§1What this business is
A rental service that keeps standard, certified rafting gear — rafts, helmets, life jackets, dry bags, throw bags, wetsuits, paddles and safety kits — and delivers it to rafting sites on the Ganga, Alaknanda and Tons. Customers book online or offline; gear is checked before allocation, a safety briefing is given, and every item is inspected and maintained after use. Customers are tour operators, groups, institutions and individual tourists.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
A former rafting guide or operator who knows gear standards and has links with rafting companies.
Who it is not for
Someone who cannot inspect and maintain safety gear strictly — lives depend on it.
Advantages
- Rishikesh and other rafting stretches draw large numbers of tourists
- Operators prefer renting certified gear to buying and storing it
- Gear is reused across many trips
- Digital booking makes it easy for groups and institutions
Drawbacks
- Rafting stops in the monsoon and is limited in winter
- Gear wears out fast on rocky rivers
- Your liability if a rented item fails on the water
- The profile gives no income figures, so plan your own numbers carefully
Skills you need
- Rafting gear inspection and repair
- Inventory and booking management
- Safety briefings
- Relationship building with operators
Why difficulty 3/5: Moderate investment, but safety liability and a short season need care.
§3Market
Who buys
- Rafting tour operators
- Groups and institutions
- Individual tourists
How it sells
- Online and offline booking
- Delivery of gear to rafting sites
Good to know
- Rivers named in the profile: Ganga, Alaknanda and Tons.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Rafts and safety equipment (helmets, life jackets, dry bags, throw bags, wetsuits, paddles, safety kits) | lot | ₹12,00,000 |
| Storage infrastructure | lot | ₹5,00,000 |
| Transportation vehicle | 1 | ₹4,00,000 |
| Booking system development | 1 | ₹2,50,000 |
From: Devbhoomi Udyamita Yojana (Uttarakhand DUY) project profile — River Rafting Equipment Rental
- Repair materials for post-use maintenanceevery item is inspected and maintained after use
From: Devbhoomi Udyamita Yojana (Uttarakhand DUY) project profile — River Rafting Equipment Rental
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam
- GST
- Registration with the state tourism department for adventure activities
- Liability insurance for rented safety equipment
- Commercial registration and permit for the transport vehicle
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- MudraCentralActiveLoan up to ₹20 lakh, no collateral
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
A ₹26 L service unit fits PMEGP and MUDRA loans; CGTMSE covers collateral-free credit. The profile prints no means of finance.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Rafts and safety equipment ₹12 L + storage infrastructure ₹5 L + transport vehicle ₹4 L + booking system ₹2.50 L + marketing ₹1.50 L + miscellaneous and contingency ₹1 L = ₹26 L (sum of the printed lines; the profile prints no total).
Year not printed on the DUY profile — check current prices.
§8Export potential
A local rental service; it has no goods to export.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Accidents traced to rented equipment
- Seasonal closure of rafting
- Theft or loss of gear
- Changes in rafting rules and permits
§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan
A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.
- Days 1–30: Visit a working river rafting equipment rental unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
- Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Udyam, GST), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
- Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.
§11Who to connect with
Associations, clusters and training institutes — the directory is being built. Connect
§12Watch
There is no episode on this business yet. Shows are coming soon on the Podcast page.
Want to start River Rafting Equipment Rental?
DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.
¶Sources
Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.