Raging rivers, expert kayakers and more at Megha Kayak Festival in October

Come October, you will be talking about Kynshi, Umtrew, Khri, Kopili and Umiam. In case you are wondering what these names are, these are the four raging rivers and a freshwater lake that are going to be the venues for the 6th edition of the Megha Kayak Festival in Meghalaya.

We are talking about kayaking in the rivers of one of the rainiest places on Earth, Meghalaya. So what is this Megha Kayak Festival all about, you ask?



The Megha Kayak Festival aims to be one of the largest festivals in the Indian subcontinent, and most definitely one of the most exciting ones in India. For all adrenaline junkies and fans of kayaking and similar extreme sports, this festival is something you shouldn’t miss out on.

Every year, over 80 white-water kayakers from all over the world face these rough waters and show people how it’s done. The aim is to highlight adventure and water tourism in Meghalaya and, believe it or not, there are a number of takers.


Expect to see a large contingent from India and Nepal. It’s no surprise, we are not new to raging rivers and adventure tourism. Indian rivers like Brahmaputra, Ganges, Tons, Zanskar, Mandovi, Teesta and Kali among many others are already famous for white water kayaking; now, we also have these rivers from Meghalaya as upcoming big names in the field.



It is important to note that Meghalaya is, in fact, one of the wettest regions in the world, and only makes sense that its rivers will be nowhere near ordinary.


What to expect at the festival?The Megha Kayak Festival will feature different categories such as The Giant Slalom , Extreme Boater-cross and Time-Trial Races. These categories are not for the faint of heart. There are also separate competition categories for intermediate and novice kayakers. So don’t be disheartened.

One can also expect to see expert female kayakers from all over the world participating in this festival and, as per reports, they will also conduct women-centric kayaking workshops for those interested.



Facing the waterExpect a lot of adrenaline rush at the festival, even if you are not a participant. For those participating, each kayaker will get two attempts to qualify the downriver course. This will be followed by the final. There will be a set time limit to negotiate the 300-350 meter long Class IV section.


The Extreme Slalom race will be between four kayakers who will try to be the fastest to reach the finish line downriver. Downriver Freestyle will have competing kayakers perform freestyle tricks of their choice within an allotted time limit. The Downriver Freestyle will purely be for demonstration purposes only.