White Water Rafting

After coming off the slopes of Adam’s Peak, the clear waters of the Kelani Riverwind their way through the Hill Country of inland Sri Lanka before emptying into the Indian Ocean. The put in for rafting is just upstream from Kithulgala, a small town in the tea country. After a safety briefing and a few pointers on rafting technique, we’ll jump right into the action. Seven high quality, class II and III rapids and temperate waters make the Kelani a premier introduction to the sport of whitewater or an exciting choice for experienced rafters. The river hosts rapids between grades 2 and 3, with the rafting stretch approximately 6.5 kilometers in length, and taking between 45 minutes to 1.5 hours to complete, depending on water levels. With the Kelani’s special “Killer Fall” and “Butter Crunch” rapids, rafters are guaranteed a challenge, but are also offered a chance to relax, with small calm stretches allowing a refreshing swim in the river to unwind. Ideal times are from May to December, although there are no “bad” times. The river is dam controlled. Therefore, water levels can be low in April, but can also be quite high during the monsoon season. Along the way, you’ll have the option to hike down one of the river’s side canyons where we’ll jump into plunge pools, wade across “potholes,” and shoot down a few slides. The Lower Kelani is the second leg of combined rafting and canyoning trip and is suitable for children of all ages. We have strict minimum age limits, and we do not take children under eleven rafting on the upper section with its Class III rapids. Our staff are highly trained and we do this type of trip quite regularly with children. All Borderlands raft trips meet international safety standards, with all raft guides trained in CPR, (Cardiovascular Pulmonary Resuscitation), first aid and river rescue. Participants will wear life jackets and helmets for safety and will be guided by an expert Borderlands team. Rafting is also a core feature of our Corporate Training and Youth leadership Programs.  Borderlands guides are certified in River rescue and have extensive local knowledge of the river and this environment.

Hire a ducky and turn your raft run into a true adventure.  Our guides will assist you with the correct lines down the river as you navigate your own kayak down the head chopper or killer falls.  The duckies are one or two person inflatable kayaks which are far more exciting than a normal rafting run and far easier than a hard kayak run.  Idea for those looking for more than the regular paddling raft experience.