Kundalika river rafting is one of the only options from Pune, nestled amid the Tamini ghats roughly 100 KMS from Pune, Kundalika offers budding rafting enthusiasts an amazing experience.
We signed up with Himalayan Rafting for the rafting trip, for information you can check out their website www.kundalikarafting.in Need to pay their fees in advance, the lady who interact with you is friendly but does not provide too much of detailed information.
Kundalika's main water are the monsoon rains and Tata Hydel Project nearby. During non monsoon months, the only source of water is the outflow from the hydel project. The gates open at around 8 AM every morning and the currents are dependent on the number of gates that have been opened. One gate is also good enough to give the desired thrill to an amateur but this requires you to be there by 8 AM.
How to get there:
Need to take the road from Chandini Chowk towards Pirangut, Mulshi, Tamini ghats. There will be a toll booth few meters from Chandini chowk, where you need to wave your hand and pass thorough :) the Pune style. Of the total 100 KMS, for about 30 to 40 Kms, the roads are bad, not too sure if this is how it is through out the year but safe to add few hrs to your travel time. The bad roads, ghats and narrow state roads meant that we covered the distance in 3 hrs.
Despite the road condition, drive all along is very pleasant and the natural beauty that you get to see is simply awesome, the hills, water reservoir and the fauna along the road. Direction map provided is barely sufficient, the lack on road signs adds to your anxiety. Surprisingly Kundalika is not that very well known with the locals en route so if you ask for directions many times you might get misled.
Reporting:
The reporting locations are 2, whether you have a driver or not, check with the company on where they need you to report as the distance between the 2 points is roughly 10 kms. Transport is available from one point to the other but this is charged extra and they do not bargain.
We did not have a driver, so we drove up to the office, changed into our rafting gear and then took a Commander jeep to the start point.
Instructions ....that scare you ...
Once you get into your rafting gear, put on the safety vest and helmet, its time for the safety instructions. Our guide Ravi, did have a unique way of scaring everyone with the instructions especially the ones where he tells you how he will pull you in if you drop into the current.
The instructions are very clear and basic - forward paddle, back paddle, stop, etc. anyone with basic understanding will grasp all that is required. Do pay special attention to the safety tips, not sure when you will require. Once the instruction are over, the raft is ready, the team (you included...) now carry the raft into the river and there starts your river rafting experience on the Kundalika.
Rafting ...not all about the rapids ...
The raft we had was a oar boat model and according to our guide, Ravi, its the one with the least possibility of ever toppling in a rapid. Good to hear this. The other aspect of the oar boat is that, you contribute only 25 to 30 % of the total effort, the main controls are with the Guide who sits controlling the 2 oars. Good for first timers, not sure if the experience guys will ever like this..
The total rafting is for 10 Kms on the river and takes roughly 3 hrs to complete. This includes 6 to 8 rapids, that range from Grade 2 to Grade 4 and between the rapids you get to admire the river banks that are lush green with their special guests the cranes and other bird species.
The rapids themselves give you the thrill for which you drove early in the morning and so would the drift down the current and also the swim in the calmer waters.
The rafting trip ends with you carrying back the raft on land and then taking the jeep back to the base camp. Once on the road, you get what is packaged cold drinks (that surely has been packages some where nearby and not in any bottling plant), tea and vada pavs. All are reasonably priced. The vada pavs help in filling your tummy after the 3 hr drift down the Kundalika.
Overall:
We signed up with Himalayan Rafting for the rafting trip, for information you can check out their website www.kundalikarafting.in Need to pay their fees in advance, the lady who interact with you is friendly but does not provide too much of detailed information.
Kundalika's main water are the monsoon rains and Tata Hydel Project nearby. During non monsoon months, the only source of water is the outflow from the hydel project. The gates open at around 8 AM every morning and the currents are dependent on the number of gates that have been opened. One gate is also good enough to give the desired thrill to an amateur but this requires you to be there by 8 AM.
How to get there:
Need to take the road from Chandini Chowk towards Pirangut, Mulshi, Tamini ghats. There will be a toll booth few meters from Chandini chowk, where you need to wave your hand and pass thorough :) the Pune style. Of the total 100 KMS, for about 30 to 40 Kms, the roads are bad, not too sure if this is how it is through out the year but safe to add few hrs to your travel time. The bad roads, ghats and narrow state roads meant that we covered the distance in 3 hrs.
Despite the road condition, drive all along is very pleasant and the natural beauty that you get to see is simply awesome, the hills, water reservoir and the fauna along the road. Direction map provided is barely sufficient, the lack on road signs adds to your anxiety. Surprisingly Kundalika is not that very well known with the locals en route so if you ask for directions many times you might get misled.
Reporting:
The reporting locations are 2, whether you have a driver or not, check with the company on where they need you to report as the distance between the 2 points is roughly 10 kms. Transport is available from one point to the other but this is charged extra and they do not bargain.
We did not have a driver, so we drove up to the office, changed into our rafting gear and then took a Commander jeep to the start point.
Instructions ....that scare you ...
Once you get into your rafting gear, put on the safety vest and helmet, its time for the safety instructions. Our guide Ravi, did have a unique way of scaring everyone with the instructions especially the ones where he tells you how he will pull you in if you drop into the current.
The instructions are very clear and basic - forward paddle, back paddle, stop, etc. anyone with basic understanding will grasp all that is required. Do pay special attention to the safety tips, not sure when you will require. Once the instruction are over, the raft is ready, the team (you included...) now carry the raft into the river and there starts your river rafting experience on the Kundalika.
Rafting ...not all about the rapids ...
The raft we had was a oar boat model and according to our guide, Ravi, its the one with the least possibility of ever toppling in a rapid. Good to hear this. The other aspect of the oar boat is that, you contribute only 25 to 30 % of the total effort, the main controls are with the Guide who sits controlling the 2 oars. Good for first timers, not sure if the experience guys will ever like this..
The total rafting is for 10 Kms on the river and takes roughly 3 hrs to complete. This includes 6 to 8 rapids, that range from Grade 2 to Grade 4 and between the rapids you get to admire the river banks that are lush green with their special guests the cranes and other bird species.
The rapids themselves give you the thrill for which you drove early in the morning and so would the drift down the current and also the swim in the calmer waters.
The rafting trip ends with you carrying back the raft on land and then taking the jeep back to the base camp. Once on the road, you get what is packaged cold drinks (that surely has been packages some where nearby and not in any bottling plant), tea and vada pavs. All are reasonably priced. The vada pavs help in filling your tummy after the 3 hr drift down the Kundalika.
Overall:
- Monsoon or no monsoon - a great place
- Rafting in non monsoon months - only for amateurs
- Rafting in monsoon months - for the thrill seeker
- Drive - Great for the scenery, bad for the road quality
- Mercury Himalayan Explorations - Great
- Food availability - Decent veg and non veg food right through the drive
- Petrol - Need to fill up before you start or need to drive towards Mumbai Goa highway from basecamp for a bunk
- Liquor - available all the way
- ATM - Very rare, Carry cash for Tips, Jeep Rental and Food
Read my other travel experiences like Dandeli Jungle Safari, Kundilika River-rafting, Bhimashankar Treking, Benaras:Journey Back into Ages,Konkan Railways
2 comments:
gr8 and useful information.
This is a great post. It is highly informative.
River Rafting
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