Whether it’s the Trishuli River, the Bhotekoshi River or the Seti River, there is no shortage of places to paddle in Nepal.
The Southeast Asian country might be famous for the epic mountain range of The Himalayas, but it is the rivers that run through it which provide the greatest pleasure for whitewater enthusiasts.
With thrilling rapids, these areas have become hugely popular with rafting companies as adventure-seeking tourists look to enjoy the ride.
They have also become places for local paddlers to test their Canoe Slalom skills with gates being hung above the choppy waters.
“Canoe sports, especially slalom, is growing in Nepal and is becoming increasingly popular,” said Sudip Raf Gautam, Secretary General of the Nepal Rafting and Canoeing Association.
“We have nice whitewater rivers and many companies offering river trips as well as many guides working as safety kayakers.
“Nepal offers so many whitewater rivers for paddling - a single day trip to week-long world-class rapid tours.
“On top of that, we are promoting Canoe Slalom in Nepal and trying to participate abroad.
“Canoe Slalom offers exciting opportunities for athletes and is enjoyable for spectators, so it is becoming more popular in Nepal.
“Events are organised on different rivers from time to time as we are trying to influence locals from different parts of the country about this sport.
“The most common river is the Trishuli River which is enroute to the main highway towards the touristic cities of Pokhara and Chitwan.
“Bhotekoshi River has also hosted several events and is where athletes often train.
“There is also a whitewater section of the Seti River with a nice Himalayan backdrop.”
The Trishuli River is where the 13th edition of the Nepal National Canoe Slalom Championships took place last month.
The annual event, organised by the Nepal Rafting and Canoeing Association, saw 38 athletes from across the country participate.
The competition showcased the growing talent in canoeing in Nepal.
“The event was successful as we had 38 paddlers from different parts of the country,” said Raj Gautam who has been involved with the National Federation for 10 years and is serving his second term as Secretary General.
“In the first edition, there were very few paddlers taking part.
“The main problem is we do not have slalom boats, and we are organising competitions with normal play boats, which we are using in commercial trips, so we need to compromise in different ways to organise the event.
“But it is great to see the event grow with more paddlers participating.”
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