The Gandaki River, also known as the Kali Gandaki and the Gandak, is a tributary of the Ganges River. It is one of the major rivers of Nepal and is notable for the deep gorge through which it flows and for a large hydroelectric facility.

The Kali Gandaki rises in the Tibetan plateau north of the Himalayas in the Mustang District of Nepal, near the border with Tibet. The two headwaters of river, Nup Chhu and Shar Chhu ("West River" and "East River") meet near the town of Lo Manthang in upper Mustang. The river then flows southwest with the name of Mustang Khola. In Kagbeni a major tributory, Kak Khola, coming from Muktinath, meets Mustang Khola, and from there river is called the Kali Gandaki.

The river then flows southward through a steep gorge known as the Kali Gandaki Gorge, or Andha Galchi, between the mountains Dhaulagiri (8167 m) to the west and Annapurna (8091 m) to the east. If one measures the depth of a canyon by the difference between the river height and the heights of the highest peaks on either side, the Gorge is the world's deepest. The portion of the river between the Dhaulagiri and Annapurna massifs is at an elevation of between 1300 metres and 2600 metres^[1], 5500 to 6800 metres lower than the two peaks. The river is older than the Himalayas. As tectonic activity forces the mountains higher, the river has been able to cut through the uplift to maintain its level.

South of the gorge the river is joined by Rahught Khola at Galeshwor, Myagdi Khola at Beni, Modi Khola near Kushma and Badigaad at Rudrabeni. The river then takes a right-angle turn and runs east. The largest hydroelectricity project in Nepal is located along this stretch of the river. Kali Gandaki is joined by a major tributary, Trishuli, at Devghat, just as the river exits the foothills of the Himalayas into the southern plains of Nepal. From Devghat, the river flows southwest and is known as Narayani or Sapt Gandaki. The river later curves back towards the southeast as it enters India. The river flows southeast across the Gangetic plain of Bihar state, eventually merging with the Ganges near at Hajipur, or Patna.

Major towns and cities located along the banks of the Kali Gandaki are Lo Manthang, Jomsom, Beni, Baglung, Kusma, Ridi, Devghat, Narayangarh and Triveni. The river also forms the western border of Chitwan National Park. Along the stretch in Nepal, the river carries heavy amounts of glacial silt, imparting the river a black color. Kali Gandaki is a popular whitewater adventure destination.

In traditional and popular culture

• The Gandaki river is mentioned in the ancient Sanskrit epic Mahabharata.
• Episode 1 of "The Living Planet," David Attenborough's second nature documentary series, is set in the Kali Gandaki Gorge.

References

See also

• The Living Planet

External links

• Map of the river at Trekking site.