Riding The Wild Brahmaputra

Rafting the Great River and other waters

Required Documents

All foreign travelers to India need a valid passport and a visa ($60 for tourists for up to six months). For more information, contact the Consulate General of India, 3 East 64th Street, New York, N.Y. 10021; (212) 774-0610; www.indiacgny.org.

Foreigners planning on visiting Arunachal Pradesh also need a Restricted Area Permit, which must be sought with the visa at an Indian embassy or consulate; there is no fee, and it is good for 10 days for a group of at least four. This can be arranged through your rafting outfitter.

Outfitters

Aquaterra Adventures, S-507, Greater Kailash Part II, New Delhi 110048; (91-112) 629-2760, fax (91-112) 623-2641; www.treknraft.com, is offering a Brahmaputra trip from Nov. 21 to Dec. 5; bookings close on Sept. 10. The price, $3,000 a person, at the rate of 48 rupees to the dollar, includes round-trip air fare between New Delhi and Dibrugarh, accommodation and meals except in New Delhi, guide services and rafting gear, including wetsuits. Kayakers pay $2,150 each. The company asks that rafters have at least minimal experience or undergo training by Aquaterra one or two days before the start of the journey.

For those who want more of the culture and less of the big rapids, a road journey on the first three days of the river trip will be available.

Aquaterra also runs rafting trips on the Ganges, Alaknanda, Bhagirathi, Tons, Kali, Zanskar and Lohit Rivers, from 3 to 15 days. Prices start at $90 for three days on the Ganges.

Other experienced rafting outfitters in India include Himalayan River Runners, N-8, Green Park Main, First Floor, New Delhi 110016; (91-112) 696-8169, fax (91-112) 686-5604; www.himalayanriverrunners.com. The company organizes rafting trips on the Zanskar, Indus, Mahakali, Ganges, Bhagirathi, Alaknanda and Tons. Trips range from overnight to 21 days, costing $45 to $2,500.

Outdoor Adventures India, TG2A/3, Garden Estate Mehrauli Road, Gurgaon122002, Harayana; telephone and fax (91-95-124) 256-3649, www.raftindia.com, has more than 16 years of experience on various rivers and wilderness areas across the Indian Himalayas. Both rafting and trekking trips are conducted from a base camp on the Upper Ganges River from October through April, ranging from 3 to 15 days. Prices start from $120. Multiday river expeditions, treks or wildlife trips can be tailored on a number of rivers.