River Rafting near Mumbai

Millions of people from across the globe visit Mumbai for varied purposes, be it tourism, business, entertainment events or political happenings. Whatever be the reason of your visit, you may enjoy river rafting near Mumbai to make your trip even better. The activity is usually organised in the little village of Kolad on the Kundalika River. It originates in the hills of the Sahyadri Range and flows west towards the Arabian Sea. When the dam built across it releases excess water from its reservoir, the increased volume results in strong currents, and they are capitalised to host rafting. The activity is ideal for a weekend plan as Kolad is only about 122 km from Mumbai.

Best Locations for Rafting near Mumbai

Kolad is a tiny village located in the state of Maharashtra in West India. It lies between the tropics and experiences a climate, which pertains to the Sub-Tropical Zone. Summers last from March to May, and the weather during the season is considerably hot and humid. The period between the months of June and September sees Kolad receiving large amounts of rain. Winters arrive here in late November and stay till February, when the village experiences cool weather with some humidity. In recent times, the hamlet has emerged as a serene hotspot for adventure sports, especially river rafting near Mumbai.

About River Rafting

There are many tour operators that organise river rafting near Mumbai, by using the increased flow of the Kundalika stream. Though it is a recreational activity and done to spend leisure time, it will still keep you active. You will get to learn a lot, as before the adventure begins, you will get an informative briefing. The instructors will tell you about the equipment, sport, manoeuvring skills and safety aspects. Your equipment will consist of rafts, twin-headed paddles for rowing, and all-essential attire, such as helmets and jackets.

You will sail on an approximately 12 km long stretch of the river, and encounter a series of rapids. As noted earlier, differently graded rapids will require varying amounts of manoeuvrability. As you drop along with the water, you will surely feel the gravitational force and along with it, thrill.

Grades of Rapids

When streams make their way through hills, they experience drops at various places. At such spots, the gravitational pull increases the velocity and the force of currents significantly, giving rise to rapids. These rapids are graded from I to VI, depending on their size, velocity of current, and the difficulty, which rowers face while sailing over them.

• Grade I: Grade I is the easiest of all, and even inexperienced participants will be at ease with it. The waves here are low and weak; hence not much skill is required to cross them.

• Grade II: Next comes Grade II, where waves are easily visible due to their moderate size, but are often rendered unnoticed by expert rafters.

• Grade III: The velocity of currents is high where Grade III rapids are present, and the route is not visible. Rocks or significant drops may also be encountered; hence efficient manoeuvring skills are required.

• Grade IV: Grade IV is quite difficult to sail over as it has large waves, powerful currents, fast flow and steep drops. These will put all your skills, concentration and resolve to test, and you will have to row quickly and sharply.

• Grade V: The rapids, classified as Grade V, are raging monsters with long sections, extremely powerful currents, swift flow, large boulders and huge drops. They are recommended only for highly experienced rowers and paddlers as they carry a risk of injuries.

• Grade VI: There are rapids to be classified as Grade VI, but rarely navigated because of the danger-factor associated with them.

The rapids that you will come across while river rafting near Mumbai are of Grades II, III and IV.