Fondly known as the ‘Queen of Hills’, Darjeeling is not only known for its scenic beauty and wonderful weather but also as a destination that offers opportunities to indulge in thrilling adventures. River rafting in Darjeeling in the challenging waters of River Teesta and Rangeet is popular among tourists.
While the originating point of River Teesta is from Lake Lhamo Tso in North Sikkim, at an altitude of 5330 m, River Rangeet emerges from a glacier in Mount Kabru in the lower Kanchenjunga region. The confluence of these two is known as ‘Triveni’, and it is the point from where rafting starts in Teesta in Darjeeling.
A delta gets formed in the corner of the meeting point, due to sand, and this also becomes an ideal site for rafters to enjoy camping in Darjeeling. Rafting and camping is a popular combination of adventure activities in Darjeeling so that they can combine wonderful views with thrilling action.
While rafting down the waters of Teesta, savor the views of thick jungles, dense vegetation, colorful birds, cultivated farmlands, mystical mountains, and tiny hamlets, clubbed with the excitement of tackling the gushes of the waters.
Teeta has a number of rapids and due to the variation in the flow intensity, the river grades are ranked from 2 to 4. On the other hand, the waters of Rangeet are more turbulent and challenging. If you are a beginner or a tourist, it is ideal that you opt for rafting in the Teesta River. The service provider gives you all the equipment and the necessary instructions. If you want, you are also assisted by local experts.
For tourists, a popular rafting point is Teesta Bazaar. Rafting begins from Tarkhola and goes up to Kalijhora. The market is accessible via jeep or taxi from Darjeeling, and the journey is of around 1.5 hours. Famous rafting courses in River Teesta are:
If you know swimming:
If you are a non-swimmer:
Apart from this, there are other courses too with longer duration. One such incident is Bordang – 29th Mile with grade 2-4 rapids and taking 4.5 hours to get completed.
It is best to avoid the monsoon months of July and September. In extreme winters, rafting becomes difficult due to icy cold waters. However, in other months, you can enjoy rafting here. January to June and October to December are the ideal months for rafting in Darjeeling.
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