I was known that Tamor rafting is one of the best rafting experiences in the world. I was informed that Tamor rafting covers 131-kilometer distance from Dobhan of Taplejung to Chatara of Sunsari. I had read that 35-kilometer lower Tamor rafting section, from Mulghat of Dhankuta to Chatara, is best rafting for Nepalese as it can be accomplished within 6-hour time in affordable cost of 30$ including travel, snacks and lunch. However, I was ignorant of real rafting experience in my life. I had no experience of travelling in waterways. The last day of 2016 gave me full-fledge floating experience in river. December 31st. gave me thrilling Tamor's white water rafting experience. I was flamboyant to feel this life-time experience from a rafting company operating from my own town of Itahari,Sunsari. Water Deep Rafting Company of Itahari was operating commercial rafting since last year. Unfortunately, I was not informed on this service for more than a year. Last week, I was one of the members of rafting groups that included Inspector General of Armed Police Force (APF) Dorja Kumar Rai, Asia Chairperson of Non Residential Nepalese, Gangaraj Rai and East Nepal's popular journalists Amar Khadka and Shekhar Dhakal.
As seheduled, we were off to Mulghat from Itahari at about 9 am. Historic town of Dharan and East Nepal's most popular hill station of Bhedetar were on our way to Mulghat. We had snacks at Bhedetar and drove down to Mulghat from serpentine picturesque roadways of Bhedetar.
Our river guide Rajendra Shrestha instructed us about rules and ways to make forward and backward moves of our plastic paddles given to each passenger. He taught us ways to fasten our life jacket and adjust helmet. He cautioned us about possible capsize of our raft and ways to hold on lifeline of the raft. With instruction from our guide and resounding excitement among us, our raft set off Mulghat exactly at 11 am. Kayak Nirwachan Gurung was behind us to rescue us in case of any remotely possible mishap.
Breath-taking Tamor's rapids and waves were scary and exting at the same time. At times, we felt like our raft would overturn by powerful incoming rapids and waves. At 2 pm, we arrived at Ghumaaune located between Mahabharat and Chhintang VDC of Dhankuta. We warmed our shivering body in bonfire made by our service providers. Our cooks prepared delicious meal for us. Having dinned mid-day meal and capturing some beautiful snaps, we precede towards Triveni at round 2 pm, a confluence of three tributaries of Nepal's biggest river Saptakoshi namely Tamor, Sunkoshi and Arun rivers. Within two hours of rafting, we reached Triveni. Floating under two suspension bridges in Triveni, we were more excited as we started to raft in Saptakoshi River. Tamor, Arun and Sunkoshi rafting are only rafting in Nepal that finally meets Saptakoshi River before ending rafting at Chatara. Unlike in Tamor, rafting in Saptakoshi was bit harder as rapids would found at longer intervals. Wave and rapid make our travel faster. We increased our frequency to push our paddle forward and backward to reach popular Hindu shrine of Barakshetra and finally to Chatara at 5 pm.
In this way, I was lucky to rejoice rafting in my own region from the service provider stationed in my hometown. Rafting in Tamor doesn't include just a rafting course. It has addidional attractions of topographical variation from hills to plains. It includes popular temples like Bishranti of Mulghat, Pathibhara of Bhedetar, Barahakshetra and Chatara of Sunsari. Tamor rafting gave me once-in-a-lifetime euphoric experience in waterways. This exciting rafting experience has inspired and encouraged me to raft 5-day whole 131-kilometer Tamor rafting from Taplejung to Sunsari.
