For ages, the Himalayas and their foothills have been the refuge of those who want to meditate and practice Yoga. Rishikesh, in the state of Uttarakhand, is the birthplace of the discipline, and is where most of the famous Yogic ashrams and resorts are located. Tourism here has been consistently blooming, owing to the horde of travellers coming here to relax and indulge in Yoga. The banks of the Ganga River are the preferred spots to delve into the science by almost all who visit the town. As the number of tourists is increasing, travel agencies are doing every possible thing to make their experience in Rishikesh more enjoyable. They are utilising the topography and natural features of the region, and have started offering many opportunities for adventure sports. Opting for a white water rafting tour is gaining widespread popularity among travellers, owing to its thrill factor.

There are many types of river rafting tours available, depending on their duration and difficulty level. One of the most thrilling of such excursions starts from the beach camps in Shivpuri, where the current is quite weak. From here, you will travel downstream for about 16 km in a highly adventurous and entertaining activity. Its difficulty level is classified as III and III+, which means that it is quite challenging. Shivpuri is about 28 km from the main city of Rishikesh, and the drive through the Shivalik foothills takes 0.5 to 1 hour. Another half-an-hour will be spent in preparing you for this thrilling white water rafting tour, which includes a short briefing about the same and inflating of the boats. Once you are properly briefed, you will board the raft and begin one of the most exciting experiences of your life.

Charting the almost 16 km course through the Ganga will take approximately two hours, and along your ride, you will encounter a series of small and big rapids. Rapids are sections of the river where there is a steep drop, causing the velocity and strength of the current to increase substantially. Some of the rapids that you will have to raft through are Golf Course, Roller Coaster and Club House. All these require high levels of precision, combined with adequate strength to be conquered. These two hours on the raft will be replete with fun as you will repeatedly come thudding down from heights and the water will splash all over you. Your ride will end near the iconic Lakshman Jhula suspension bridge, and the tour will end at the local office of the agency, about 5 minutes from there. Only people above the age of 14 are advised to opt for such river rafting tours, because of the difficulty level and safety considerations.