Monsoon floods utilized for offseason kayaking

By Birat Anupam, Kathmandu - Monsoon-induced floods render huge losses to life and properties in Nepal every year. However, for some tourism professionals of Dharan, it has become an opportunity. Ram Rai, a licensed paragliding pilot and Setu Silwal, a licensed river guide, have joined forces to give birth to the new adventure tourism activities in Dharan. On July 21, they pioneered the first ever kayaking at Sardu rivulet of Dharan.

River guide Setu Silwal kayaked from Jholunge Pul, a spot close to BP Park to Dharan-Bishnupaduka Bridge area. The four-kilometer-long kayaking was an initiation for the monsoon-induced floods at Dharan, informed Setu Silwal who has been commercially active in river rafting at Tamur, Arun and Sunkoshi of State-1. ''Monsoon season is the off season for the mainstream rafting activities in bigger rivers like Arun, Tamur, Sunkoshi and Saptakoshi in our state'', said Silwal who owns and operates a commercial rafting company based in Dharan.