Manaslu Circuit Reopened: What Changed After the 2026 Floods and How to Plan 2027

Updated 22 October 2026.

Short answer: The Manaslu Circuit over the Larke Pass is open again, with extreme caution. The Manaslu Conservation Area Project (NTNC-MCAP) said so on 21 October 2026. You can drive to Machha Khola and walk on to Jagat, but the sections between Khorlabesi and Salleri are still being repaired. The Tsum Valley side is not open yet. My 12-day Manaslu Circuit for 2027 costs USD 799 Budget, USD 1,599 Standard and USD 2,665 Luxury per person for two to four people, and I would book spring 2027 with flexible dates and no fixed flights.

I am Shreejan. Since 6 September, the Budhi Gandaki valley has been hit by two floods, and I have had many messages asking the same thing: is Manaslu finished, or can I still plan it for next year? This page is about the second question. I wrote the flood facts in the 11 October flood update and the September closure page. Here I tell you what has changed on the trail and what I would do if I were booking.

What happened to the Manaslu Circuit in 2026?

There were two separate floods, five weeks apart.

What does the lower valley look like on days 1 to 3?

This is where the damage is, so it is where I put my attention. Here are the first days of my 12-day Manaslu Circuit.

Day 2 is the one that has changed. Reports after 11 October describe washed-out bridges and damage between Machha Khola and Jagat, and villages around Salleri and Jagat Bagar lost houses. The MCAP notice says the Khorlabesi to Salleri sections are still being repaired. So on my plan, we walk that day slowly, with a licensed guide, and we follow what the local people tell us that morning. If a crossing looks wrong to our guide, we do not cross it. We wait or we go round. I will not send a group over a damaged bridge to keep to a timetable.

The upper circuit is a different story. I have not seen a report of flood damage at Samagaon, Samdo or Dharamsala, and the crossing reported on 2 October shows people were getting over the Larkya La at 5,160 m. My Jagat guide and Machha Khola guide describe the villages as they were before the floods, so read them with that in mind.

What does the Manaslu Circuit cost in 2027?

I read these prices from the live page on 22 October 2026. They are per person.

Budget has no porter and no meals on the trail, so you carry your own bag and pay for teahouse meals, about USD 15 to 25 a day. Standard has a private room, all meals and one porter for every two trekkers, so each of you gives 10 kg. Luxury gives you your own porter for up to 20 kg. A solo Standard trekker has no porter, and the guide carries up to 10 kg of your bag. Kathmandu hotels are not in any tier. The price for 2027 is held, and if the government changes a permit fee, I pass on only that change, at cost.

Which permits does it need?

Manaslu is a restricted area. You need a licensed guide and the restricted-area permit, which we arrange and include. Since 22 March 2026 a single trekker can get it through a registered agency. The Department of Immigration also limits a restricted-area group to seven trekkers per guide.

My permits explained page goes through each one, and the solo permit page covers walking alone with a guide.

When should you go in 2027?

My best time page has the month-by-month detail. For where you sleep each night, read the accommodation guide, and check lodge status with me, because some lower-valley lodges may be closed or damaged.

How would I book Manaslu for 2027?

I would do four things. Pick spring, and give yourself a few spare days before any flight home. Do not buy fixed international flights until I have told you the position that week. Ask any operator the questions I list below. And keep to a guide who walks the lower valley slowly.

I do not know whether the Soti bridge will be rebuilt before spring, and I will not pretend to. The monsoon of 2027 will test everything. The questions I would ask are these. Has the Soti road bridge been replaced? Are the lower footbridges built properly, not just bypassed? Has the Gorkha district office confirmed the route in writing? Are the lodges at Machha Khola and Jagat open and stocked?

Frequently asked questions

Is the Manaslu Circuit open? Yes, with extreme caution, according to the NTNC-MCAP notice of 21 October 2026. Vehicles reach Machha Khola, and some sections between Khorlabesi and Salleri are being repaired.

Is the Tsum Valley open? No. Lokpa to Chumling is still under repair, and I will not give a date. See the Tsum permit page for the rules when it reopens.

Is the Larke Pass crossing affected by the floods? The floods hit the valley below the pass. A group of 21 foreign trekkers crossed it just before 2 October, according to the MCAP information officer.

How much does the Manaslu Circuit cost? USD 799 Budget, USD 1,599 Standard and USD 2,665 Luxury per person for two to four people. Alone it is USD 1,595, 2,205 or 4,015.

Can I do Manaslu without a guide? No. A licensed guide and a restricted-area permit are required by law. Since March 2026 a single trekker can get the permit through an agency.

What if the route closes again before my trip? I check 48 hours before departure and tell you straight away. You can move your dates free of charge to any date within one year, with at least 7 days notice for restricted areas, or switch to another trek.

Should I book flights now? Wait. Message me first so I can tell you the position for your dates.

What insurance do I need? A policy bought at home that covers trekking and helicopter evacuation to at least 5,500 m, since the Larkya La is at 5,160 m.

How do payment and cancellation work?

You pay a 10 per cent deposit to book and the balance when you meet us in Kathmandu, in US dollars or euros, in cash or by card. A card payment of the balance carries 3.5 per cent, and cash carries none. The deposit is non-refundable, and there is no refund if you cancel yourself. If we cannot run the trip, we refund what you have paid, less taxes, bank and card charges and any money already spent on your behalf.

What is the next step?

The full trip page is Manaslu Circuit Trek, 12 days. Message me on WhatsApp on +977 9810351300 with your preferred month, group size and whether you are travelling alone. I will tell you what I know that week and what I do not.

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