Nepal's longest river, the Karnali springs from the base of Mt. Kailash in Tibet, the center of the universe for both Buddhist and Hindu religions. Flowing south into Nepal it forms the major drainage system of the western districts. The Karnali is one of the finest BIG volume river trips in the world, a classic expedition into Nepal's remote, "wild west." The starting point is Syauli where the river drops into imposing canyons filled with powerful big volume white water. These canyons flow into the scarcely populated areas of pristine jungle teeming with abundant bird and wildlife. Towards the end of the trip, the river gradient begins to ease as the Karnali leaves the mountains and flows into the Gangetic plains on the Terai. The jungle thickens as the river broadens, and the pristine beaches become bigger and even more beautiful.