Kayaking Spots and Rapids on the Ganga in Rishikesh

Most of the kayaking around Rishikesh happens on one stretch of the Ganga, from Kaudiyala down to the town. Here are the places and rapids you'll hear about, listed from upstream to downstream, and how they feel from a kayak.

The spots, upstream to downstream

• Devprayag. The confluence where the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda become the Ganga, about four hours' drive upstream. This is where our kayak expedition starts. The first 5 km below it is a boulder-filled Class II–III section.
• Kaudiyala. The upstream start of the longest day runs, above the Great Wall rapid (Grade IV+). That's advanced water and not part of beginner courses.
• Marine Drive. The start of the classic Rishikesh corridor. It's where our 7-day course trains and where its final river trip begins.
• Shivpuri. The centre of Rishikesh river sports. Our 4-day course uses the practice area here, with calm water near easy current.
• Brahmapuri and Phoolchatti. Beaches between Shivpuri and town, used as put-ins for shorter Class II runs.
• NIM Beach. The usual take-out at the end of the corridor and the finish of our courses and the expedition.

The named rapids

Rapid	Grade	From a kayak
Black Money	II–III	An early rapid below Marine Drive. A good warm-up.
Three Blind Mice	III	One of the Grade III rapids on the upper stretch. A first real test of reading water.
Crossfire	III	Two channels collide into standing waves. Hold your line and keep paddling.
Roller Coaster	III+	A long train of big waves. Great fun to surf in a kayak, and a long swim if you can't roll.
Golf Course	III+	Long and technical, with several lines, hidden boulders and cross-currents.
Club House	III	A short, punchy rapid that drops into the calm water above NIM Beach.
Great Wall	IV+	Above Shivpuri on the Kaudiyala stretch. The most powerful commercially run rapid on this part of the Ganga. Experts only.

Grades change with the water level. The same rapid can feel very different in October and in late May.

Kayak vs raft on the same rapids

In a raft you sit high and the guide picks the line. In a kayak you sit just above the water, inside the waves, and every decision is yours. Roller Coaster becomes a string of waves to surf, and Golf Course becomes a puzzle to solve. That's why the corridor feels new even to people who've rafted it before.

Which rapids will I paddle on a course?

Beginners start on flat water and gentle Grade I–II current, reach Class II rapids on day three of the 4-day course, and reach Class III on day six of the 7-day course. Your instructor picks the exact rapids on the day to match the water level and the group.