Cata Kayak Expedition - 16 Days
If you have an extensive kayak experience in dynamic waters and are bold enough, our “Cata Kayak Expedition” in Western Nepal (Dolpa Region) is a unique travel experience you should try in the Himalayas.
Not only is this expedition one of Nepal’s outstanding river trips, it is also one of the best river expeditions in the world. This isn’t an exaggeration – the brilliant blue waters of the Thuli flow from the remote district of Dolpa in Western Nepal, and the scenery alone is worth the trip. It is the river’s unique combination of utterly classic, moderately difficult and continuous white-water for over 100 km with almost no portaging that makes it a wonderful kayaking journey. Anyone who has ever been there will surely sing the same tune.
The white-water rapids on the Thuli ranges from Class IV- to Class V+. Though there is a relatively small amount of class V, with 3/4 km of Class V+ that is usually portaged, you really don’t want to do this trip with only class IV skills due to the relentless rapids.
For experienced kayakers, the Cata Kayak Expedition is surely one of the most fantastic experiences one can have.
Day 1. WELCOME TO NEPAL
Upon arrival in Kathmandu, our friendly representative will be waiting for you at the airport with a sign displaying your name. He will then drive you to your hotel. At the hotel, you will receive a short pre-departure briefing.
Depending on your time of arrival, you are free to relax or explore the city.
Day 2. FLIGHT FROM KATHMANDU TO NEPALGUNJ*
Day 3. FLIGHT FROM NEPALGUNJ TO JUPHAL* | TREK TO DUNAI
Day 4. TREK TO TARAKOT
Day 5. CATA KAYAK EXPEDITION | TARAKOT TO DUNAI
Day 6. CATA KAYAK EXPEDITION | DUNAI TO TIBRIKOT
Day 7. CATA KAYAK EXPEDITION | TIBRIKOT TO SIRBINDE
Day 8. CATA KAYAK EXPEDITION | SIRBINDE TO CHUGAD
Day 9. CATA KAYAK EXPEDITION | CHUGAD TO AWULGURTA
Day 10. CATA KAYAK EXPEDITION | AWULGURTA TO TALLOBAGAR
Day 11. CATA KAYAK EXPEDITION | TALLOBAGAR TO RADIJULA
Day 12. CATA KAYAK EXPEDITION | RADIJULA TO SALLIBAZAR
Day 13. REST DAY IN SALLIBAZAR
Day 14. DRIVE BACK TO NEPALGUNJ
Day 15. FLIGHT FROM NEPALGUNJ TO KATHMANDU*
Day 16. DEPARTURE
*The mountain weather in Nepal is always unpredictable and the flights may be delayed or canceled due to the bad weather. We advise allowing 2 to 3 extra days should our flights be cancelled or delayed due to bad weather.
Please note: This itinerary is intended to be a guideline; local conditions and weather may necessitate slight itinerary variations.
Need more details? Please, contact us at [email protected] for a detailed itinerary.
- Swim suits.
- Rucksack.
- Outdoor clothing: Outdoor clothing should be tough and comfortable. Wearing several thin layers is better than a few thick layers. Jeans should not be worn, as they are slow to dry, clinging and cold. Walking boots and sports sandals are ideal.
- Sunglasses.
- Sunscreen.
- Water Bottle or Hydration Bladder.
- Daypack (25-30 liters).
- Trekking pants and shorts.
- Flashlight.
- Wash kit and towel.
- 1 waterproof jacket. Check the weather forecast before you go.
- Medicine (in particular, diarrhoea medication): Water Purification Tablets/ Isotonic Powder/ Basic First Aid Kit/ Diamox/ Oximeter / Ibuprofen for general aches and pains/ Imodium or Pepto bismol capsules for upset stomach or diarrhea.
- Copies of important documents (passport, vaccination certificates, travel insurance) & extra passport photos.
- Insect repellent.
*THIS LIST IS NOT EXHAUSTIVE.
What’s included
- Pre-departure support.
- Airport Pick-up/ Drop-off.
- Professional English speaking licensed guides highly trained and safety certified to international standards in White-water River Guiding, Swift Water Rescue, and Wilderness First Aid.
- Professionally trained and certified safety kayakers.
- All gear raft support.
- Quality rafting and kayaking equipment, including boats, kayaks, helmets, paddles, life jackets, dry bags and pelican boxes.
- Meals (refer to itinerary for meal plan). Types of food provided: Throughout our expedition, we provide treated stream water. We employ crews with great culinary abilities. We will provide breakfasts, lunches, and dinners during the expedition in a buffet style. So, yes you will have the freedom to choose what you like. If you have special dietary needs, please let us know about it. Sample menu for the expedition: Breakfast: Tea, Coffee, White Chocolate, Muesli and Cornflakes, Yogurts, Eggs, Toasts, Hashed Potatoes, Pancakes, Porridge, etc. / Lunch: Bread, Cheese, Salami, Tuna, Sardines, Baked Beans, Salads, Fresh fruits, and Biscuits. / Dinner: Pasta, French Fries, Curries, Steamed or Fried vegetables. We also provide Nepali Dal, Bhat in rotation.
- Treated drinking water.
- Accommodation: Hotels BB on twin sharing basis and camping (all necessary facilities including tents, shelters, mattresses and sleeping bags, toilet tent, etc.).
- All necessary permits.
- All ground transportation.
- Domestic flights as mentioned in the itinerary (Kathmandu to Nepalgunj/ Nepalgunj to Juphal/ Nepalgunj to Kathmandu).
- Farewell dinner in Kathmandu.
- First Aid support.
- Team photos.
- All government taxes, VAT and service charges.
What’s NOT included
- International flights.
- Excess baggage fees (domestic flights).
- Tips for porters, guides & others.
- Lunches and dinners in Kathmandu and Nepalgunj.
- Personal expenditures, all bar bills, laundry, telephone calls.
- Visa fees.
- Travel insurance.
- Anything else not specified in the ‘what’s included’ section above.
- Good health and passion for adventure.
- Kayaking experience is required for this trip (class V).
- Duo is required (2, 4, 6 or 8 persons only) for this expedition.
- You are required as a condition of booking to have an adequate travel insurance.
