12 Dec 2025

The Seti River: Rafting and Glamping

by | posted in: Nepal 2025 | 0

It turns out there’s more to Nepal than the majesty of the Himalayas. We drove a couple of hours from Pokhara to a point along the Seti River where we started a rafting adventure. We paddled downriver, stopped for a picnic lunch on a sandy riverbank, and continued to an immensely comfortable camp, where we spent two nights. Then we continued our rafting journey for another few hours.

There’s not really much more to say than that. But here are a few details and some photos.

Here we are about to embark. We split up on three rafts, with a fourth raft for cargo (all our luggage and the picnic lunch) and a kayaker. I think we looked like aliens from a bad sci-fi movie.
Artie, Li, Lawrence, Milan, Adria, and me on the river. Milan was an outstanding guide.
The day started out overcast, but the sun came out before our lunch break.
We rafted under a number of footbridges, but here’s one that crossed a side channel that appears to be dry right now. No doubt during monsoon the river looks a lot different.
Here’s where we stopped for lunch.
White-capped Redstart along the side of the river
White-browed wagtail
Arriving at camp
A view of our camp from a treehouse
This was my tent
All the comforts of home!

After a gathering around a campfire and a delicious dinner, I was ready for bed early. I was in bed by 8pm and after a bit of reading, was fast asleep by 9:00.

A day at camp

The best part about our day off between rafting was that there was plenty of time to just relax. In the morning we did a short hike to a nearby village and to the house of one of the women who works at the camp. But other than that (and a cooking class I chose to skip), I enjoyed wandering around, taking pictures, and appreciating the idyllic setting.

The day started early (since last night ended early). This was about 6am.
The camp vegetable garden. We got to enjoy some of the harvest during our meals here.

I took plenty of photos of flowers in the camp, both wild and cultivated. 

Scarlet clock vine
Philippine violet
Starfruit
On our hike we crossed this bridge. So did a motorcycle! Rajesh, our trip leader, stepped out of the way.
Signs at the end of the bridge welcoming visitors to the municipality:
Welcoming you to the second fully sanitized ward of Gandaki Province,
Do not throw garbage indiscriminately in the gas field.
Introducing a civilized citizen.
Use the toilet regularly.
Drink water only after purification.
Pay attention to personal hygiene.
Always clean the house entrance.
Use safe food.
Always keep the environment clean.
Who doesn’t love baby goats?
A goat family portrait
One of the women who works in our camp lives here with her husband and their 3‑year-old son, his mother, and several of his siblings. They farm rice and raise various animals (goats, buffalo, chickens, and a hog).

Butterflies

After our little hike I went on a butterfly hunt. The prettiest one I saw flying around with bright red and yellow wings, but it eluded me when I tried to get a picture. Here are the ones I did manage to capture. But because a lot of butterflies look almost exactly like other species, I won’t venture to identify them.

Back on the Seti River

This trip has been a series of regretful departures. Everywhere we’ve been has been so wonderful. And we had to leave our camp early this morning to continue our adventure on the Seti River and head toward our next destination.

I won’t bother including more photos from today’s rafting, but they are all in my photo album, along with a few videos. 

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