White water rafting in Kullu

White water rafting attracts tourists, adventure lovers to Kullu
by Prem

Kullu: Tourists in large numbers from within the country and abroad throng the Kullu valley in Himachal Pradesh to enjoy adventure sports like river rafting. The hill state has been a popular destination for tourists looking for either adventure or respite from heat. The rapids in the Beas River offer immense possibilities for white water rafting in the valley. Navigating through the considerably rough waters on inflatable boats, rafts, through the valley are a memorable experience for most tourists. "This is my second time in rafting. I had a great time. It is very nice," said Gabriel, a Canadian tourist. Whereas for Saumya, a local tourist, rafting was thrilling as it was her first time, "This is my first time. I was a bit scared at first. But it was very good and it was a great experience," she said. There are almost 70 adventure sports clubs that have emerged in the valley, with almost 200 rafts, offering river rafting facilities to tourists. The operators of these adventure events provide requisite safety gadgets to the tourists. They are given life jackets and the rafting boats are not allowed to go beyond a particular distance. "It has been done here since 1988. It was though banned for some time due to some accidents. But now with new and better technology, new rafts, it has become very safe," said Amar Chand, Co-Director, Himalayan Adventure and Trekking Expedition Centre. As a result of a heavy inflow of tourists, the rate of occupancy at the hotels in Kullu valley has almost touched the optimum level.
-Jun 4, 2009

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