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View all Kandy toursPrivate Kitulgala Adventure Day from Kandy: Rafting, Trekking and Canyoning
A private day at Kitulgala built around white water rafting on the Kelani, with the rest of the day made up from trekking, canyoning, cycling or waterfall abseiling depending on what your group wants.
Highlights
- Private rafting on the Kelani with your own guide and no fixed group
- Canyoning, trekking, cycling or abseiling added according to what your group wants
- A day that can be re-shaped on the spot rather than run to a set schedule
- Grade 2-3 rapids suitable for complete beginners
- Rainforest and village country either side of the river
Private Kitulgala Adventure Day from Kandy: Rafting, Trekking and Canyoning: Key Facts
| Price | From $45.5 per person |
|---|---|
| Duration | 9 hours |
| Languages | English |
| Tour type | Guided Tour |
| Booking | Direct with the local operator — no OTA markup |
Full description
Kitulgala is not only a rafting river. The same valley has canyoning routes, rainforest trails on the edge of the Kelani Valley reserve, and waterfalls you can abseil down, and because this version is private the day is assembled around what your group actually wants rather than a fixed schedule.
Rafting is the fixed part. You cover the main run on the Kelani — five larger rapids and several smaller ones, graded 2 to 3 — with a guide in the raft calling the strokes, and time in the flat water to swim.
What fills the rest of the day is up to you. Canyoning takes you down a tributary by sliding and jumping between pools. The trekking route goes up into secondary rainforest with good birding. Cycling follows the river road through villages. Any of these can be swapped or dropped on the day, which is the practical advantage of a private booking over a fixed group tour.
Because the group is your own, the pace is too — there is no waiting for a van of strangers, and a group that wants a long lunch and one river run can have that instead.
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 to Kitulgala.
Briefing and kit
Equipment issued and the day's plan agreed with your guide.
Rafting
The main run on the Kelani with swimming stops.
Break
Change and rest at the base.
Second activity
Canyoning, trekking, cycling or abseiling, chosen by your group.
Return to Kandy
Drop-off at your hotel.
Detailed Itinerary
[{"time": "07:00", "title": "Hotel pickup", "description": "A private start time; earlier or later is fine."}, {"time": "09:30", "title": "Kitulgala", "description": "Kit fitted and the safety briefing given before anything else."}, {"time": "10:00", "title": "The Kelani run", "description": "Roughly two hours through the rapid section."}, {"time": "12:30", "title": "Changing and rest", "description": "Dry clothes, and a chance to decide what the afternoon looks like."}, {"time": "13:30", "title": "Your chosen activity", "description": "Canyoning is the most physical; the rainforest trek is the gentlest and the best for birds."}, {"time": "16:00", "title": "Kandy", "description": "Drop-off at your hotel."}]
Includes
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with driver from Kandy, the rafting session with a qualified guide, all safety equipment for the activities booked, guides for the chosen activities.
Excludes
- Meals and drinks, gratuities, any activity added on the day beyond what was booked, 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