Best Time for Kayaking in Rishikesh, Month by Month

Different websites give different answers: "September to November", "October to April", "March to June". They're all partly right because they're answering different questions. Here's how the year looks from the river, based on how we run our kayak school.

The short answer

The season runs from mid-September to the end of June. The river is closed from July to mid-September for the monsoon. For a first course, October–November and March–May give the steadiest water and the most comfortable weather.

Month by month

Month	Open?	What to expect
January	Yes	Cold water. We provide a wet suit and booties. Classes run 9 AM–12 PM.
February	Yes	Still cold, with the wet suit provided. The river is quiet and good for focused practice.
March	Yes	The last month we hand out wet suits. Days get warmer. The start of the most reliable spring stretch.
April	Yes	Steady flow, clear water, warm days. One of the best months to learn.
May	Yes	Warm, with classes from 8 AM. The river can run higher late in the month, which makes the bigger rapids more powerful.
June	Yes, until the end of the month	The last month before the monsoon. Levels can rise; one of our June expeditions was cut short by high water. Keep your dates flexible.
July	No	Monsoon. The river is closed for safety.
August	No	Monsoon. The river is closed.
September	From mid-month	The season opens as the river drops. Kayak classes have restarted in the first week of October in recent years, so check dates before you travel.
October	Yes	Clear water and moderate flow after the monsoon. A favourite month for courses.
November	Yes	Settled river, pleasant days and cool mornings. Another of the best months to learn.
December	Yes	The water turns cold and we hand out wet suits again. Fewer people on the river.

Is winter too cold to kayak?

No, but you'll spend time in the water during wet-exit and roll practice. From December to March we give every student a neoprene wet suit and booties at no extra cost, and classes start an hour later, at 9 AM, so the air has warmed up. Plenty of people learn in winter, and the river is quieter.

Best time for each course

• Complete beginners: October–November or March–April, when the water is steady and the weather is mild.
• 7-day course to Class III: October–November or March–May. Steady flow helps on the harder days.
• Devprayag expedition: October–November or March–April. Avoid late June, when high water can shorten the trip.

What time of day are classes?

Mornings, for 3–4 hours: 8–11 AM in summer and 9 AM–12 PM in winter. Afternoons are free, so you can rest, walk around Rishikesh or stretch your shoulders.