TRIP DETAILS: Kameng Expedition
REQUIREMENTS AND ELIGIBILITY
Must be 14 years old or above
Must not suffer from any medical or physical condition that prohibits the participant from partaking in physical exercise
COST: Rs 172,000* (Foreign national), Rs 168,000* (indian national)
*Rates quoted are per person, based on sharing double accommodations. If you prefer single accommodation, you must pay the Single Supplement Fee. Rates are Rs 3600 for 'requested' singles; Rs 3000 for 'forced' singles. If you’re traveling alone and wish to share accommodation, we’ll try our best to find you a roommate.
Description
Enter the last frontier of the North Eastern part of India. The Kameng River in Arunachal Pradesh is a tributary of the Brahmaputra, which has only been accessible for river rafting and kayaking in the past 15 years. Anvesh Singh Thapa was a safety kayaker in the first ever commercial descent of the river back in 2007, and Expeditions India ran the river in 2008 and 2009. (The 2008 trip was written up in Outlook Traveler, Descent into the Valley of the Hornbills.) As far as we know, we are the only company that has run it this many times. It is, hands down, our favorite river to run.
Why? NE India gets a lot of rain, which is reflected in some of the finest whitewater in the world, lush rainforests, and breath-taking flora and fauna. The tribal communities that live there are rich in culture. The Kameng’s remoteness is precious and fragile. You feel lucky just to experience such a special area, hidden from the rest of the world. There are a few days on this trip, rafting through the jungle that you will not even come across tribal villages. While other tributaries of the Brahmaputra are spectacular, the technical challenge of the Kameng keeps us coming back for more. This trip is for experienced rafters and kayakers with an adventurous spirit and willingness to explore the unknown.
itinerary description
Day 01: Assemble at Bhalukpong. Overnight stay at a camp.
Day 02: Drive 3 hours to Seppa. Overnight stay in a hotel.
Day 03: Drive 4 hours to Riga and set up camp. Get the raft and gear ready for the expedition. One can walk down the beach and enjoy the twittering of the birds and the rushing water. Dinner around the campfire is filled with conversation about the coming days on the river.
Day 04: Layover day. Spend the day exploring the surroundings and getting to know the Kameng corridor. One can choose to wake up late, laze around the camp or take a nature walk, sunbathe, bird watch, try a hand at fishing or just lie on the beach and read a book. Depending on flows and at the trip leader’s discretion, we may raft a section of the river. Camp at Riga.
Day 05: Today the river journey begins. Paddle through a gorge which provides some stunning views. Paddle bouncy grade 3 rapids which are the highlight of the day as a lot of small streams and rivers come in adding volume. As we leave the first gorge, we float through the Seppa town to pitch camp on a sandy river beach. Spectacular views of streams falling into the Kameng surround us and we go to bed dreaming of the river and what the next day holds.
Day 06: The day starts with an easy float section as we go away from the villages into the remote gorge of the Kameng, where there are good grade 3-4 rapids before we reach camp at the rivers’ confluence.
Day 07: This is a great section of the Kameng River as the Bichom River joins it, increasing volume adding punch to the rapids. We encounter 23 grade 3 to 4 plus rapids. We scout the rapids and negotiate them accordingly. Set up camp in the afternoon and rest our aching muscles. This is the entrance to the remote section on the Kameng River.
Day 08: Layover day. One can choose to wake up late, laze around the camp, sunbathe, bird watch, try a hand at fishing or just lay on the beach and read a book.
Day 09: Paddle a solid grade 4 section into a remote canyon. Camp at Stampede Camp.
Day 10: Today we encounter 18 grade 3 to 4 rapids. Once we raft pass the dam site we negotiate awesome ‘full on’ whitewater. Camp.
Day 11: The last day on the river has 17 grade 3-4 plus rapids and a stunning gorge. Set up camp by a rapid tonight to celebrate the last evening around the camp fire on the trip.
Day 12: Raft to Tippi – the takeout point where the river slows down as it enters the plains. Transfer to Bhalukpong and overnight stay at a camp.
Day 13: Drive to Guwahati. Trip ends with some great memories of the Kameng River.
itinerary (in brief)
Day 01: Bhalukpong
Day 02: Bhalukpong - Seppa
Day 03: Seppa – Riga Village Camp
Day 04: Layover day - Riga Village Camp
Day 05: Riga Village Camp - Vasang
Day 06: Vasang – Confluence Camp (Below Bana village)
Day 07: Confluence Camp (Below Bana village) - Canyon Camp
Day 08: Layover Day
Day 09: Canyon Camp – Stampede Camp
Day 10: Stampede Camp – Below Dam site camp
Day 11: Dam site Camp - Last Camp
Day 12: Last Camp – Tippi. Transfer to Bhalukpong.
Day 13: Bhalukpong - Guwahati. Trip ends.