Karnali - Simikot to Chisapani 385 km and 2 weeks of kayaking

Aloha,

After three weeks we are back in Pokhara enjoying proper food and relaxing after long multi day trip. We started the mission with a busride to Nepalgunj that was the most possible place to get a flight to Simikot. After two days of waiting and hanging out we could finally leave dirty Nepalganj and get to the beautiful mountain village Simikot. There we had to hang out for two days because Basti didnt take his passport that you need for entry to this area. We were managing photocopy of it by fax for long but then we could finally walk down to the put in of Humla Karnali. Three hours of walking wth kayak (me) or with a portrers (the others) and then we finally started with kayaking.

Simikot airport

Trekking down to the put in

During the first days there were some unrunnable rapids and some long portages but that was a fee to the river. After that there were coming more and more nice rapids and just little bit of portaging. After one week or so we get to the confluence with a Mugu Karnali and river was getting bigger and bigger. So coool. On the tenth day came the final part of upper Karnali and the rapids were just awesome. Big water and big clean rapids all the way down for like 30 ks.

river was getting bigger haha

awesome part of Humla - Ron

cooking breakfast

After this part came a long flatwater. (sometimes class 2-3, what a whitewater:)) we paddled it two days and then we got to the put in of the Lower Karnali which is a classic bigwater run with some nice rapids in nepal. Thats what I heard before I came to Nepal and I am pretty happy that we did the Humla and upper section. Lower part was like class three four and nothing special. Then after next long flatwater (100 ks) we got to the Chisapani and took a busride to Pokhara where is a good food and some beer of course. After two weeks of kayaking and eating just instant noodles, milkrice or cookies it is time to hang out little bit and have some easy days here at Lakeside of Pokhara. Such a nice place to be.

Now we are finding some small mission for five next days before Himalayan whitewater chalenge on Trisuli river. Stay tuned

Jakub

Pictures by: Sebastian Striebel

Lukas - first gorge

one of the best parts of the river - Lukas

local boaters

Campfire

Basti flatwater day