Kathmandu: The Nepal Association of Rafting Agencies (NARA), in collaboration with the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), has announced that the 24th Himalayan Whitewater Challenge 2026 and the 50th International Whitewater Rafting and Kayaking Festival will be held from Falgun 14 to 16, 2082 (February 26–28, 2026).
Organizing a press conference on Wednesday at the Nepal Tourism Board Hall, the organizers informed that the 24th Himalayan Whitewater Challenge 2026 will feature the participation of 30 international athletes and 140 national athletes.
Speaking at the press conference, Hikmat Singh Airee, Senior Director of the Nepal Tourism Board, said that the Board has been associated with the whitewater series for a long time and that lessons learned from past editions have been incorporated this year. He emphasized that river-based adventure sports are being positioned as a strong component of Nepal’s tourism image.
“Not only Mount Everest and the Himalayas, but river-based adventure activities such as rafting, kayaking, and canoeing must also be promoted in the international market,” Airee said. He added that the protection and conservation of rivers are equally important. The Nepal Tourism Board has committed to developing whitewater adventure as a distinct tourism product and facilitating its expansion across all seven provinces.
Similarly, Ram Prasad Sapkota, Vice Chairperson of the Nepal Tourism Board, expressed concern that hydropower projects and river-based extraction activities are negatively affecting adventure sports conducted in rivers. “For river-based adventure tourism, the government should identify and allocate specific rivers for rafting and similar activities while planning hydropower projects,” he said, adding that he trusts NARA will take initiative on this issue.
NARA President Kamal Bahadur Thakuri stated that the “24th Himalayan Whitewater Challenge 2026 and 50th International Whitewater Rafting and Kayaking Festival” is not just a competition, but a celebration of 50 years of Nepal’s whitewater expedition history. The festival will feature competitions in three disciplines two in kayaking and one in rafting. The first day will host races among more than 100 kayakers, followed by knockout sessions on the second day and rafting sessions on the third day. Overall, an estimated 400 to 600 people, including athletes, volunteers, judges, and spectators, are expected to attend.
The organizers also announced that the founders of Himalayan River Exploration, which pioneered commercial rafting in Nepal, will be specially honored during the event.
Rafting in Nepal is believed to have begun in the 1960s. In 1964, a French team rafted the Trishuli River, followed by Sir Edmund Hillary’s team rafting the Sunkoshi River in 1965, marking key milestones in Nepal’s whitewater history. Commercial rafting formally began in 1975 through Himalayan River Exploration, while NARA was established in 1990 (B.S. 2046).
