It has been found that the attraction of people towards
river rafting in Nepal is increasing. Tourists who visit Nepal prefer to go rafting. In Nepal, permission is given for rafting on 16 different rivers.
In the past, only foreign tourists went rafting, but now the number of Nepalese is also increasing. Foreigners usually prefer rafting in rivers like Sunkoshi, Kaligandaki, Tamor, etc.
Nepalese prefer to go rafting in rivers like Trishuli and Bhotekoshi. With the increasing activity of rafting in Nepal, this profession is becoming more employment-oriented. River guide Dudharaj Bal Tamang has said that the number of river guides in Nepal is also increasing every year. He has been working as a
river guide since 2013. 28-year-old Tamang has worked as a river guide on almost all rivers in Nepal. He has played the role of a river guide for nine consecutive days on long rivers like Sunkoshi and Karnali. He has worked as a river guide not only in Nepal but also in India and China.
He has played the role of a river guide in the Parbati and Beas rivers flowing in Uttarakhand, India, and in the Churpu, Elung Zangbo, Kulung, and Thulung rivers in Tibet, China. Now he is aiming to go to Japan as a river guide. Many Nepalese river guides go abroad to work on the river during the off-season and during the winter months in Nepal. Nepalese have gone to America, Japan, Norway, Croatia, Italy, Iceland, and other countries. Some women are also working as river guides in Nepal.
They have also gone to work as river guides on the rivers of different countries.
River guide Dudharaj Bal Tamang said that despite spending 10 years rafting, he has not experienced any such accidents till now. He said that rafting is becoming safer because the guides are cautiously adopting protective measures. But he says that it would be better if there was an insurance arrangement for the hired river guide and the guests as well.
River guide Tamang has told Nepalnews that
hydropower projects should not be conducted in rivers popular for rafting, and the crusher industry should not be allowed to operate in rivers. He said that in the future, he will continue to expand and develop the rafting sector in Nepal.
