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Quick answer: a same-day Kolad rafting trip from Navi Mumbai can work if your travel plan matches your confirmed slot. Small Steps lists rafting at Rs 1,200 per person on weekdays and Rs 1,700 on weekends, or Rs 1,550 and Rs 2,000 with lunch, as checked on 7 November 2026. It lists a 7:30 am slot every day and a 1:30 pm weekend slot in July and August. Before booking, ask for the reporting pin, your reporting time and whether transport from the finish back to your car is included. Small Steps says guests take an auto back to the start at Rs 1,000 per 8-seater auto.
Prices: per person and for four
Small Steps lists these prices on its site. It describes itself as an authorised channel partner of Kolad River Rafting (see the weekend rafting with lunch package). They are listed prices checked on 7 November 2026, not confirmed availability.
| Small Steps package | Per person (Rs) | Four participants (Rs) |
|---|---|---|
| Weekday, rafting only | 1,200 | 4,800 |
| Weekend, rafting only | 1,700 | 6,800 |
| Weekday, rafting and lunch | 1,550 | 6,200 |
| Weekend, rafting and lunch | 2,000 | 8,000 |
Lunch adds Rs 350 per person on weekdays and Rs 300 on weekends. The operator’s home page shows Rs 1,199 and Rs 1,699 for the rafting-only packages while its package details say Rs 1,200 and Rs 1,700, so check the amount at booking. For a group of four, the transport from the finish is a bigger unknown than that rupee. Adventure Geek’s Rs 3,500 trip is priced separately because it includes the journey, breakfast and lunch.
Morning or afternoon: which slot can you reach?
Three different times matter: the slot the operator advertises, the time you must report, and the time you are on the river. Small Steps lists a 7:30 am slot on all days and a 1:30 pm slot only on weekends in July and August. Its package pages ask guests to reach the start by 7:00 to 7:15 am, with rafting starting at 7:45 am and ending around 11:30 am. For the 1:30 pm slot, the page says 1:30 pm reporting, so confirm that time with your booking, and do not assume the 1:30 pm slot is open outside those months.
| Operator | What it lists |
|---|---|
| Small Steps | 7:30 am daily. 1:30 pm on weekends in July and August. Reach the start by 7:00 to 7:15 am for the morning session |
| Kundalika Rafting | Says water is released between 9 and 9:30 am and rafting happens at 9 am |
| Kolad.in guide | Says the dam releases water around 8 am and trips start around 8:30 or 9 am, with reporting at 8 or 8:30 am |
| Adventure Geek | Rafting at 9:45 am for about 2 hours in its overnight itinerary, and says it has 2 slots a day depending on allocation |
Operators publish different arrangements, so do not treat any release time as a dependable daily timetable. What matters is the reporting time and pin confirmed for your booked date. The dam release is what makes rafting possible, which is why Maharashtra Tourism ties Kolad rafting to the Bhira dam, with Grade II to III rapids over about 13 to 14 km (adventure tourism page).
Your reporting point is not Kolad town
Kolad town is on the Mumbai-Goa highway, but rafting does not start there. One operator, Kolad Adventure Co, publishes directions to its start near Saje village via Ravalje: Mumbai-Pune Expressway, Khopoli exit, NH66 to Kolad, then Ravalje and Saje, with 2 to 3 hours from Mumbai (its directions page). Use that as an example, not as the pin for every booking. Another operator guide gives about 120 km and about 2.5 hours by car from Mumbai or Panvel to Kolad (kolad.in), and that is a different endpoint from a rafting launch. Ask each operator for its reporting pin.
Three ways to do it from Navi Mumbai
1. Morning self-drive
Write it as: your starting point, then the operator’s reporting pin, then the drive time, then a buffer. With a reporting time of 7:00 am and a 2.5 to 3 hour drive from Navi Mumbai, the arithmetic puts you on the road between about 4:00 and 4:30 am, before any buffer for the last stretch from Kolad to the launch. Vashi and Panvel are different starting points, so measure from yours. Small Steps says paid parking is available at the start and that guests take an auto back to the start from the finish at Rs 1,000 per 8-seater auto.
2. A confirmed afternoon slot
The 1:30 pm weekend slot is listed for July and August, so check whether it is running for your date and what reporting time you are given. Public transport only works if the timetable does. The published timetable for train 10105, the Diva to Sawantwadi Express, lists Panvel arrival 6:55 am and departure 7:00 am, and Kolad arrival 9:20 am (ConfirmTkt). It cannot meet a 7:00 to 7:15 am reporting time, even before getting from the station to the launch, so it is worth checking only for a confirmed later slot. Check live running status for your travel date on Indian Railways NTES.
3. Previous-night organised trip
Adventure Geek lists a Rs 3,500 per person trip described as available on request. This one starts the night before: the group meets at Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Borivali at 11 pm, with later pickups from Goregaon, Andheri, Sion, Chembur and Vashi, and leaves at 11:45 pm. The itinerary has breakfast at Pali around 5:30 am, rafting at 9:45 am for about 2 hours, lunch, the return journey at 2 pm and a tentative arrival at Sanjay Gandhi National Park at 6 pm. It gives no time for the Vashi pickup, and the meeting point is in Borivali, not Vashi. See the Adventure Geek page.
Getting back from the finish
The run is one way, so how you return to the start matters, especially if you parked at the launch.
- Small Steps says paid parking is available at the start and that guests take an auto back to the start point at Rs 1,000 per 8-seater auto. It does not say when the autos wait for you, so ask when you book.
- Kundalika Rafting says return transport to the start is not included in the price. It can be arranged at extra cost by auto, or a driver can bring the car or bus down and pick you up.
- Adventure Geek describes meeting the group at the end point and going back to the start point.
Who can raft
- Age: Small Steps lists a minimum age of 14. Nature Trails and the kolad.in guide also give 14. Check your booked operator’s age and weight limits.
- Weight: Small Steps lists 40 to 120 kg, and the kolad.in guide lists 35 to 120 kg. The limits differ.
- Health: Small Steps says people with chronic asthma or physical disabilities and pregnant women are not permitted.
- Swimming: Small Steps and Nature Trails say non-swimmers can take part. Tell the operator at booking if you cannot swim, because the rapids here are Grade II to III. A life jacket and helmet are standard equipment, not the only test of suitability.
- What to wear: light clothing, preferably lycra, and footwear that straps on. Avoid jewellery, wallets, cameras and phones that should not get wet, according to the kolad.in guide.
Cancellation and refunds
Refund rules differ by operator. Small Steps lists a 75 percent refund if you cancel 15 or more days before the outing, 50 percent at 10 to 14 days and no refund inside 10 days. Adventure Geek’s scale is below.
| If you cancel (Adventure Geek) | Refund |
|---|---|
| 10 or more days before arrival | 90 percent |
| 7 to 9 days before | 70 percent |
| 2 to 6 days before | 25 percent |
| Less than 48 hours or no show | None |
Adventure Geek also says it can modify or abort a programme and will not refund booking charges in that case. Rafting depends on the dam release, so ask each operator what happens if the release is cancelled, and get the answer in writing before you pay. Nature Trails says its terms depend on the booking.
Before you book
- Choose weekday or weekend, because Small Steps charges Rs 450 to Rs 500 more per person at weekends.
- Confirm the slot, the reporting time and the reporting pin for your date.
- Ask how you get from the finish back to the start, and what it costs.
- Check the age and weight limits for everyone in your group, and say if anyone cannot swim.
- Ask what happens if the dam release is cancelled.
This guide uses information published by Maharashtra Tourism and by Kolad rafting operators. We have not run these trips, and operators change prices, timings and terms, so confirm every detail with the operator you book. For other outings, see our day outing resorts guide, Igatpuri from Navi Mumbai and Navi Mumbai to Mahabaleshwar. Prices checked: 7 November 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Kolad river rafting cost?
Small Steps lists rafting only at Rs 1,200 on weekdays and Rs 1,700 on weekends, and with lunch at Rs 1,550 and Rs 2,000, as checked on 7 November 2026. For four people that is Rs 4,800, Rs 6,800, Rs 6,200 and Rs 8,000. Adventure Geek lists Rs 3,500 per person for a trip that includes the journey from Mumbai.
Can I do Kolad rafting as a day trip from Navi Mumbai?
Yes, if your travel plan matches your confirmed slot. Work from your starting point to the operator’s reporting pin, add the drive time and a buffer. A 7:00 am reporting time with a 2.5 to 3 hour drive means leaving around 4:00 to 4:30 am. Small Steps also lists a 1:30 pm weekend slot in July and August.
Can I reach Kolad by train from Panvel?
The published timetable for train 10105 lists Panvel at 7:00 am and Kolad at 9:20 am. That cannot meet a 7:00 to 7:15 am reporting time, and you still need to get from the station to the launch. Check live status for your date.
How do I get back from the finish?
The run is one way. Small Steps says guests take an auto back to the start at Rs 1,000 per 8-seater auto. Kundalika Rafting says return transport is not included and can be arranged at extra cost. Adventure Geek describes meeting the group at the end and going back to the start.
What is the minimum age for rafting in Kolad?
Small Steps lists a minimum age of 14. Check your booked operator’s age and weight limits.
Do I need to know swimming?
Small Steps and Nature Trails say non-swimmers can take part. Tell the operator when you book, because the rapids are Grade II to III and a life jacket and helmet are not the only test of suitability.
What if the water release is cancelled?
The pages we read do not give a clear refund promise. Adventure Geek says it can abort a programme and will not refund booking charges in that case. Ask your operator before paying and get the answer in writing.
Is the Adventure Geek trip a day trip?
No. The itinerary starts the night before, with a meeting at Sanjay Gandhi National Park at 11 pm and a Vashi pickup later, and returns to Sanjay Gandhi National Park around 6 pm the next day. It is listed as available on request.
Sources
| Point | Source |
|---|---|
| Kolad rafting, Grade II to III, 13 to 14 km, Bhira dam | Maharashtra Tourism, adventure tourism |
| Prices, slots, return by auto, age and weight, refunds | Small Steps and its weekend package page |
| Weekend trip, itinerary, refund scale | Adventure Geek, Kolad river rafting |
| Return transport not included, release time | Kundalika Rafting FAQs |
| Start near Saje village via Ravalje | Kolad Adventure Co directions |
| Day packages, age limit | Nature Trails Kundalika |
| Routes, trains, dam release timing | kolad.in, Kundalika rafting information |
| Train 10105 timetable | ConfirmTkt |
Prices checked 7 November 2026. This page will be updated when operators change their prices or terms.
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