Himalayan River Girls on the Lower Seti

As the festival wrapped up with people jumping on buses to head every which way- the girls headed out to start phase two of their training. The girls spent 5 days on the trisuli working with Nepalese N.O.L.S. instructors Churimani and Chandra learning basic raft guiding skills- expanding on what we started during the Sun Kosi trip- and providing them with a better learning environment.

Churimani demonstrating how to flip a raft photo Inka Trollas

The Trisuli is similar to the Sun Kosi in that it is big volume, pool drop, with long stretches of flat water in between rapids. While there are rocks, and the girls were challenged in some more technical rapids, there was plenty of opportunity for the girls to learn the strokes, and skills such as proper ways of tying knots, tying down gear, setting and dismantling camp, flipping rafts, and getting generally more comfortable on the water.


The girls work together to flip a raft

and to get back in it Photo Inka Trollas

After the girls completed their basic raft training, they continued working with Chandra and Churimani in a WRT course to get certified for Whitewater Rescue techniques- a must to work in any rafting industry. The girls worked on the most basic of skills- from reading water and learning swimming techniques for whitewater- to more advanced scouting and rescue techniques.
The girls show off their new WRT skills showing how to wade as a team
photo from Inka trollas edit by anna bruno

By this point, many of our original group had gone home, leaving myself, Sophie, Anna White, Hester, Malaika, Hayley, Malin and Josh to meet up the girls on November 16th to complete the last part of their training with them on the Lower Seti. WE were all blown away by the improvements and what they had learned in the past two weeks. We spent three days on the river and the girls split their time between the kayaks and pushing rubber- both on the stick and the oar frame.
Sita readys her raft photo Inka Trollas Edit Anna Bruno

Due in part to the time of year the Lower Seti was a very different river from what the girls had experianced so far- it was much smaller volume, and much more technical, forcing the girls to use their new swift water and river reading skills. From the first rapid the girls were put to work, navigating tricky rock formations to get into the main current of the river- we almost had a raft flip on the first rapid!
Sussmita on the Stick photo Inka Trollas

The biggest difference i noticed in the girls after their other training was their ability to function together as a unit or a team. This new ability or desire to support each other is something i hope they continue to do on and off the river, to further their own community of female guides.


Mina and Sambhavi bond off the water photo by Inka Trollas

From the first minute- the work ethic of the girls, while never shabby- (the girls were up at dawn and in bed late cooking, cleaning and working) was incredible- the girls were on their toes every minute, tying up gear, packing and unpacking camp, shouting commands and reading water.

Kamala and Sussmita ready their raft photo by Inka Trollas


I got to spend the first day on the paddle raft with the girls just talking with them, quizzing them about what they learned and offering some advice and critiques- as Whitney and i often discussed: any female can learn to be a raft guide, but to learn to be a female raft guide having female advice and perspective is often key. Being smaller, and having less upper body strength means you often have to use different techniques then most male guides when it comes to moving a heavy boat, or even getting yourself back into a raft.


I offer girl to girl advice on flipping rafts photo Inka Trollas

Talking with Rama, i was astounded by how much she learned in both the WRT course and on the Trisuli. The girls were able not only to guide the rafts down the rivers, but to pick a line, and explain why they wanted to go where they were going. It sounded like the girls had a lot of fun in our time away, and it made coming back even more exciting as their progression appeared all the more drastic.
Sambhavi struggles with NRS straps as she practices new skills photo Inka Trollas

Hasila went from barely being able to swim to swimming confidently down the rapids- in a kayak, out of a kayak, no problem- and always with her trade mark smile on her face. Radha, whose husband didn't want her to complete the training was able to come along on the Lower Seti course, and planned to make up her WRT shortly after the certificate ceremony.

We rotated around so that everyone got to spend time with the girls on the boats and in the kayaks, and we all voiced the same sense of pride and astonishment in what these girls had been able to accomplish. One of the highlights for me was working with Pasang on her roll in the very last moments on the river.
Working with Passang on her roll Photo Malin Strand

She did not one but 4 rolls! She came up, and couldn't understand why i was so excited that she was still up- it took some convincing, but she finally believed me that i didn't touch her boat. Here is video of her second roll, taken by Malin Strand



At the end of three more days on the beautiful Lower Seti it was back to Kathmandu to get everything together for the girls closing ceremony and press conference with the Nepali press. As beautiful as the rivers and beaches are in Nepal, you could tell it was getting to the end of their season. The water was low and it was cold! We were all happy to get the chance to dry out.

Josh leads Sussmita down one of the harder rapids on the Lower Seti photo Inka Trollas

The press conference was a few days later, where the girls, Inka, Soph and some of their instructors got the chance to say a few words about the experience, what it mean to them and for the rafting industry and Nepal as a whole. This was also where the girls were presented with their certificates, and got to watch some video footage of them on their WRT and Trisuli training. The best part was that the girls were presented with their certificates by the first team of Nepali Women to summit Everest- all young girls of a similar age and background. One of the girls who summited Everest was actually sisters with Sambhavi- one of the girls on our trip. Talk about an athletic family. One of them spoke about how excited she was that more Nepali Women were developing a passion for adventure, and what this means for women in Nepal as a whole.

Everest ladies in the back, Himalayan River Girls in front, a whole new future for Nepal

After the official ceremony we had our own dinner with the girls where the Kiwi ladies presented each Nepali girl with a traditional Maori "fishhook" necklace to grant them safe travels over water, and a traditional NZ song and greeting. The girls were really touched- and there were hugs all around as we all began the long process of goodbyes which was to continue over the next few days.
Soph gives Mina her fish hook and a special hug

After that, it was back to the States for me, home to Sweden for Malin, back to NZ for Hayley, Josh and Anna- and off to Thailand for Sophie, Kelly, Malaika and Hester. Hopefully we will all get the chance to meet up again soon- either on or off the river!