River rafting lures tourists

ANITA RAO KASHI / TNN / Nov 4, 2005, 02:02 IST

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River rafting has become a favourite adventure sport with tourists in Karnataka after the heavy rains.

River rafting has become a favourite adventure sport with tourists in Karnataka after the heavy rains.
River rafting has become a favourite adventure sport with tourists in Karnataka after the heavy rains.
River rafting has become a favourite adventure sport with tourists in Karnataka after the heavy rains.
BANGALORE: Heavy rains all over the state have unleashed some attractions of their own.Breaches and floods notwithstanding, river rafting has become a favourite adventure sport with tourists in Karnataka.

In fact, state-run Jungle Lodges and Resorts (JLR) started river rafting on the Kali near Dandeli in the last decade and is currently the only place for white water rafting south of the Ganga.
"The sport is so popular that we have started it in a couple of other places and soon extend it further," JLR's chief naturalist C R Sarath said. The sport is so popular that groups travel through the night Bangalore to reach the rafting spot by morning, participate for half a day, and then head back to Bangalore.

"In fact, some groups are so fascinated by river rafting that they do this regularly. We now plan to start an advanced module for those who are well versed in the sport.," he said. River rafting has also become popular because of the relative ease with which it can be done.
"Except for people with cardiac problems and similar ailments, there is hardly any restriction on participants. We have had even 60-year-old couples and six-year-old children doing it. Participants need not even know swimming, so virtually anybody can participate," he said.
A typical rafting is preceded by a 30-minute thorough briefing on rowing, do's and don'ts, use of life jackets and other aspects. A good dunking is inevitable but the trainers will stress that the life jackets will ensure flotation. In any case, experts and trainers are always nearby.
"It is very safe and been designed that way, in terms of location and equipment. Since we started, more than 15,000 people have done river rafting and we haven't had a single mishap," Sarath said.
The popularity of the sport has been such that at least half a dozen private companies and enthusiasts offer river rafting at various places across the state.

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