Rishikesh. When someone has a thought of such activities, the agents spread across many places ensure that they won’t get a chance for a second thought to drop that plan. They explain everything in detail and how much fun it is. They will also help with booking arrangements, which were made in an office available in the parking place where we parked the car.

For those who are unheard of it, rafting is using an air-filled (inflated) boat to travel in a river from upstream to downstream. A group of 8 to 10 people can travel in one boat, or raft, as it is known. The booking office will arrange the transportation to the upstream side of the river, depending on the package one chooses, as there are mainly two locations from where the rafting starts. One is a 12 km journey and the other is 16 km. As per the people associated with rafting, the four-kilometre stretch of river in the upstream is a bit dangerous for elderly people and kids, hence they won’t take them to that point for the 16 km rafting.

A Blacktop Road Between the Himalayas and the River Ganga

We, a group of 8 people, were taken to the 16 km starting point with a raft tied on top of the vehicle. The beauty of this hilly place was another thing that captured our attention on the trip. This place belongs to a special state among others in India, known as the Land of Gods, and is so blessed by nature with splendid Himalayas and other mountains.

Almost 80 per cent of the state is covered by mountains and hills, along with divine rivers as per Hindu mythology, such as the Ganga, Saraswati, and Bhageerathi. The sight of mountains with forests on one side and the River Ganga with rafters flowing in the stream on the other side looked wonderful and was a feast for the eyes.

The location where we got down to start our rafting was so crowded with vehicles, inflated rafts, and hundreds of people, mostly youngsters, wearing uniform-coloured attire with life jackets, which are mandatory during rafting.

Peaceful Divinity at the Riverbank Before the Action

At the starting point of rafting, which was a few meters walkable distance down from the road level, the sight of the River Ganga originating from the Himalayan glaciers around 250 kms away and flowing through the Land of Gods towards Rishikesh and Haridwar brought some divine feeling, even though we were there for an entertainment activity.

The few minutes spent on the riverbank until the rafting guides brought our raft and made everything ready for us to sit inside were worth it, with views of the river, mountains, and the rush caused by many rafts and rafters making arrangements to start the rafting.

We were briefed by the guide about how to hold the paddle and how to make perfect movements for synchronisation once all were seated in a proper arrangement on both sides for balancing the raft. The river ahead appeared to have no consistent profile, either in terms of width, shape, or flow intensity. We moved along with other rafters slowly, and the initial concern of whether this first-time experience of rafting would turn out to be dangerous or safe faded away with the excitement of the raft’s movement.

Rafting Through Tides Like Ripples in the River

By the time we were thinking about what more excitement was next, the raft reached a place where the flow was so intense and high, like waves in the sea. The raft moved up and down for some time. The irregular movement of the flow of the river created ripples and splashes of water, making everyone wet.

The awesome beauty of this place kept changing along with the movement of the raft, like different portraits carved by nature for this special place. The mountain ranges on both sides, between which the River Ganga flows, showed nature at its best, except for the man-made road running at several feet above the river on both sides. The guide was recording the entire rafting experience using a GoPro camera fitted on his helmet, on a chargeable basis.

The local guide controlling the raft made the moments fun by sharing details about the river and the locations where hidden dangers existed. He frequently shouted instructions on when to paddle and when to stop. He also ensured photographs were taken individually and in groups at different locations, apart from recording the video.

Ganga at Peace – Everyone Inside the River

The most interesting part of the rafting was yet to come. The guide came to each one of us and tightened the jacket straps. Suddenly, he told everyone to get ready to jump into the river when the raft reached a peaceful stretch. It was a real surprise, especially knowing that people who don’t even know how to swim could also experience it. He suggested entering the river by diving, jumping, or even slowly sliding from the side of the raft. He instructed everyone to do it one by one so that he could record videos individually.

Soon, we noticed many people from other rafts floating in the River Ganga like red leaves spread across the water surface, as everyone’s life jacket was red in colour. Out of the eight in our group, those who knew how to swim were in the water immediately, while others hesitated, thinking about how to proceed. The guide encouraged the doubtful ones by explaining that the life jacket would keep them floating and that they could also hold the rope tied to the raft for safety.

Enjoying the Adventure Despite the Shivering Moments Inside

Finally, everyone was in the river on both sides of the raft, and the guide was busy recording videos individually and in groups as per everyone’s requests. It was a surreal experience to be in the middle of the River Ganga at an unknown location where the riverbanks were far away. It never crossed our minds that such an awesome experience would be part of rafting. Everyone was excited, enjoying in different ways, posing for photos and videos.

Though the body started shivering slightly due to the cold water, no one wanted to get back into the raft until the guide instructed, as the peaceful stretch of the river was coming to an end and rocks could be seen projecting ahead.

All of us were back in the raft, completely wet, thrilled, and tired, yet wanting more. To everyone’s surprise, the guide said there were two more locations before the end of the rafting where we could experience the same. Again, we were instructed to row the raft in a synchronised manner and stop where the flow helped move the raft forward. We also passed by the 12 km starting point, where many people and rafts were getting ready to begin their rafting journey.

Back to the Riverbank at Lakshman Jhula

The movement of the raft along the ripples of the river, and in between, where it seemed to jump up and down, continued until we reached another location meant for jumping into River Ganga. This time, there was no hesitation. Everyone jumped confidently, giving enough time to capture videos in individual styles.

Floating in the river, moving slowly with the flow, watching the special landscape of the terrain, and finally approaching Lakshman Jhula—the famous hanging bridge—and the temples along the banks of the river was quite special and unique compared to all other travels made until then. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind that another trip to Rishikesh for rafting would surely be planned with friends and family.