The Karnali River, one of Nepal’s 3 great river systems, is a transboundary river originating in the Tibetan Plateau, flowing through the Himalayas in the western region of Nepal, and eventually joining the Ganges River in India. The Karnali, meaning ‘turquoise’, is abundant with wildlife, and is classified as one of world’s top 5 rivers to raft. The free flowing Karnali is currently under threat from major hydroelectric dam developments.

Megh Bahadur Ale is a river guide, explorer, conservationist, campaigner, social entrepreneur, Ashoka Fellow, and now founder of Karnali River Waterkeeper. Megh is also the Founder and President of Nepal River Conservation Trust (NRCT), a non-profit organization established in 1995 by a group of concerned river guides who recognized the ecological and cultural damage taking place on Nepal’s rivers. Megh has led NRCT towards conserving Nepal’s Himalayan river systems, preserving Nepal’s cultural heritage, and developing an environmentally responsible river tourism industry.