Kali / Sarda
Also known as: Kali, Sarda, Mahakali, Pancheshwar run
India-Nepal border river; Pancheshwar Kali-Saryu confluence; terraced Kumaoni and Nepali villages; sandy beaches; tropical Terai jungle
Is there water?
Whether there is a river here on your dates, and what kind of water it is.
Snow and rain-fed Himalayan river; high volume; clearer lower flows in post-monsoon and spring
Roughly Oct-Nov and Feb-Mar (est); avoid monsoon high flows
Post-monsoon autumn and pre-monsoon spring - operators run March and November (Confirm. exact yearly dates)
Cool Himalayan snowmelt, warming through the lower Terai reaches (est); no published temperatures
Monsoon flooding and landslides (Jun-Sep); flash rises possible; region prone to severe storm events
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 (operators list rapid class 1-4)
Rafting; self-contained kayaking
Serene Class II+ float sections above and around Pancheshwar suit less-experienced paddlers; harder Class III-IV whitewater on the run to Chooka
Fit adventurers; wilderness camping with no road access along the river; operator rates the trip as Moderate
The run
Chooka - long Class IV rapid on the final descent to the plains; big high-volume water
Big-water holes and wave trains at the Class IV Chooka; generally read-and-run; scout Chooka
Pancheshwar to Tanakpur (Jhulaghat/Jaljibi put-in to Boom take-out)
Very low - one of the least-travelled Himalayan rafting rivers; genuine wilderness solitude
Access & shuttle
Border-area river; sanctuary/permit fees where applicable handled by the operator (Confirm. current fees); ILP not required for Kumaon
Permits and operators change - confirm before booking.
Road access to the put-in near Jhulaghat/Pithoragarh; take-out at Boom then road to Rudrapur/Tanakpur; no road along the river
Rail Delhi-Kathgodam then road Kathgodam-Pithoragarh-put-in (approx 7 hr, est); take-out drive out to the plains
Wilderness beach camps (Confluence Camp below Pancheshwar, Chooka Camp); rest houses at Pithoragarh
All gear carried on the rafts; safe drinking water provided; little to no mobile connectivity in the gorge
Delhi/Kathgodam/Pithoragarh staging; Tanakpur; Nepal bank opposite
Hazards & exits
Remote border zone; big-volume cold water; leeches and insects; landslide-prone approach roads
Limited - remote, few road touch-points; village trails; guide-led safety and self-rescue
Guided self-contained expedition with experienced raft guides, camp staff and cooks; not for independent unsupported groups
This profile is desk research, compiled from public sources - not a first-hand river run report. Coordinates are approximate.