Teesta River
Also known as: Tista, Teesta, Sikkim rafting
Forested Eastern Himalaya gorge, tea gardens, Rangit confluence
Is there water?
Whether there is a river here on your dates, and what kind of water it is.
Monsoon-fed plus hydro releases; NHPC dam operations affect flow Confirm.
Oct to Jun; monsoon Jul-Sep high and unsafe
Oct to Apr (clear skies, moderate flow)
Cool ~12-18C (est)
Monsoon flooding and GLOF risk (2023 South Lhonak GLOF devastated the Teesta) Confirm.
Grade & who can come
A river changes grade with its level. These grades describe a normal flow - in flood the same run is harder, and often a different run entirely. Check the gauge before you commit.
Grade III-IV upper (Makha-Sirwani); Grade I-III lower (Melli-Kalijhora); Rangit III-IV Confirm.
Rafting; kayaking
Melli-29th Mile (~5 km easy), Melli-Kalijhora (~7 km), Makha-Sirwani (advanced), Rangit variant
Family and beginner lower sections; upper section for experienced; roadside
The run
Continuous Grade III-IV Makha-Sirwani; big waves at higher flows Confirm.
Dam-related hazards, check releases; debris and changed channel after 2023 floods
Makha-Sirwani (upper) and Melli-Kalijhora (lower)
Moderate; popular Sikkim/Darjeeling activity, less crowded than Rishikesh
Access & shuttle
Sikkim Tourism-registered operators; no special river permit; ILP for foreign nationals in Sikkim Confirm.
Permits and operators change - confirm before booking.
Roadside on NH-10 (Sikkim-Siliguri highway); Melli and Teesta Bazaar accessible
Short road shuttles along NH-10; operator vehicles
Riverside camps near Melli/Sirwani; lodges in Gangtok/Kalimpong
Operator gear; mobile coverage generally ok along highway
Gangtok, Melli, Teesta Bazaar, Kalimpong
Hazards & exits
Post-2023 GLOF channel changes, dam releases, monsoon floods Confirm.
NH-10 parallels river with frequent road access; hospitals in Gangtok/Siliguri
Licensed guide per raft; safety kayak on harder sections
This profile is desk research, compiled from public sources - not a first-hand river run report. Coordinates are approximate.