Where?
- Back to everything in Wales
River Rafting in India
With only 100 people riding the river each year since it was first fully surveyed in 2003, the Siang is unquestionably one of the world’s most exclusive and enigmatic rafting destinations. Join the select few with this 11-day expedition through tribal North-East India!
Near-severed from the rest of the nation and comprising the Seven Sister States, Sikkim and parts of North Bengal, North-East India is a fairytale region of pristine jungle, hill tribes and ancient kingdoms in the clouds! Bisected by the Eastern Himalaya, the region’s geography is among the most diverse in India, a fact reflected in its extraordinary biodiversity. The forests, alpine meadows, tundra and marshy Terai grasslands are home to some of the world’s rarest creatures, including the snow leopard, the Indian rhinoceros and, according to local legend, the abominable snowman! But North-East India is about more than lofty peaks and elusive animals; this is arguably the world’s most sacred landscape, one that has profoundly shaped the spiritual life of South Asia and beyond. Prepare to be enchanted!
Jaw-dropping, mind-blowing, description-defying: it’s difficult to do this one justice! As epic adventures go, this one is right up there with polar exploration and ostrich racing! Only recently opened to the foreigners, remote Arunachal Pradesh is the setting for this 11-day river rafting expedition of a lifetime. You’ll enter the Siang just inside the border with Tibet, heading down river past tribal villages, dense jungle and hilltop tea gardens. En route, you’ll experience both churning rapids and rushing cascades, as well as calmer stretches when you’ll have the chance to kick back and watch the forests and wildlife pass you by. There are plenty of pools and falls to cool off in, and you’ll also have ample opportunity to trek the surrounding countryside, meeting local Mishmi tribals, sampling local specialities like char-grilled rat and even indulging in a spot of yeti-hunting!
The first and last nights of this trip are spent at quality hotels (in Dibrugarh and Pasighat respectively), both of which have clean en suite rooms with hot water, TV and other mod cons. For the rest of the tour (eight nights) you’ll be staying in tented accommodation on white sandy beaches along the course of the river. This isn’t your usual camping trip though; the tents are spacious and comfortable, while the meals are seriously gourmet affairs! You can expect international fare like pancakes, French toast and sausages alongside local specialities such as curries and daal. There’s also lots of fresh, locally sourced food on offer, ranging from tropical fruits and fish to more exotic dishes like deer and rat!
With only 100 people riding the Siang every year, this might just be the world’s most exclusive rafting trip! It isn’t for the faint-hearted though; you should expect the unexpected both in and out of the water! The Siang is a wild river with some unbelievable whitewater, but you’re going to have to be in good shape if you want ride it. The trip is best suited to experienced rafters, though beginners can have a go too if they’re physically fit and used to adrenalin sports. Bear in mind that on this tour you’ll be spending several hours a day in the raft with a bunch of other people, so if you’re not one for socialising you might not take to rafting. You can also expect to work up a sweat at times and, needless to say, you will get wet!
Day 1: Starting at New Delhi's Domestic Airport, you fly Delhi to Dibrugarh, Assam. Meet the RI Jeeps at the airport in Dibrugarh and transfer to a hotel. Welcome drinks, snacks, and meeting over coffee, tea, and dinner. Overnight in Dibrugarh.
Day 2: Today the group crosses the Brahmaputra by ferry, catching glimpses of the Brahmaputra 's freshwater dolphin. You take the RI Jeeps to Pasighat where you check into a hotel and enjoy a meal with the locals. Overnight in Pasighat.
Day 3: Drive by RI Jeeps to put-in near Yingkiong. Have a traditional tribal meal in a bamboo bungalow on the way. Evening arrival in Yingkiong. Overnight in Yingkiong.
Day 4: Raft Yingkiong – Bob's Your Uncle Camp. Today you raft several class III and III+ orientation rapids. Scenic floats gives us time to dry off through steep jungle-covered canyons.
Day 5: Raft Bob's Your Uncle - Upper Karko. This is a more scenic day on the river. You enjoy a few class II and II+ rapids and a long lunch on a great elevated beach.
Day 6: Raft Upper-Karko - Upper Riu. You begin by scouting a great class IV, Karko Rapid, followed by a scenic float with fun riffles before a class III+ near the 65 Bridge. You camp near the Adi village of Riu.
Day 7:Raft Riu - Upper-Rotung Camp. Day 7 sees you float past the confluence of the Upper Brahmaputra and the Siyom river. The Brahmaputra picks up steam as you breeze past high-wire bamboo bridges.
Day 8: Raft Upper-Rotung - Upper-Ponging. An easy day on the river. Enjoy a great view of a waterfall spilling dramatically into the Siang and a neat riverside cave.
Day 9:Raft Upper-Ponging - Upper Pasighat. You begin with a fantastic class IV rapid at Ponging, followed by a float and pool-drop class II-III rapids. Take out at Rana Ghat and transfer to your hotel.
Day 10: An early morning wake-up to catch the 5-hour return ferry to Dibrugarh. Spend the time playing cards, reading, taking pictures or wondering what the funny baba who sits on stop of the captain’s booth is smoking!
Day 11: Morning wake-up for coffee and tea before brunch. Leave for Dibrugarh Airport and catch your return flight to Delhi, or begin an extension to the Taj Mahal, Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Manas, Kaziranga or elsewhere!
Need help choosing? Got a question? Email us or call on
+44 (0) 207 1930 850
Food, accommodation, guide, equipment, domestic flights, transfers, permits
Please login or register to write a review.
I have traveled extensively and I have to say that my experience on the RiverIndia expedition marks the best trip I have ever had the privilege of experiencing! From the food to the quality of the guides, this trip was superb. In fact, I still keep in contact with a number of people both rafters and guides, from the trip and I consider many of them lifelong friends. Thanks to RiverIndia for making such an impact on my life, I hope to do another trip again!
Went down the Subansiri last year with these guys and It was a trip that makes you wanna come back for more. So hopefully I´ll be in the raft on the Siang pretty soon!
