Lower-Phung River, Tibet

Chris Jones of Wind Horse Adventures (www.windhorsetibet.com) led this Class 3-4 kayak expedition.

They put-in near the confluence with the Rong Chu and boated almost to the Nepal border (near Kharta, 27 51 09N, 87 25 33E). Put-in elevation was about 16,000' and they boated about 40 miles with an average gradient of about 30'/mile and a flow of about 5000 cfs.

This roadside stretch would be a good 2-3 day repeat run as part of a visit to Everest Base camp. The Phung Chu below Tingri and above the Rong Chu confluence initially flows through a wide valley with a low gradient (the eastward leg).

Where the river turns south, the 15 mile section above the confluence with the Rong Chu flows through a canyon which has a very high gradient with a significant water fall near the beginning, numerous landslide rapids (sieves) and is probably not safely runnable.