Whitewater kayaking: the four-day roll and run
No experience neededCertificate of participationVerified providerGanga Whitewater4 daysNo reviews yet
Learn the Eskimo roll and paddle your first grade II section of the Ganga.
Course syllabus & schedule ↓Certified instruction (1 instructor to 3 on moving water)
Full gear & equipment rental included
Assessment & official certificate
What the course actually is
Four days that start in flat water and finish on a moving river. The roll is the gate — you spend two days on it, because a kayaker who cannot roll is a swimmer with a boat. Days three and four put it to use on a graded section below Shivpuri.
Learn the Eskimo roll and paddle your first grade II section of the Ganga.
Key course details
Essential specifications, instruction format, and eligibility at a glance.
- Gold Verified School · Ganga Whitewater
- 15 years operating · Rishikesh
- PARTICIPATION
- Recognised skill qualification and assessment certificate
- Group Academy Batch
- 4 days · Join a cohort and learn alongside dedicated dive buddies
- Fully Instructed
- 1 instructor to 3 on moving water in open water
- Beginner / Moderate Intensity
- Basic physical fitness and comfort with progressive training drills
- Guided in English & Hindi
- Theory & eLearning materials available on request in French, German, Spanish, and Russian
- Group Size 1 – 6
- Small cohorts ensure focused attention, direct supervision, and safe buddy pairing
- Ages 14 & Over
- Junior qualification for ages 14–14; adult certification from 15+
Beginner-friendlyNo prior experience needed14+ yearsGear rental includedOfficial lifetime qualification
What is not included
Personal and travel arrangements to plan ahead of your batch.
- —Accommodation
- —Breakfast and dinner
- —Transport to Rishikesh
- —Wetsuit hire in winter months
Day by day syllabus
Structured training progression from foundational mechanics to assessed technique.
- Day 1Flat water and the wet exitTraining08:00–13:00Boat fitting, paddle strokes, and being upside down until it stops being alarming.
- Day 2The rollTraining08:00–13:00Hip snap on the bank, then rolling with support, then rolling alone.
- Day 3Moving waterTraining07:30–14:00Eddy turns, ferry glides and peel-outs on an easy section.
- Day 4The runTraining07:30–15:00A grade II section from Shivpuri, with rescue practice on the way down.
Best season for Whitewater kayaking: the four-day roll and run
Optimal training windows for safety, environmental conditions, and skill progression.
20 to 28 °C
Prime training season
Year-round published batches
School operates structured batches across the active seasonal window with calm currents and favorable visibility.
SKILL LEVEL
Beginner (No experience needed)
COURSE DURATION
4 days (09:00–16:00)
INSTRUCTOR RATIO
1 instructor to 3 on moving water
CERTIFICATION
PARTICIPATION
EQUIPMENT INCLUDED
Kayak and paddle, Spraydeck, Helmet and buoyancy aid
PASSES & ACCESS
Site permits & facility fees
BASECITY & VENUE
Rishikesh, Uttarakhand
MINIMUM AGE
14 years and over
FITNESS CRITERIA
Moderate fitness (1 hr continuous activity)
SAFETY PROTOCOL
Every river session has a dedicated safety kayaker who carries no students
WHAT TO BRING
Quick-dry clothing, River shoes with a heel strap, Sunscreen
WEATHER POLICY
Rescheduled or refunded pro rata
What you will learn
- Wet exit calmly and reliably
- Roll the kayak on both sides
- Ferry glide and eddy in and out of current
- Read grade II water and pick a line
- Assist a swimmer and perform a T-rescue
What you get at the end
Certificate of participation
- No certificationYou learn the skill; no document is issued.
- Certificate of participation · this courseConfirms you attended. Not a qualification and not recognised by any body.
- Nationally recognisedIssued under an Indian federation or authority, and recognised within India.
- Internationally recognisedIssued under an international body and recognised by operators abroad.
Requirements & eligibility
Age: 14 and over
- Able to swim 100 m in moving water
- Comfortable being underwater and inverted
- No shoulder dislocation history without a doctor's clearance
You will be asked to confirm at booking
- Can you swim 100 m in moving water? — this course requires “Yes”
- Have you ever dislocated a shoulder?
- How do you feel about being underwater upside down?
Equipment breakdown
Provided by the school
- Kayak and paddle
- Spraydeck
- Helmet and buoyancy aid
- Throw bag (used, not carried by learners)
Bring your own
- Quick-dry clothing
- River shoes with a heel strap
- Sunscreen
- A full change of clothes
Who teaches it
Instructor to learner ratio: 1 instructor to 3 on moving water
D
Devendra Rana
20 years teaching
Paddling the Ganga for twenty years and teaching the roll for twelve.
Swiftwater Rescue TechnicianWilderness First Responder
Safety & Field Protocol
- Every river session has a dedicated safety kayaker who carries no students
- Ratio on moving water is one instructor to three learners
- The grade II section is scouted the morning of the run and swapped for an easier one if levels are high
- Every instructor holds a swiftwater rescue qualification
If plans change
Cancellation
Full refund up to 10 days before the start. 50% between 10 and 3 days. No refund inside 72 hours.
Weather
The Ganga runs high through the monsoon and this course does not operate from late June to mid-September. Within the season, a day lost to unsafe levels is rescheduled or refunded pro rata.
WHAT'S INCLUDED WITH THIS COURSE
Four days of instruction
Kayak, paddle, spraydeck, helmet and buoyancy aid
Safety kayaker on every river session
Riverside lunch on days 3 and 4
Certificate of participation
Who runs it
Certified adventure schools and verified instructors leading structured syllabuses.
Ganga Whitewater
Verified School
Rishikesh · 4 days course
₹16,500per participant
Next batch starts 4 Oct