The objective of this article is to assess the socio-cultural impacts of camping on the river beach and the white-water rafting development on the river Ganga in Uttarakhand. This paper largely relies on primary survey and secondary data collected from different government departments. Findings indicate some of the major positive and negative opportunities from both camping and rafting to the local people, infrastructure development such as hotels, lodges and camps and the improvement of social services such as access to electricity, communication and telecommunications. The negative socio-cultural impacts include increased out-migration, frustration among the youth, and cultural degeneration. This article argues that tourism needs to be sensitive to local environmental and cultural norms and beliefs for it to be accepted by local people and promote sustainable development. This is possible if all the stakeholders (government, operators and local people) collaborate in policy formulation, implementation and monitoring.