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Sutlej Rafting Expedition
The Satluj river basin in Himachal Pradesh covers an area of about 6,553 square kilometers. To the east lies the Ngari region of Tibet; the Dhauladhar range forms its southern boundary, separating it from Uttarkashi District of Uttar Pradesh and the Shimla District of Himachal Pradesh. In the west, the Srikhand Dhar marks the boundary between Kinnaur and Kulu. Spiti is on the northern border of Kinnaur -- the boundary being formed by the rivers Spiti and Pare Chu near the Indo-Tibetan border.
The source of the Satluj lies in near the Mansarovar Lake at 18500 ft. in the Tibetan Plateau. The Satluj is one of only three Trans Himalayan rivers originating in the high Tibetan Plateau that cuts across the mighty Himalayan ranges. The other two are the Indus and the Brahmaputra. It enters India through a fearsome gorge near the Shipki La. Thereafter, it flows through the cold tracts of Kinnaur to the hamlet of Wangtoo. It is one of the major tributaries of the Indus River system. In its passage across Kinnaur, the Satluj River successively crosses three great mountain ranges -- the Zanskar range, the Great Himalayan range and the Dhauladhar range. To the east of the Satluj the valleys are narrow while in the west, they are wide and open. Many tributaries join the main Satluj River one after the other from the south. The Baspa is one of the major tributaries of the Satluj. The valley of the Satluj extends on both flanks of the Satluj River - from where it enters Kinnaur to the place where it makes its exit. It is the largest valley of Kinnaur, extending in a northeast to southwest alignment for a length of about 140-km along the Satluj River. The northeastern part of this valley is drier and conditions become humid towards the southwest. The Satluj River has carved a deep gorge across the main or Great Himalaya near Pshong- Tong. In the southern part of this valley, there is extensive cultivation of fruits and agricultural crops. Barring some parts, extensive vineyards, thriving crops and orchards of apricot, apples and grapes are to be found in the entire region.
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Day 1 : Arrive in Delhi - Overnight train to Kalka.
Arrive in Delhi airport. Transfer from the airport to the hotel. Spend the afternoon and evening relaxing in your hotel room or taking in the sights of Delhi. Evening transfer to the train station for the overnight sleeper train to Kalka. We travel by A/C sleeper train, the best and most comfortable way to travel overland in India.
Day 2 : Kalka to Pandowa Camp
We arrive at Kalka in the early morning. Awaiting vehicles meet us for the six hour journey to Pandowa Camp on the Sutlej. We stop for breakfast, lunch and plenty of chai (sweet milky tea) en route. Reaching Pandowa in the afternoon we settle into camp with hot drinks and snacks. We have dinner and relax around the campfire. Overnight camp.
Day 3 : Luhri to Pandowa Camp
After breakfast, drive one hour upstream to Luhri, our starting point for the expedition. After a comprehensive safety briefing, we get on the water for the 20 km section back to Pandowa. This section is a great introduction to the river. We reach Pandowa in the afternoon and have a relaxing evening. Overnight camp.
Day 4 : Pandowa to Tattapani
After breakfast, we paddle from Pandowa till Tattapani. This 25 km section has some nice Class IV rapids and some great scenery. We reach Tattapani in the early afternoon and spend the rest of the day at the nearby hot springs, a great way to ease out any muscle aches. Overnight camp.
Day 5 : Tattapani to Kadhai Ka Fer
Today we move away from the road, beginning the self-contained part of our expedition. All gear, equipment and supplies are loaded onto big dry-bags and tied onto the rafts. We raft into a beautiful gorge, down a 30 km Class IV section of the river till our camp at Kadhai Ka Fer. Set up camp, have dinner and share the days stories around the campfire.
Day 6 : Kadhai Ka Fer to Second Gorge Camp
We have a leisurely breakfast, then pack up and get on the water to run a great 30 km section. We encounter mainly class III rapids on this section with some good play waves for kayakers. The scenery along this section is really spectacular as we pass many settlements on either side of the river. Overnight camp.
Day 7 : To Salapper Bridge
We paddle 20 km down a Class III section to Salapper bridge, our take-out point and the end of the expedition. Board waiting vehicles for the four hour drive to Chandigarh. Board the train arriving into Delhi late in the evening and transfer to the hotel.
Day 8 : Depart India
After breakfast depart to the international airport for your flight home. Trip ends.
Sutlej Rafting Expedition Reservation Form
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