River Rafting In Kullu Manali - Everything You Need To Know

Located between the majestic Himalayan ranges and the Beas river, Kullu is a small quiet town in the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Kullu, a sister town to Manali, is a favorite among tourists and often visited in combination with Shimla and Manali, especially by honeymooners and families.

Kullu Valley is famous for its scenic views, hills covered with pine & deodar forests, meandering river, sprawling apple orchards and temples. The beauty of this valley has attracted several filmmakers too!

Adventure lovers and thrill-seekers from different parts of India and the world come here to enjoy the different adventure sports that are available here, the most popular being paragliding and river rafting. White water rafting in Kullu has grown increasingly popular over the years.

Beas River happens to have one of the most ideal waters in North India with the right kind of stability for different forms of rafting. The river has its origin in the Rohtang Pass and it blesses Kullu Valley on its way down.

During our 5-day trip to Himachal Pradesh, we decided to stop for river rafting in Kullu while travelling from Manali to Shimla. Rafting usually begins from a little locale called Pirdi. We drove past several rafting company shops, but they were all closed due to the pandemic. Even the famous Kullu market was mostly closed! So we went to a rafting point in Bhuntar known to our driver.

If you are planning to try river rafting for the first time, like us, it’s obvious to have plenty of questions. So in this article I’ll cover everything you need to know about River Rafting in Kullu Manali.

Everything You Need To Know About River Rafting In Kullu Manali

Best Time For River Rafting In Kullu Manali

River rafting in Kullu is a very popular activity and continues all year round except during monsoon season.

River rafting in Kullu Manali is a true delight during the summer season, which sets in from the month of March and continues till mid June. The water level is high during summer when the snow starts melting, resulting in more rapids and waves, hence a more adventurous rafting session. It is definitely the best time for experienced rafters.

Late September to February is also a good time for rafting, though the water level of the river in the winter season is much lower as compared to summer.

Different Rafting Stretches & Cost

There are different rafting stretches offered with varying grades of rapids- 4kms, 7kms, 10kms & 14kms. Most of the shorter stretches have grade 1 or grade 2 rapids while the 14-km stretch has rapids of grade 3 or higher. Rapids are the fast-flowing and turbulent parts of the course of a river, usually formed due to gradient drops or rock formations.

We went for the 7-km stretch which costed us Rs. 3000 for two people (for a personal raft) and took around 45 mins. If you have a big group of 8 people or more, it will cost Rs. 500-600 per head for similar distance.

You should choose a stretch of atleast 7kms or longer to experience some rapids in the water. More experienced rafters should go for the 14-km stretch.

The 14-km stretch costs around Rs. 5,000 for a personal raft and Rs. 800-1200 per head for a group of 8 or more. But cost can be significantly higher during peak season. It takes around 1.5-2 hours to complete a 14-km rafting stretch.

During tourist seasons, you can easily find other groups with whom you can share the cost. There was nobody else there when we went & we didn’t feel comfortable sharing the raft with strangers due to the pandemic situation.

How To Book Your River Rafting Experience

You can book your rafting session online from a recognized site or just turn up at any of the rafting operator counters on the actual day. There are plenty of adventure operators along the entire route from Manali to Bhuntar and you can pick any of them on-spot. If you have booked your trip through a tour operator or car rental company, you can also book your rafting experience through their suggested operator.

Useful Pointers To Know Before Going For Your Rafting Session

There are small cubicles available for changing. If you want to have fun while rafting, you are bound to get wet. So it’s best to change into casual shorts & t-shirt. Also make sure to wear rubber slippers or waterproof sandals. You can also go in the raft barefoot.
The rafting company provided us a car that took us & the pilot to the rafting point. You can keep all your belongings like phone, camera, etc, in this car (or alternatively in your original rented car). The same car will be waiting at the end point to pick you up again.
You can obviously carry your action camera with you. The boat pilot/instructor usually also has an action cam & you can ask him to take a few photos & videos for you by paying a fee. I forgot to charge my SJ4000, so I got my footages from the boat pilot by paying Rs. 500 extra. He transferred the clips on our phone after the rafting session ended. If you are using your own action camera, it would be best to mount it to your helmet or chest, especially if you are approaching rapids or near rocky areas, to prevent the camera from falling in the water.
You can also take your waterproof phone with you but I won’t recommend it if you are going for a longer stretch (especially during summer), as you are likely to encounter many rapids & your phone can simply end up in the river after a huge splash of water hits you!

How Safe Is River Rafting In Kullu Manali

River rafting in Kullu Manali is comparatively safer compared to rafting in other locations of India. A trained rafting professional is always provided by the rafting operators. Follow the instructions given by him & don’t take any unnecessary risks. Make sure to wear a helmet and life jacket throughout your rafting session. Hold the rope tightly while rafting through rapids and turbulent water.

Hope you have fun rafting in the waters of the Beas River while enjoying the beautiful scenery around you!

Camera Gear Used For Photography:

Check out my ‘What’s In My Camera Bag‘ blog post for more details.

Note: The rafting photos that you see in this blog are actual screen grabs from the GoPro video taken by our boat pilot!

I really hope you enjoyed reading this article and you’ll find the information useful whenever you plan to visit Manali.

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