A few weeks ago a bunch of us had gone to Goa and decided that a visit to Dandeli was a must. The reason behind this absolute conviction was the Kali river and the white water rafting adventures it offered.  A very bumpy ride through the western ghats could have diminished anyone’s enthusiasm but luckily for us, the adventures were worth every crack in our rented Maruti Swift’s axle. The river was beautiful and when we  were asked to jump into the river (to practice rescues) during the little training session that we had, no one thought twice. After reluctantly returning to the raft we started our 9 km expedition.
The  rapids aren’t very difficult and on the “International Scale of River Difficulty” go to a maximum of “Class 3”. This translate into “Waves numerous, high, irregular; rocks; eddies; rapids with passages clear though narrow, requiring expertise in maneuvering; scouting usually needed. Requires good operator and boat.”
I Â had a brush with death when I went overboard and went down…to all of 4 feet! As I discovered from experience, the river isn’t too deep but has a very rocky layout and can hurt in case you aren’t equipped, either with the right gear or the right experience.
A great experience and something everyone can enjoy. You don’t really need to know how to swim, but you need to be smart enough to keep your life jacket tightly fitted.
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