Last updated: 12 October 2026. This is changing daily. Check the date before relying on anything here.
Short answer: don’t plan to walk the Manaslu Circuit right now. A debris flood on 11 October damaged the lower Budhi Gandaki valley, which every standard itinerary uses to get in, and I found no official reopening date. If you’re booked for the next few weeks, don’t travel toward Arughat or Soti Khola until your operator can show you a written, current official notice that the route is open.
What’s confirmed and what isn’t
| Events | Status |
| Flood on 11 Oct, early morning, Budhi Gandaki | Confirmed |
| Bridges and trail damaged on the lower valley | Confirmed (list below) |
| Trekkers rescued or sheltering | Confirmed: Army rescue ongoing, 155 sheltering at Jagat and Lokpa per MCAP |
| Official reopening date | Not published |
| Cause | Not confirmed: a landslide dam is the leading account |
| Final casualty figures | Not final |
What happened on 11 October
Reports suggest the flood followed a landslide that may have temporarily blocked a river near Chumchure. The cause has not been confirmed. Reports say the water reached Soti Bazaar around 7:30 am and police told residents of Arughat, Soti, Machha Khola and Khorlabesi to move to higher ground. The Army has been rescuing people from the affected area with helicopters and ground teams. As of 12 October, NDRRMA and the Nepali Army report that 47 people have been evacuated by helicopter from affected areas including Jagat, Lokpa, Nyakphedi, Yaru and Payu, and a further 155 trekkers are sheltering safely at Jagat and Lokpa. NDRRMA reports five people missing, local herders and residents in Ungiling and Chumchet, and as of 12 October, no deaths have been confirmed.
What’s damaged on the trail
According to Everest Chronicle, the crossings damaged or swept away include the motorable bridges at Dobhan and Soti and footbridges at Khorla Besi, Machhakhola and Nakchet–Philim. The Tourism Times quotes local authorities saying the trail between Yaru Bagar and Jagat is gone and the route to Chum Valley above Lokpa is blocked. The Tsum Valley trek shares this same lower approach, so it is affected too. The Manaslu region hub has the standard route if you want to see which villages you’d pass.
I can’t tell you how long the repair will take. In September, locals restored a crossing near Namrung within about three days. But that was a footbridge-scale fix, while this time the reports include a motorable bridge and road sections near the start of the trek. That comparison is my inference, not an official estimate.
How this differs from the 6 September flood
The September flood hit higher up. A Therang Khola flood at Namrung swept away a suspension bridge over the Budhi Gandaki and an iron bridge, and the district office suspended the Manaslu and Larke Pass routes. MCAP advised trekkers to postpone. Locals then built temporary crossings and a detour, and Ekantipur reported movement resumed on 8 September.
Be careful with “reopened” pages from that period. The crossings were improvised, and Explorersweb noted the district still encouraged postponement. Those pages describe September, not the situation after 11 October.
If you’re booked in the next few weeks
- Don’t start toward Arughat or Soti. The flood moved down exactly that corridor, and the road bridge at Soti was reported lost.
- Ask your operator for the source. A trustworthy answer names the Gorkha District Administration Office, MCAP, or the disaster authority (NDRRMA) and gives a date. “We think it’s fine” isn’t enough.
- Read your insurance and booking terms now. Whether the policy covers natural-disaster cancellation depends on the policy.
- Permits: whether Restricted Area Permits can be reissued or extended after a closure is not published.
- Wait for an actual notice. Don’t rely on a social post or a competitor’s “open” banner.
If you’re already on the trail
Stay where you are if you’re somewhere safe, and contact your guide and the MCAP checkpoint. MCAP said on 11 October that registered groups and lodges at Jagat were safe, and the Army is running helicopter evacuations. Don’t cross damaged bridges or river sections, and don’t improvise a detour.
Is another region an option this season?
Possibly, but check each one separately. Nepal is still dealing with the 26 August flood that killed more than 1,400 people, concentrated in the Trisuli and Langtang corridor. Road and trail conditions there are also changing, so don’t assume a swap is automatically safe.
Where to get official updates
Check notices from the Gorkha District Administration Office, the Manaslu Conservation Area Project, and NDRRMA via the national disaster portal. The cause and damage count are still being assessed, so expect this page to change.
If you’re deciding whether to hold your Manaslu dates or move them, our team can walk through the options once there’s an official notice.
