The 50th International Whitewater Rafting and Kayaking Festival and the 24th Himalayan Whitewater Challenge concluded on Thursday on the Trishuli River, marking a significant event aimed at promoting Nepal’s adventure and river-based tourism. The three-day international competition brought together athletes, tourism stakeholders, and river sport enthusiasts, highlighting Nepal’s growing reputation as a global destination for whitewater adventure sports.
Organized to promote water-based adventure tourism, the event featured a series of competitive rafting and kayaking events where participants showcased their technical skills, endurance, and teamwork. The competition attracted local athletes as well as international attention, reinforcing Nepal’s position as one of the world’s premier destinations for whitewater rafting and kayaking.
Winners Shine in Kayaking Competitions
Several athletes delivered outstanding performances across different kayaking disciplines. In the Kayak Mandatory Run category, Rabindra Chepang secured first place and won a cash prize of NPR 100,000. Dambar Bahadur Purbachhane finished second, while Jason Gurung claimed third place and Rabin Gurung secured fourth position.
In the Kayak Sprint category, Jason Gurung emerged as the champion. Rabindra Chepang finished second, while Keshav Ghartimagar secured third place, and Krishna Khadka finished fourth.
The Kayak Cross event also witnessed intense competition. Dambar Bahadur Purbachhane secured the top position, followed by Rabindra Chepang in second place. Surendra Chepang finished third, while Mohan Rana placed fourth in the category.
Paddle Nepal Wins 10km Raft Race
The highlight of the rafting competitions was the 10-kilometer raft race, where Paddle Nepal emerged as the winner and received a cash prize of NPR 50,000. Jaladevi Adventure secured second place, followed by Nepal Kayak Club in third position and Rafting Adventure Nepal in fourth. A total of 11 teams participated in the rafting race, demonstrating the growing popularity of competitive rafting in Nepal.
During the event, special recognition was also given to Himalayan Exploration, which pioneered water-based adventure tourism in Nepal. The organization was honored for its historic contribution to introducing river tourism and rafting activities in the country.
Tourism Leaders Emphasize River Conservation
The closing ceremony was attended by several key figures from Nepal’s tourism and rafting industries. Among them were Ram Prasad Sapkota, Vice Chairperson of the Nepal Tourism Board; Senior Director Hikmat Singh Ayer; Senior Manager Udaya Bhattarai; Senior Officer Pradip Basnet; and President of the Nepal Association of Rafting Agencies (NARA) Kamal Thakuri. Former NARA presidents Gangaprasad Nepal and Chandra Bahadur Dahal were also present.
Speaking at the ceremony, Chandra Bahadur Dahal highlighted that the festival, which carries a 50-year legacy, has become a crucial platform for promoting river-based tourism in Nepal. He emphasized the need to protect the stretch of the Trishuli River from Baireni to Narayangadh and called for the formulation of a clear national policy for river tourism development.
Strengthening Nepal’s Global Adventure Tourism Brand
Senior Director Hikmat Singh Ayer from the Nepal Tourism Board stressed the importance of increasing international participation in future events. He noted that collaborative efforts are essential to establish Nepal as a global hub for whitewater rafting and kayaking tourism. Ayer also expressed a commitment to organizing international water tourism events every three months along the Trishuli corridor, which lies close to Kathmandu, to further promote Nepal’s adventure tourism products worldwide.
Vice Chairperson Ram Prasad Sapkota highlighted tourism as a key driver of employment and national development. He stated that Nepal holds immense potential to emerge as a global hub for adventure tourism. Sapkota also stressed the need for clear legal frameworks, strict safety standards, and stronger river conservation policies to support sustainable development in the rafting sector.
He further noted that better classification and management are required to balance river activities such as rafting, hydropower generation, and riverbed extraction, ensuring that tourism development does not harm the country’s natural resources.
Call for Sustainable River Tourism
NARA President Kamal Thakuri congratulated the winners and emphasized the urgent need for river conservation. He warned that uncontrolled exploitation of rivers could threaten Nepal’s natural heritage and limit future tourism opportunities. According to Thakuri, river tourism is not limited to rafting alone but supports thousands of jobs and livelihoods across the country.
The competition was judged by a panel including Bharat Gurung, Dipesh Gurung, Jeevan Gurung, Tapan Gurung, Mahendra Saru Magar, Dol Bahadur Gurung, Bhismaraj Thapaliya, Mim Bahadur Magar, Bikash Gurung, Mitra Gurung, Karan Thapaliya, Suk Bahadur Lama, Chudamani Aryal, and Raju Shrestha, with international judge Anna Mathe also participating.
According to NARA General Secretary Chunamani Aryal, the successful completion of the international competition on the Trishuli River not only promoted Nepal’s adventure sports tourism but also highlighted the growing importance of protecting rivers as valuable natural assets for sustainable tourism development.
