Nepali Rafting Guide Seeks Stability Beyond His Homeland

(MENAFN) For Puskar Kandel, a young resident of an isolated settlement near the Trishuli River in central Nepal, the sandy riverbank functioned as an informal academy where he acquired the abilities that would shape his future. That stretch of water and shore became his classroom, offering lessons no formal institution could provide.

He devoted most of his days to the river and its banks, where experienced rafting instructors from his own community mentored him. They motivated him to hone techniques in kayaking, canyoning, and white-water rafting through constant practice and hands-on exposure.

“I didn’t even continue higher education after completing my intermediate degree,” Kandel said. “Instead, I joined the nearby Royal Beach Camp as an intern, where I learned all the skills required for leading river expeditions.”

Following three years of apprenticeship and an additional six years guiding rafting trips for international visitors across Nepal’s waterways, Kandel earned respect and recognition within the rafting circle as a dependable professional.

However, the career he was passionate about failed to provide long-term security.

“I didn’t see a better future because our country is not yet fully promoted as a rafting destination,” he told a news agency.

At present, Kandel—along with many others from his generation—has taken employment as a rafting guide in Japan, where he receives a consistent salary far exceeding what he could earn in his homeland.

Nepal is internationally celebrated for mountaineering and hosts eight of the planet’s fourteen tallest mountains. At the same time, it is interlaced with countless rivers descending from the Himalayas, placing it among the world’s most promising locations for rafting, kayaking, and canyoning adventures.

Despite this natural advantage, voices from within the sector argue that much of this promise remains unrealized. Restrictions on river access, expansion of hydropower projects, ecological harm, and irregular tourist arrivals have turned guiding into an uncertain profession.

“In Nepal, rafting has not been established as a sustainable adventure tourism industry,” Kandel said. “In Japan, the work is reliable and the salary is better.”

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