Kathmandu, Mar. 11
The 24th
Himalayan Whitewater Challenge 2026, and the 50th International Himalayan
Rafting and Kayaking Festival kicked off on the Trishuli River on Tuesday.
The international festivals
of rafting and kayaking are expected to promote Nepal’s rivers as a major
destination for adventure tourism.
Nepal Tourism Board (NTB)
and Nepal Association of Rafting Agencies (NARA) are orgnising the three-day
festival to further promote adventure tourism based on Nepal’s Himalayan rivers
in the global market.
Rafters and kayakers from
Nepal and several other countries are demonstrating their skills and courage
while navigating the fast currents and lively rapids of the Trishuli River,
informed NARA in a statement.
On the first day of this
year’s festival, a total of 51 paddlers participated in the Kayak Sprint (300
metres) event, while 10 teams competed in the Raft Sprint (300 metres).
According to Shukra Lama,
Vice-President of NARA and the festival coordinator, the Kayak Cross (300
metres) and the Raft Mandatory Race (10 kilometres) will be held on Wednesday.
Lama informed that 32
athletes, selected from the preliminary rounds, will take part in these events.
On the final day, Thursday, a 10-kilometre raft race will be organised, in
which 13 teams will compete, with four athletes in each team.
Organisers said that foreign
competitors are also taking part in the festival, including two teams from
India and two from Israel, competing in the rapids of the Trishuli River.
To ensure greater fairness
and transparency in the competition, a time-chip system has been introduced to
measure the athletes’ performance times.
Stating that this year's
festival is being celebrated as a silver jubilee, NARA President Kamal Bahadur
Thakuri said, “This is not merely a sporting competition, it is a proud
celebration connected with Nepal’s river tourism, adventure culture and the identity
of its participants.
It will help establish Nepal
even more strongly on the global map of adventure tourism.”
Uday Bhattarai, Senior
Manager at the NTB, expressed confidence that the festival—representing the
confluence of rivers, adventure and tourism—would further highlight Nepal’s
rivers in the global adventure tourism market.
According to him,
river-based adventure tourism in Nepal has grown rapidly in recent decades. In
particular, the Trishuli, Bhotekoshi, Karnali and Seti rivers have become major
attractions for adventure tourists from around the world for rafting and kayaking.
Winners of the competition
will receive cash prizes ranging from Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 100,000, along with
trophies and certificates in various categories.
During the closing ceremony
of the three-day international festival, prizes will be awarded to the winning
athletes, and Himalayan River Exploration, which introduced rafting culture in
Nepal, will also be honoured.
Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 12 March 2026.
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