The Seti river offers two options, one easy the other a little harder.
Option 1 for Novices
/ Clinics and family groups involves a bus ride to Damauli (Pokhara 2 hours, Kathmandu 5-6 hours) here
you join the Mardi Khola which brings you very quickly to the Seti river. Early season you could get
to the take-out in a day. A steady float would make it two.
Option 2 is a good self sufficient
trip for kayakers. Starting with a bus ride to Dule Gouda (Pokhara 1 hour) and a day of 4+ then class
3 rapids get steadily easier to class 2 at the Confluence of the Mardi khola. A day or so from here in
a kayak would bring you to the take-out.
Breakdown of the journey
Option 1
Travel to the river The bus journey to Damauli
takes you to a massive bridge, under which a gravel road takes you down to the river.
On the
river The scenery passes through lush jungle valleys and an early class 3 rapid is the only real
interest on. The first day would probably involve just 2-3 hours on the river. The next day has another
class 3 before the village of Sarang Ghat. You could reach the take-out from here or stop another night
and take-out on day 3. Prior to the confluence of the Trisuli is a good class 3 wave-train, but after
the rivers join the water is very boily. The take-out at Gai Ghat is downstream on the left.
Option
2
Travel to the river The bus journey to Dule gouda is a short and pleasant one from
Pokhara. Before getting on the river it's worth the short walk upstream to see the river pass through
a class 6 chasm that is only inches wide in places!
On the river Day 1 starts quite flat
but soon enters some rocky gorges providing some interesting class 4 and 4+ drops. It's worth getting
out sooner rather than later as some offer little chance to egress the river before the rapid! The level
then gradually drops through grade 3 to 2 and the first camp is below Damauli. The next day involves
running the rest of the river to just above the confluence of the Trisuli and arriving at the take-out
on the morning of day 3.
The only main village reached by the Seti (both options) is Sarang Ghat. The rest of the river passes
through unspoilt and beautiful terrain with many examples of birdlife and wildlife. The water remains
warm throughout as it originates from warm springs but be warned that the sections above Dule gouda flow
underground and through class 6 sections that are in no way runnable.
Day by Day breakdown.......Option 1
Day 1 Bus from Pokhara / Kathmandu to Damauli, put-in, proceed halfway
down jungle corridor. Day 2 Steady day to Sarang ghat or push on to the big class 3 rapids
above the Trisuli confluence. Day 3 Sarang ghat to Trisuli confluence or take out, bus
back. Day4? Final section from Trisuli confluence, take out, bus back.
Another option
would be to continue down to Narayanghat and visit the Chitwan National park.
Option 2
Day 1 Bus from Pokhara to Dule Gouda, put-in, kayak upper section to past Damauli. Day
2 Damauli to class 3 rapids just above Trisuli confluence. Day 3 Run the Class
3's, Trisuli confluence, take-out, bus back.
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