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View all Kandy toursKitulgala White Water Rafting Day Trip from Kandy by Tuk-Tuk
The budget version of the Kitulgala rafting day: a tuk-tuk run down from Kandy through the hills, a rafting session on the Kelani, and waterfall and tea stops on the way back.
Highlights
- Rafting the Kelani through grade 2-3 rapids with a guide in every raft
- The run down from Kandy by tuk-tuk rather than in a closed van
- Swimming in the calm stretches between the rapids
- Waterfall and tea stops built into the return leg
- The Bridge on the River Kwai filming location on the same stretch of river
Kitulgala White Water Rafting Day Trip from Kandy by Tuk-Tuk: Key Facts
| Price | From $27.89 per person |
|---|---|
| Duration | 8 hours |
| Languages | English |
| Tour type | Guided Tour |
| Booking | Direct with the local operator — no OTA markup |
Full description
Kitulgala sits in the wet zone about two hours southwest of Kandy, on a stretch of the Kelani river that drops through a series of grade 2 and 3 rapids. It is where The Bridge on the River Kwai was filmed and where almost all of Sri Lanka's rafting happens, for the simple reason that the water is reliable and the rapids are the right size to be exciting without being dangerous.
This is the tuk-tuk version, and the vehicle is part of what you are buying. The road down from Kandy runs through Ginigathena and past terraced hillsides, and doing it open-sided at tuk-tuk pace is a different experience from doing it in an air-conditioned van — slower, louder, and much closer to the country you are driving through.
On the river you cover the main run with a guide in each raft: five significant rapids and several smaller ones, with time in the calm sections to get out and swim. Afterwards the day loops back through a waterfall stop and a tea factory before returning to Kandy in the evening.
Tour Itinerary
The schedule below is a suggested plan and can be adjusted to suit your preferences.
Pickup in Kandy
Collection from your hotel and the drive southwest towards Kitulgala.
Arrival and briefing
Kit issued and the safety briefing before anyone gets on the water.
Rafting the Kelani
The main run through the rapids, with swimming stops in the calm sections.
Dry off and change
Changing facilities at the rafting base.
Waterfall and tea stops
Stops on the return road through the hills.
Back in Kandy
Drop-off at your hotel.
Detailed Itinerary
[{"time": "07:30", "title": "Hotel pickup, Kandy", "description": "An early start; the road is slow and the river is better before the afternoon."}, {"time": "10:00", "title": "Kitulgala rafting base", "description": "Leave valuables in a locker. The briefing covers paddle commands and what to do if you go in."}, {"time": "10:30", "title": "On the river", "description": "Around two hours covering the rapid section, with the guide calling the strokes."}, {"time": "12:30", "title": "Changing and rest", "description": "Basic but adequate changing rooms. This is when a dry set of clothes matters."}, {"time": "14:00", "title": "Return via the hills", "description": "A waterfall stop and a tea factory, depending on the day and the light."}, {"time": "16:00", "title": "Kandy", "description": "Drop-off at your hotel."}]
Includes
- Tuk-tuk or car transport from Kandy with a driver, the rafting session with a qualified guide, helmet, life jacket and paddle, safety briefing.
Excludes
- Meals and drinks, entrance fees at any stop that charges, gratuities, waterproof camera hire, personal expenses.
Important information
Meeting point
Hotel pickup in Kandy; the exact address and time are confirmed after booking.
Know before you go
- Free cancellation available up to 24 hours before the activity starts