WhitewaterNepalUpper Seti

Upper Seti

Also known as: Upper Seti / Seti Khola

Forested canyon; Annapurna and Machhapuchhre views on clear days

Short warm day runPoint-to-point
RaftKayak
Distance
8 km (est). Confirm.
Typical time
90 min on water; half-day trip
Thrilling adventure rafting through the vibrant rapids of a Nepalese river.

Is there water?

Whether there is a river here on your dates, and what kind of water it is.

Water-level regime

Snow and rain fed; monsoon spikes; low clear water post-monsoon

Runnable window

Runnable most of year; avoid peak monsoon Jun-Aug high flows. Confirm.

Best season

Oct to mid-Dec and Mar to early May

Water temperature

Warm river; wetsuit optional, no drysuit needed (est)

Monsoon flash rises Jun-Sep; otherwise stable. Confirm.

Grade & who can come

Grade at a normal level
Grade 33 (Intermediate) - short punchy class 3, pushes to class 3-4 in high water

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.

Local grading

Nepali grade 3 (grade 3-4 high water)

How it is run

Rafting and kayaking

Splitting the group

Single half-day session; morning or afternoon departures

Accessibility & group fit

Very accessible from Pokhara Lakeside; suits beginners with intermediate punch; min age set by operator (est)

The run

Crux rapids

Continuous read-and-run wave trains; no portages; pushier at high flow. Confirm.

Portages & hazards

No portages; standard rocks and holes at higher water

Named section

Upper Seti day run (Pokhara)

Crowds

Popular commercial day run; can be busy in high season

Access & shuttle

No government river permit since 1999; operator fees only. Confirm.

Permits and operators change - confirm before booking.

Put-in & take-out

Put-in about 30 min drive from Pokhara; roadside take-out

Shuttle & transport

Short vehicle shuttle from Pokhara Lakeside offices

Camps & huts

None; day trip returning to Pokhara hotels

Gear

Operator provides gear; mobile coverage near Pokhara

Operators

Pokhara Lakeside; Paddle Nepal, GRG Adventure Kayaking (est)

Hazards & exits

Hazards

Flows rise fast after rain; check level before launch

Emergency exits

Road close to river for most of run; quick evac to Pokhara hospitals

Guiding

Commercial guided raft or kayak; NARA-registered operator required

This profile is desk research, compiled from public sources - not a first-hand river run report. Coordinates are approximate.

Also in Nepal

Paddle Upper Seti with your crew
Manta plans the run, the shuttle and what the non-paddlers do so a mixed group all get a great trip.
Plan a paddling trip