A river run for that shot of adrenaline | Rishikesh | Delhi Fundos

Phew! If we can, anyone can! Yes, this was the feeling we experienced as we got off our rafts after a thrilling time on the whitewater at Rishikesh. Our faces beamed in the light of the setting sun as it set the river ablaze. We were now officially river runners!

Rishikesh, by the Ganges, on the foothills of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand, is not only renowned as a destination for pilgrims and a centre for yoga but has also become the rafting capital of India. The past decade has seen it become a hotspot for more adventure sports with trekking, hiking, bungee jumping, rappelling, cliff jumping, in addition to the challenge of white-water rafting t for adrenaline junkies.

Curiosity peppered with FOMO (fear of missing out, for the uninitiated) motivated us to book ourselves at a riverside rafting camp at Rishikesh. We set off at the crack of dawn on a Saturday morning, from Delhi to Rishikesh and were at our camp at Shivpuri, by noon. A quick lunch after check in and we were set for our maiden river rafting adventure.

Nervous and excited, we reached the assembly point for a detailed briefing by our river guide on the dos and don'ts to be followed, how and when to paddle and felt reassured that a kayaker was accompanying every raft as part of the rescue team. Armed with life jackets, paddles and helmets -- like Vikings on a maiden voyage – we set off towards an array of blue rafts. Not only were we punters or first-time rafters, but it was also our debut as oarsmen /paddlers.

As our raft was put in, it seemed a little wobbly at first, and then stabilised once everyone was seated. We started out in the calm waters with a feeling–oh this is easy! And then just as we had paddled for about 10 minutes, we saw the waters become racy and turbulent. The turquoise shade of the river had turned a frothy white hence the term “whitewater”. We got goosebumps as the raft moved over the current and each time, we approached a rapid our hearts skipped a beat. We soon realised that manoeuvring each rapid meant rowing even harder and in sync with each other! Sure, way to build a team and bond with mates old and new!

Whitewater rapids are graded from I to VI (Grades I to III are safe and easy both for beginners and the experienced alike and the most difficult are Grade VI that have rarely been attempted) Fortunately, the ones on the Ganges at Rishikesh are from I to IV. There are about 16 rapids on this stretch and have some interesting names, each with a story to tell! The well known among Grade I to Grade III are Black Money, Double Trouble, Hilton, Three Blind Mice, Golf Course, Roller Coaster, Return to Sender, and in Grade IV you have the toughies Daniel’s Dip and The Wall

We experienced four to five rapids between grades I to III on our river run and we had the time of our lives! We went through the dips and swells to the commands of Hard Forward! All Back! Lean Right! and as we rode the waves, we also had a real-life underwater movie experience when our raft submerged under one of the rapids for a few moments. Few of us fell out and were swiftly hauled back in with ropes thrown in by our guide.

Riding the rapids, getting splashed and also enjoying the peace and tranquillity of the river amidst scenic Himalayan views made for a great river-run. Time flew by as fast and furious as the rapids and it was dusk when we returned to camp. Soaked to the skin but heady from the thrill of the river run, we braved the chilly mountain breeze and warmed up to a magical evening around a bonfire making new friends, exchanging notes and swapping numbers. We fell asleep watching the luminescence of a moonlit river in the midst of the mighty Himalayas.

We headed back to Delhi after brunch with a promise to return. We have kept that promise but that story is for another day.

Some of the Rishikesh river rafting camps can be booked here: ● Weekend Rafting Camp, near Deecon Valley, Tapovan, Rishikesh: Mobile: Call or WhatsApp 09897505577, 07579187866 ● Camp Ganga Vatika, Shivpuri, Rishikesh: Mobile: Call or WhatsApp 094561 65262 ● Camp Crossfire, Rishikesh: Mobile: + 91 9958173003, 9313512002 ● Online Rafting packages can be explored at Thrillophilia- River Rafting in Rishikesh