Budhi Gandaki Flash Flood: What It Means for the Manaslu Circuit and Tsum Valley

Last updated 22 October 2026.

Update 22 October 2026: the Manaslu Conservation Area Project (NTNC–MCAP) said on 21 October that the Manaslu Circuit over the Larke Pass is open again with extreme caution. You can drive to Machha Khola and walk on to Jagat; some sections between Khorlabesi and Salleri are still being repaired, so we walk them slowly with a licensed guide and follow local advice. Tsum Valley is open again: TAAN's safety advisory of 25 October 2026 says locals have built four new wooden bridges and repaired the trail around Sardi Khola, reopening the route to Chhekampar and Mu Gompa, and the Department of Immigration and MCAP have confirmed the permits are open. To plan Manaslu for 2027, read Manaslu Circuit reopened: what changed and how to plan 2027.

Short answer on 11 October (updated 22 October, see above): the Manaslu Circuit and Tsum Valley could not be trekked that day. A second flash flood came down the Budhi Gandaki in the early hours of Sunday 11 October 2026. Reports say it destroyed the Soti road bridge and the Machhakhola footbridge, two more suspension footbridges and a section of the Arughat road, and it hit villages on the Tsum side. On 11 October I said we would not run Manaslu or Tsum departures until the route was rebuilt and confirmed safe. If you hold a booking, I will move your dates for free or switch you to another trek. I will not guess a reopening date.

Before anything else: my thoughts are with the families who lost homes, and with the four people reported missing near Chumchet and their relatives. The figures below come from reports published on 11 October and may change as the day goes on.

What happened on the Budhi Gandaki?

Late on Saturday 10 October, a large landslide came down near Chumchet in Chumnubri Rural Municipality ward 6, in northern Gorkha. It appears to have blocked a tributary river, called the Ungilung or Syar. Then the blockage gave way. A muddy flash flood came down the Budhi Gandaki in the early hours of Sunday 11 October, and residents say they heard it at about 4 am.

The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology spotted the landslide on satellite images. The exact cause is still being established, so please treat "a landslide dam that released" as the working explanation, not the final one.

This is the second event on this valley in five weeks. On 6 September a pre-dawn flood hit Namrung, and the district administration closed the Manaslu Circuit. TAAN announced a reopening on 8 September, using a community-built bypass and temporary wooden bridges. I wrote it all up in Manaslu Circuit closed after the September 2026 flood. Please read that as the first event. The 11 October flood is a new one, it is further down the valley and it is more serious for access.

What was damaged, and does it matter for the trail?

At the time of writing no deaths are confirmed. I hope it stays that way. The authorities have also warned of a high flood risk further down, along the Trishuli corridor towards Benighat, Mugling, Chitwan and Nawalparasi, so people who live or travel along those rivers should follow local notices.

Is the Manaslu Circuit open in October 2026?

The MCAP notice of 21 October says the Manaslu Circuit is open again with extreme caution, so the Circuit itself can run again. Soti, Machhakhola and Jagat sit on the lower Manaslu trail and on the road in from Arughat. The Soti bridge and the Machhakhola footbridge were lost, and some sections between Khorlabesi and Salleri are still being repaired, so we walk them slowly with a licensed guide and follow local advice. Chumling and Chumchet on the Tsum side were hit too. That side reopened on 25 October 2026, when TAAN's safety advisory said locals had built four new wooden bridges and repaired the trail around Sardi Khola.

My decision on 11 October was not to run Manaslu or Tsum departures until the route was rebuilt and confirmed safe. For the Manaslu Circuit that has now changed, as the 22 October update at the top says. For Tsum it changed on 25 October, and I will not give you a date.

What we are doing about it

We are checking with the local authorities and with our own guides who know this valley. I will add dated lines to this page as the position changes, so look at the "Last updated" line at the top. I will not send a group into a section until the bridges are rebuilt or replaced.

Can I still trek Tsum Valley?

Not yet. The Tsum Valley trek branches off the main Circuit trail beyond Philim and follows the river up to Chumling, Chhokangparo and Mu Gompa. The flood hit the Chumchet area. TAAN's safety advisory of 25 October 2026 says the Tsum Valley has reopened, so our Tsum Valley trek can run again. The Manaslu Circuit trek can run again with extreme caution. Tsum Valley with the Manaslu Circuit can run again too.

What happens to my Manaslu booking?

You have two choices, and neither costs you extra.

• Move your dates. Free of charge, to any date within one year, once the route is confirmed safe. Your deposit stays against the new date.
• Switch to another trek. Your deposit moves to a different trek, and we work out any price difference together before anything is confirmed.

Message me and I will sort it out. Our normal rule is that rescheduling is free, and that the deposit is not refunded when a client cancels. If we cannot run a trip, we return what you paid, less taxes, bank charges and any money already spent on permits or flights. I would rather keep you on a trek you will love than argue about terms.

Which treks are good alternatives this autumn?

The flood is on the Budhi Gandaki. The Everest and Annapurna regions drain into separate river systems, and nothing in this event touches them. Here is what I would suggest, all of which we are running.

October is busy with Dashain and the autumn rush, so decide your new trek early. My guide on how far ahead to book explains why.

Is Manaslu safe for 2027?

I cannot honestly say yet, and I do not think anyone can. Two floods in five weeks on one valley tells me the lower Budhi Gandaki is unsettled, and monsoon rain next summer will test every new bridge. If you are planning Manaslu or Tsum for spring or autumn 2027, here is what I will be watching, and what I suggest you ask any operator.

• Has the Soti road bridge been replaced, and can vehicles reach Soti Khola from Arughat again?
• Are the lower-valley footbridges rebuilt to a proper standard, not just a temporary bypass?
• Has the Gorkha district administration confirmed the route is open in writing?
• Have the landslide area above Chumchet and the tributary been assessed?
• Are the lodges at Jagat, Machhakhola and in the Tsum villages open and supplied?

My advice is this. Do not buy non-changeable international flights for a Manaslu or Tsum trek until you have talked to us. Message me first, and I will tell you the position that week. Manaslu is a restricted area, so you also need a licensed guide: see restricted-area permits explained. Our Jagat village guide describes the village as it was before this flood.

Questions people ask

Is the Manaslu Circuit open in October 2026? Yes, with extreme caution, as of the 21 October MCAP notice. The 11 October flood took out the Soti bridge, the Machhakhola footbridge and other crossings in the lower valley, and some sections are still being repaired. Tsum Valley reopened on 25 October 2026 (TAAN safety advisory).

Can I still trek Tsum Valley? Yes. The flood hit the Chumchet and Chumling side, but TAAN's safety advisory of 25 October 2026 says the trek has reopened: locals built four new wooden bridges and repaired the trail around Sardi Khola.

What happens to my Manaslu booking? I move your dates for free, or switch you to another trek. Your deposit stays against the new booking. Message me on WhatsApp and I will arrange it.

Is Manaslu safe for 2027? It is too early to say. Watch for rebuilt bridges, a written reopening from the Gorkha authorities and a working road to Soti. Message us before you book flights.

Has Tsum Valley reopened? Yes, on 25 October 2026, according to TAAN's safety advisory. The Department of Immigration and MCAP have confirmed the permits are open.

Should I cancel my flights to Nepal? If you were only going to Manaslu or Tsum, message me before you change anything. We can move your dates or switch you to an Everest or Annapurna trek, and your flights may not need to change at all.

Are other treks affected? The Everest and Annapurna regions are in different river systems and are not affected by this flood. The authorities have warned of flood risk along the Trishuli corridor downstream, which matters for road travel in that area.

What should you do now?

If you have a Manaslu or Tsum booking, or you were planning one for 2027, message me on WhatsApp on +977 9810351300 with your dates and group size. I will tell you the position for your exact dates, move them or find you a different trek, and tell you plainly if I do not know something yet.

Sources: Kathmandu Post, 11 October 2026, reports on the Budhi Gandaki flood, including the Gandaki Province coverage of the damage and the national report on the three bridges in Gorkha; OnlineKhabar English, 11 October 2026, report on the Budhi Gandaki flood. Satellite detection of the landslide is as reported by the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology. Figures may change.

Written by Shreejan Simkhada, CEO of The Everest Holiday, from a family of three generations of family guides. TAAN Member #1586. WhatsApp +977 9810351300.