Heading To Goa During The Monsoon? Don't Forget To Try River Rafting For Only INR 1,890

Come monsoons, and the Mhadei river in Goa is the place to go rafting, courtesy the Southern River Adventures with support from Goa Tourism since 2012.

Yes, there is rafting in Goa, and it is run by the very well-known company founded by the English expat, John Pollard, who has made India his home for some 15 plus years now.

John is widely acknowledged as the pioneer of rafting in South India, having introduced 6 new stretches of rafting to this part of the country since 1999, one of the more famous ones being Dandeli and safely conducted rafting trips for some 50,000 plus people accident-free. His team is very well experienced and great fun to go rafting with.

So this activity is available in Goa only during the monsoons from June to September, making a monsoon trip to Goa, an adventurous one too.

It is ideal for both pro and amateur rafters as well as children over the age of 12. They have two trips daily, at 9.30am and 2.30 pm for the late risers. Currently they charge INR 1,890 per person per trip but please do check their website for any changes in the prices or timings. The trip lasts some 2-3 hours and leaves you thoroughly exhilarated and amazed at all that nature offers. One does not necessarily need to be a swimmer to do rafting and they even offer card payments. Of course always advisable to book in advance to confirm your seat and time, as well as avoid carrying too many valuables unless you have your own car and can leave them locked in there.

The meeting and drop point is The Earthen Pot Restaurant, Sayed Nagar, Valpoi, Sattari, Goa.

The rafting trip runs right along the border of the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary nestled in the UNESCO World Heritage area of the Western Ghats. The trip is a fun 10 km run on easy Class 2 to 3 rapids with amazing forest backdrops, exotic birds and the big and bouncy waves of the river all make it a memorable experience.

And expect to get totally drenched, if not by the rain or the river, then by the guides Kumar, Vikas, Samir, Naushad or Mohammed themselves who are experts at flicking water off their paddles at you, making the trips an all out fun inter raft water fights.

They will even tell you the funny names they have given the rapids like, “Big Daddy” “Giant Haystacks” “Y fronts” and “Pipeline” etc.

Carry a change of clothes, as they also offer toilets, changing rooms for after the trip. And then carry just enough cash to indulge in some great local food at the Earthen Oven if you actually paddled which will definitely leave you famished.

And, they can also do video shoots and photography for extra charges if you want to rub it in and post all over social media.

Secure footwear and no loose clothing is mandatory.