Water and River Sports in Himachal Pradesh
Rivers and their tributaries gushing down the Himalayan slopes and artificial lakes beside hydroelectric power generating dams are ideal places to enjoy water and river sports in Himachal Pradesh. Activities such as swimming, boating, fishing and rafting are favorites among water sport lovers. You can enjoy water sports in Himachal Pradesh during the summer and autumn months. Indianholiday.com brings you the details.
The snow and rain-fed perennial rivers of Beas, Ravi, Sutlej and Chenab flow rapidly down the slopes and this speed is what makes river rafting thrilling. Popular white water rafting sites in Himachal Pradesh are:
- Beas near Kullu
- Sutlej near Shimla
- Ravi near Chamba
- Chenab (also known as Chandrabhaga) in Lahaul
The best white water rafting site is the 20 kilometers long area on the Beas River from Shamsi to Aut in Kullu district.
You can also check out the tributaries of the Beas River (Chaki, Suheti, Luni, Uhl, Banganga, Parvati, Sainj and Hurla) and the Spiti River (Sutlej River merges with this river while entering the Spiti Valley) for white water rafting. The difficulty level of rafting in these rivers is from IV to VI. Only professionals are advised to raft since this is a dangerous sport. But if you are interested and physically fit, you can enroll at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute for Mountaineering and Allied Sports in Manali and learn the basics of white water rafting. They also provide intermediate and advanced courses for all water sports. You can hire rafting gear from the Himachal Pradesh Tourism office.
Fishing is another activity you can enjoy in the Himachali rivers.
Water Sports in Himachal Pradesh
Water sports at Pong Dam Reservoir - The 42 kilometers long and 2 kilometers wide reservoir of the Pong Dam or Maharana Pratap Sagar Dam on the Beas River in Kangra district is a famous site for water activities such as fishing, swimming, water skiing, canoeing, sailing and boating. An interesting feature about this location is that you can avail of training in your preferred water sport in the basic, intermediate and advanced levels. Learners can stay at the hostel next to the reservoir. The training institute is the same as the one given for river rafting.
Water Sports at Chamera Lake - Chamera Lake and Dam on the Ravi River is situated 25 kilometers from Dalhousie on the Pathankot-Chamba highway in Chamba district. Its unique feature is the absence of fishes in the lake. This makes it ideal for water sports. You can swim, take a leisurely ride on a boat, kayak or canoe on the lake while enjoying the breathtaking landscape around this artificial lake.
Water Sports at Govind Sagar Reservoir - Govind Sagar, between Bilaspur and Una districts on the Sutlej River, has been a center for water sports in Himachal Pradesh for years. The water sports season at this lake is from October to November. A number of boat races are organized during this time every year. You can enjoy ferry rides, boating, fishing, kayaking, water skiing and sailing at Govind Sagar.
The Himachal Pradesh Tourism department encourages activities on the rivers and reservoirs in the state. So, you can enjoy better facilities now. Book a tour to enjoy the water and river sports in Himachal Pradesh on indianholiday.com.
