Ganga at Rishikesh
Also known as: Ganges, Kaudiyala-Rishikesh run, Ganga
Forested Garhwal gorge, white-sand beaches, temples, Ram Jhula and Laxman Jhula bridges
Is there water?
Whether there is a river here on your dates, and what kind of water it is.
Snowmelt plus monsoon; lowest and clearest post-monsoon, pushier Apr-Jun
Sep to Jun; closed in monsoon (Jul-Aug) and at high flows; state/NGT closures apply Confirm.
Mid-Sep to Nov and Mar to mid-Jun
Cool to mild ~12-18C (est); wetsuits optional in warm months
Monsoon flash floods Jul-Sep; upstream Tehri dam operations can affect flow 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 (rapids III to IV; The Wall IV)
Rafting; kayaking
Shorter runs bookable: Shivpuri-NIM (~11-12 km), Marine Drive-NIM, Brahmapuri-NIM (family I-II)
Wide range; families run lower Brahmapuri-Rishikesh (I-II); Kaudiyala full run for fit adults; min age typically 14+ Confirm.
The run
The Wall (Grade IV) known flipper; Roller Coaster and Golf Course big wave trains (III+)
No mandatory portages on commercial line; hazards are big holes and cold high water in spring
Kaudiyala to NIM Beach (Rishikesh)
Very crowded; India's busiest rafting stretch, hundreds of rafts on weekends
Access & shuttle
State-regulated per-person fees ~INR 600-2500 by section; operators registered with Uttarakhand Tourism/GMVN Confirm.
Permits and operators change - confirm before booking.
Roadside put-in at Kaudiyala on NH-7 (Badrinath road); take-out NIM Beach near Rishikesh, road accessible
Operator vehicle shuttle Rishikesh to Kaudiyala (~40 min); self-drive possible
Regulated riverside beach camps around Shivpuri/Byasi (swiss tents) Confirm.
Operator provides raft, PFD, helmet; mobile coverage patchy in gorge, good near Rishikesh
Rishikesh (Tapovan, Laxman Jhula), Shivpuri, Byasi, Kaudiyala
Hazards & exits
Crowding, variable operator standards, cold spring high water; safety incidents reported Confirm.
Road parallels much of run with multiple access points; Rishikesh hospitals nearby
Licensed guide per raft mandatory; safety kayaker on some trips
This profile is desk research, compiled from public sources - not a first-hand river run report. Coordinates are approximate.