KATHMANDU: The 16th Himalayan White Water Challenge (HWCC), a rafting festival, is kicking off in the Trishuli River from Tuesday, November 21.

The Nepal Association of Rafting Agencies (NARA) is organising the three-day event will be held in the Trishuli River (from Dhading to Chitwan).

The main objective of the festival is to promote adventurous water rafting tourism, enhance the skills of river guides and athletes, establish Nepal as the best destination of adventurous water tourism and promote domestic and international tourism through the means of adventurous water rafting, as the NARA states.

The NARA has been organising this festival since 2002 in different rivers of Nepal, according to its treasurer Shishir Khanal.

Nepali river guides and those from India, Japan, Dubai, America, Italy, Turkey, Iceland and Britain will facilitate the championship. A total of 500 athletes will take part in the championship to be held in four categories and a winner of each category will go home with a cash prize of Rs 100 thousands, while those becoming second and third will receive Rs 50 thousands and 30 thousands, respectively.