What to Expect: A Rafting Day at Atali Ganga
Most people arrive in Rishikesh with a rough idea of what river rafting involves and almost no idea what the actual day looks like end to end. If you are staying at Atali Ganga, the river day is built directly into the stay rather than bolted on as a separate excursion, so here is what to actually expect, hour by hour.
Before the river: booking and briefing
Online enquiries need at least 2 days notice; for anything within 24 hours, the river team can be reached directly on WhatsApp. Rafting is open to guests aged 14 to 65, runs for a minimum of 2 persons, and costs ₹3,540 per person, inclusive of 18% GST. The full run takes 4 to 5 hours.
On the day, every guest gets a proper safety briefing before getting near the water, covering:
- How to fit a PFD (life jacket) properly
- How to enter and exit the craft
- Paddling, launching, and landing technique
- Common river hand signals
- What to do in a capsize
- What to do if separated from the group
- Where the radio, phone and first aid are kept
- Local weather and the plan if it changes suddenly
On the water: the route
The signature run is Marine Drive to NIM Beach, a 24km stretch, with Marine Drive to Shivpuri run on suitable days depending on river conditions and the group plan. The exact route for the day is confirmed by the river team on the morning itself, based on conditions.
Every guest wears a PFD at all times on the water, including while entering and exiting the boat, and carries a whistle. A trained guide with safety-kayaker support is always present, so you do not need to know how to swim to go rafting here. The team maintains a minimum 1:6 staff-to-participant ratio on the water, and anything beyond Class 2 rapids requires sign-off from the Operations Director before it happens, not a judgement call made on the river itself.
What if conditions are not safe?
The activity is cancelled. This is a real operating rule, not a disclaimer: guest safety takes priority over running the day as planned, and the team will not take the river out if conditions do not support it.
Prefer something gentler? Kayaking
If rafting feels too much, or you are travelling with younger kids, inflatable kayaking is the gentler alternative: open to guests aged 6 and up, ₹1,062 per person inclusive of GST, and structured as a kayaking beach visit with tea or coffee, where guests paddle individually for short guided turns over 2 to 3 hours.
After the river
Back at Atali Ganga, the rest of the day is unstructured: the pool, a meal at the White Water Cafe, or simply resting after a genuinely active morning. Guests staying for multiple nights often pair a rafting day with a guided walk or a Beatles Ashram day trip on the days around it.
See the full trip-planning guide for getting here, choosing a stay, and what's included, or pair this with the Beatles Ashram day trip. Ready to go? Book your stay.
This is a first-hand account of a rafting trip in Rishikesh was originally featured by Conde Nast Traveller. The itinerary and operational details above reflect Atali Ganga and Aquaterra Adventures' current program, current as of August 2026.