Almost 8,000 tourists in 10 days; Rishikesh river rafting is a rage again
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Once again it is river rafting season in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand as more than 8,000 tourists have already taken part in this adventure sport in the past 10 days. All adventure sports activities, including rafting, were suspended for six months in Rishikesh in the wake of the spread of COVID-19.
Over 6,000 tourists flocked to Rishikesh in the past three days to participate in river rafting, said Dinesh Bhatt, president of Rafting Association in Rishikesh. Though the business had picked up, the rafting firms were incurring minor losses due to the social distancing norms, he added. Earlier, one raft used to carry 10 people but now only four persons are allowed on a single raft, apart from two guides, that, too, at the same rate.
Adventure sports activities are an integral part of tourism in Uttarakhand. One can enjoy the thrill of river rafting on the rapids of Ganga River throughout the year except during the monsoon season as rafting will be suspended from June 1 to September 15. Though the month of March is the peak season for rafting, paddling on the rapids can be enjoyed the most from mid-September, when the river is opened for rafting, to the beginning of December when winter sets in and the water turn chilly. Rishikesh has four different stretches of different lengths with different time windows for rafting.
One can enjoy the ethereal charm of the Ganga at Rishikesh, which is situated on the foothills of the Himalayas.
Camping under the open sky
Camping under the open night sky is an inevitable part of the river rafting package. One should go for camping after bobbling on the rapids as breathtaking sceneries and surreal natural beauty will take you to another world. Just imagine lying on the lap of Himalayas under the open sky with hundreds of stars for company.