Since the access to the river is difficult, only three days on the river is possible. The remote location, the villages and the spectacular mountain views make this trip a real wilderness experience. Rising in the vicinity of Tibet's holy Mt. Kailash, the Karnali carves the Himalayan landscape into a series of magnificent gorges and canyons as it slowly descends into the jungle forests of western Nepal. This part of Nepal sees very little tourists and the two day trek to the put-in point on the Great Loop formed by the Karnali, goes through forests and a country side that has remained virtually untouched for hundreds of years. The Karnali river gorge is one of the most heavily forested and pristine areas in Nepal.
Wildlife is abundant, bird sighting is phenomenal and fishing is some of the best in Nepal.
The lower section does not have any major rapids, but the river now teems with aquatic life, including fresh water dolphins and marsh mugger crocodiles. One can also spend some time in the nearby Royal Bardia National Park after the completion of the river trip. The Kali Gandaki, named after the Hindu goddess of destruction, Kali, rises in Mustang, on the northern side of the Himalayas. As it tumbles south between the majestic Dhaulagiri and Annapurna ranges, it creates the world's deepest river gorges. Once an ancient trading route to Tibet, the Kali Gandaki valley is now a popular trekking trail.