River Reports - Jammu & Kashmir/ ZANSKAR
 

Cambridge University Team, Report by Stuart Martindale

The Zanskar more than lived up to all our expectations. Over 50 miles of box canyon, sheer rocks walls rising straight up from the water in some places up to a mile high. Some great play waves kept us well entertained and gave us a good workout. With some much water so confined there were some very confused rapids with bolis and whirlpools that catapulted you from one side of the river to the other. One constriction saw all 200??? cumecs compressed through a 3m gap! Knowing there were limited places to camp we stopped for the night early, had some rather rapid washes in the river, and enjoyed the last rays of the days sun, gazing up in awe as the canyon walls turned a multitude of colours.
Our final day saw us trekking up the Khurna River and convincing ourselves that any attempt to paddle it would probably result in being helicoptered out. We camped by the river near Nimu and walked into town for a big slap up meal and some beers to celebrate, (even Dan after 2months cultivation had that rat shaved of his face). There was an archery contest in town, but unfortunately the archery had finished for the evening and all that was left was the drinking and dancing…