This past weekend, I had the opportunity to go Bamboo Rafting, one of the unique experiences that the Periyar Tiger Reserve has to offer. From my knowledge about bamboo, I understood that it was naturally hollow so it made sense to use it to make a floating raft. Being naïve I expected the raft to be like any water worthy vessel and stay completely above water; that’s where I was wrong. My initial experience with bamboo rafts was at the beginning of the trek where all participates had to cross a narrow section of the Periyar Reservoir. When the raft was just sitting on the water it looked perfectly dry, but when people began to step aboard the middle slowly became covered with water, which happened to be exactly where I was standing. It really freaked me out when we started moving from the shore and my water-proof boots were being put to the test. I remember saying to the person next to me “I hope you can swim” because at the time I was feeling a bit of panic that I might have to.

Despite my clear stress that this raft was not going to make it, the guides remained completely calm, holding on to me and the other trekkers whose feet were slightly under water. At the time, I was too caught up in my anxiety to really think about the logic of the situation, but after I got off the raft and onto dry land, I began to think about it. Any boat you have ever seen has some section of the vessel under water when at sea or on a river to cope with the weight of the materials and cargo, so why should a bamboo raft be any different when you introduce new weight on it? In fact, it wouldn’t be, and after I realized that is how the raft functions it didn’t bother me nearly as much. Another factor that adds to the slight sink of the middle is the natural bow found in most bamboo.

After rationalizing the logic of the raft and realizing that there wasn’t cause for concern, I wasn’t nearly as worried the second time around. Sure, my shoes still got wet, but now I was able to look past my worries and focus on the beautiful forest around the reservoir. The Bamboo Rafting trip was amazing. Not only did I get to experience a traditional type of boating, but I also got to enjoy the peacefulness of floating along surrounded by only nature. I would recommend this form of luxury to anyone who visits the Periyar or Thekkady area.