Shivpuri to Rishikesh — 16 KM Rafting

If someone tells you they have been rafting in Rishikesh, this is almost always the stretch they mean. Sixteen kilometres from Shivpuri down to the Rishikesh take-out, packed with the river's most photographed rapids and short enough to fit into a weekend morning.

The rapids arrive at a friendly rhythm: a warm-up, a build, then Roller Coaster and Golf Course delivering the wave-in-the-face moments people come for. Between them there is time to breathe, swim and listen to your guide read the water.

It is our default recommendation for first-timers, families with older kids and college groups. Enough punch to feel like a real adventure, enough margin that nobody spends the day frightened.