By Manish, Mountain Hike Nepal · Kathmandu · Updated 29 September 2026
Quick answer (29 September 2026): Nepal is open for travel. Kathmandu and Pokhara are operating, and so are most trekking regions. Langtang, Gosaikunda and the Tamang Heritage Trail are closed because the road to Syabrubesi is still broken after the 26 August flood. ACAP has resumed permit issuance for the Annapurna region, so Everest Base Camp, Annapurna Base Camp, Ghorepani Poon Hill and Mardi Himal are all running, though we’re asking every trekker to go with a licensed guide given the recent rain damage. ACAP expects to reopen the Annapurna Circuit’s Manang section soon, pending final safety clearance — it isn’t open yet. The Khotro landslide section on the Chame–Besisahar road is still being cleared. Jomsom and Upper Mustang have disrupted road access but are walkable on foot. The overland route to Tibet through Kerung remains closed.
We’re Mountain Hike Nepal, a local trekking agency based in Kathmandu. Since the flood, most of the messages reaching us ask one of two things: is my trek still on, and should I still come to Nepal this autumn?
This page answers both. It covers what is closed, what is running, and what we would plan this year if you were a friend asking us. We update it whenever a road opens or closes, so please check the date at the top.
What’s Inside This Guide
- Is Nepal open for tourists right now?
- What happened in August and September
- Route status
- Low elevation or high elevation: what makes sense this autumn
- What we suggest this autumn
- Kathmandu: more than a stopover
- Pokhara: fly in, then walk
- Day hikes worth doing
- Everest View Trek: good choice, flight-dependent
- High-altitude treks: what’s running
- Langtang, Gosaikunda and Tibet: wait for the road
- Dashain and booking timing
- What we don’t know yet
- Frequently Asked Questions About Nepal Travel After the Floods
- Related Planning Guides
Is Nepal open for tourists right now?
Yes. Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu is open, hotels and restaurants are working, and Kathmandu’s temples and squares are open to visitors. Pokhara is operating normally, apart from weather delays on flights.
The August flood struck one river corridor in the north, in Rasuwa district and downstream along the Trishuli. Most of the places travellers come for were never in its path.
We won’t tell you everything is normal, though, because it isn’t. Roads have been the main problem this season, and the rain at the end of September made several of them worse. The UK and US embassies have both issued advisories warning about unstable areas. Read your own government’s advice alongside this page too.
Our view is simple. Nepal is a sensible place to visit this autumn if you pick the right places and fly where roads are unreliable. Just leave some slack in your plan. That is what the rest of this page helps you do.
What happened in August and September
On the morning of 26 August 2026, a collapse of ice and rock near the Tibet border blocked the Lhende River. When the blockage gave way, a flood surged down the Bhote Koshi and into the Trishuli. It destroyed much of Syabrubesi, washed out bridges, and cut the highway that links Kathmandu with Rasuwa. More than 1,400 people died, and recovery work is still going on.
A month later, a low-pressure system from the Bay of Bengal brought another spell of heavy rain. On 23 September, the weather office advised trekkers to stay out of the Himalaya. It also advised everyone to avoid long road journeys from 25 to 27 September. That rain cut roads in Manang, Mustang and the Kathmandu–Pokhara corridor, and it brought early snow to the high trails.
These are two separate events. The flood caused lasting damage in one region. The September rain caused mostly short-term disruption across a wider area. That difference shapes almost every recommendation below.
Route status
This reflects conditions as of the date at the top of this page. Always confirm with us before you travel, since road status can change within a day.
Status by Route
| Route | Status | Reason | Our advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kathmandu sightseeing | Open | None | Normal plan |
| Pokhara | Open | Flight delays in bad weather | Fly in; keep your first afternoon free |
| Kathmandu–Pokhara road | Open | One-way traffic from Nagdhunga to Mugling; the road is passable but slow | Driving works, but we recommend flying for comfort and to save time |
| Everest View Trek | Open | Lukla flights depend on weather | Add one spare day |
| Everest Base Camp | Open | Lukla delays; fresh snow up high | Add one spare day |
| Nangkartshang Peak Trek | Open | Lukla flights depend on weather; same fresh snow as the rest of Khumbu | Add one spare day |
| Annapurna Base Camp | Caution | ACAP has resumed permit issuance, but the Pokhara–Ghandruk approach road was freshly damaged on 26 September | Confirm road access with us before departure; travel with a licensed guide |
| Ghorepani Poon Hill | Open | ACAP has resumed permit issuance; recent heavy rain affected the region | Travel with a licensed guide; confirm conditions before departure |
| Mardi Himal Trek | Open | ACAP has resumed permit issuance; Base Camp (4,500m) affected by the same high-altitude snow as other high routes | Travel with a licensed guide; add one spare day for weather |
| Annapurna Circuit | Not yet open | ACAP/NTNC: expected to reopen soon, pending final safety clearance; Khotro landslide section still being cleared | Wait for official ACAP confirmation before booking this route |
| Jomsom / Muktinath | Disrupted | Road access disrupted at several locations (ACAP/NTNC notice, 29 Sept) | Trekking on foot is possible; expect delays and changing conditions |
| Upper Mustang Trek | Open | Road disrupted, but trekking on foot and flights into Jomsom are running | Expect delays; confirm current conditions before departure |
| Sikles | Open | Confirmed open per ACAP/NTNC notice, 29 September | Normal plan |
| Manaslu Circuit | Open | MCAP resumed permit issuance 27 September as weather improved; landslide and trail-disruption risk remains in places | Travel with a licensed guide; confirm conditions on the morning of departure |
| Langtang Valley | Closed | No road access to Syabrubesi | Move your dates or choose another trek |
| Gosaikunda via Dhunche | Closed | Same road | Wait for reopening |
| Gosaikunda via Sundarijal | Not confirmed | Trail not checked since the latest rain | Ask us first |
| Tamang Heritage Trail | Closed | Starts at Syabrubesi | Move your dates |
| Tibet overland (Kerung) | Closed | Border crossing shut | Not possible right now |
ACAP Permits and Guide Safety
ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area Permit) issuance had been paused across the conservation area since the recent rain. It has now resumed. This affects Annapurna Base Camp, Ghorepani Poon Hill and Mardi Himal, since all of them need ACAP to enter the conservation area.
A licensed guide has always been legally required in the Annapurna Conservation Area. Some trekkers still go without one. ACAP’s own current notice goes further and strongly advises every individual trekker to travel with a licensed guide or as part of an organized group given present conditions, trek only on officially open routes, and follow local authorities and ACAP officials at all times. We’re asking every trekker to actually do this, not just carry the permit.
The Annapurna Circuit is a separate case, and it isn’t open yet. As of 29 September, ACAP says the full route over Thorong La is expected to reopen soon, pending a final safety assessment and clearance — not a confirmed reopening. The Khotro landslide section on the Chame–Besisahar road is still being cleared, and vehicle movement will resume only once the road is confirmed safe. We’ll update this page as soon as ACAP confirms a reopening.
Annapurna Base Camp: Trek vs. Road
The trekking route itself is a separate question from the road that gets you to the trailhead. On 26 September, the Modi River eroded roughly 10 metres of the Pokhara–Nayapul–Birethanti–Ghandruk road at Syauli Bazaar. That cut the connection again, only days after it had fully reopened around 22 September from earlier flood damage. There’s conflicting information about this online because of that back-and-forth.
We aren’t calling Annapurna Base Camp “closed” over this, since no one has reported damage to the trail beyond the roadhead. We also aren’t calling it fully normal, since ACAP is still assessing safe access on that stretch. This is the one route on this page we’d watch most closely this month — confirm with us before you travel.
Low elevation or high elevation: what makes sense this autumn
This is the most useful decision you can make this autumn, so it’s worth thinking through.
Low-elevation travel (below about 3,000 m) means Kathmandu, Pokhara, Chitwan, the hills around both cities, and short treks such as Poon Hill. The main risk right now is road disruption. It is not the mountains themselves. You can remove most of that risk by flying between cities. If rain returns, you lose an afternoon, not a trip.
Mid elevation (around 3,000 to 4,000 m) includes the Everest View Trek and the lower Annapurna Base Camp trail. Weather matters more here. Trails can be wet, nights are colder, and in the Everest region you depend on the Lukla flight. For most reasonably fit people this is still a sensible choice, provided you allow a spare day.
High elevation (above 4,000 m) means Everest Base Camp, the upper ABC trail, Thorong La, Tilicho and the Manaslu passes. The late-September storm dumped snow up high — trekkers reported 3 to 3.5 feet around Gokyo. Snow like that usually settles and packs down within a week or two of clear weather. But it makes the first days after a storm slower, colder, and riskier.
If you are coming in early October and have never been to high altitude, our advice is to start low. If you are fit, experienced, and flexible with dates, high routes are open. Just don’t cross a pass the day after heavy snowfall because your itinerary says so.
What we suggest this autumn
These are the trips we’d plan this season. We choose them because they avoid the broken roads and give you something real if the weather turns.
If you have 7 to 10 days and want an easy, low-risk trip: Two or three days in Kathmandu, then a flight to Pokhara. Spend a day or two walking the hills around the lake, then do a short trek such as Ghorepani Poon Hill before flying back. Nothing on this plan relies on the damaged highways.
If you want to see Everest without committing to a long trek: Do the Everest View Trek. It gets you to Namche Bazaar and a viewpoint over Everest and Ama Dablam, and it stays under 4,000 m. Pair it with a few days in Kathmandu so you have room for a Lukla delay.
If you are fit and want a proper trek: Annapurna Base Camp and Everest Base Camp are both running. ABC doesn’t depend on a mountain flight, but confirm the Pokhara–Ghandruk approach road with us first, since it took fresh damage in late September. Everest Base Camp needs a spare day built in for Lukla flights.
If you had your heart set on Langtang: Keep your Nepal dates and switch region. Or push Langtang to November, once the road has reopened and been confirmed. Please don’t hold a non-refundable Langtang booking for early October hoping the road will be ready.
Kathmandu: more than a stopover
Most trekkers rush through Kathmandu in a day and a half. This autumn, give it more time. It is the least weather-affected part of any Nepal trip, and it holds more than most people see.
The four places almost everyone visits are Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Swayambhunath and Kathmandu Durbar Square. Add Patan and Bhaktapur, the two other old royal cities of the valley. Each takes most of a day if you walk the back streets properly, and each has a very different character from Thamel.
Kathmandu’s hotels, restaurants and guides are all working. Spending two or three days in the valley also gives your body time to adjust, at around 1,400 m, before any trek. It gives your itinerary a buffer too, in case bad weather delays a mountain flight.
Pokhara: fly in, then walk
The flood did not affect Pokhara, and the town is running normally. The issue is the road from Kathmandu. The flood damaged the Prithvi Highway near Krishnabhir, and the September rain reduced it to one lane between Nagdhunga and Mugling. Until that section is properly repaired, we recommend flying. The flight takes about 25 minutes. The drive can take a full day and is unpredictable right now.
Heavy rain can delay flights too. On 25 September, low visibility stopped most flights at Pokhara for much of the day. So don’t plan a tight connection on the day you arrive.
In Pokhara, the lake is the centre of everything. Most of the best walks start within half an hour of Lakeside. You can put together several easy days there without any long drives.
Day hikes worth doing
Day hikes are the best-value part of Nepal this season. You get mountain views and village trails with none of the road or altitude risk of a long trek.
Around Kathmandu
- Nagarkot: a hill town on the eastern rim of the valley, with Himalayan views on clear mornings. Walk down towards Changu Narayan temple.
- Shivapuri: forest trails in Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park on the northern edge of the city, with views over the valley.
- Champadevi: a steady climb on the southwest rim, quieter than Nagarkot.
- Chandragiri: take the cable car up for views on a clear day and walk part of the way down.
Around Pokhara
- Sarangkot: the classic sunrise viewpoint over the Annapurna range and Machhapuchhre.
- World Peace Pagoda: cross the lake by boat and walk up through forest. A half-day outing.
- Dhampus and Australian Camp: a gentle overnight or long day walk with Annapurna views, and a good first taste of trekking for families.
You can’t count on clear views in early October. The monsoon normally withdraws from Nepal around 2 October, but last year it stayed until 10 October. Mornings are usually clearest, so start early.
Everest View Trek: good choice, flight-dependent
The Everest View Trek is the trip we suggest most often. It suits people who want to see Everest without two weeks free, or without sleeping above 5,000 m. You walk from Lukla to Namche Bazaar, then up to a viewpoint above it, with Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam in front of you. You stay below 4,000 m throughout.
The part to plan around is the flight. Lukla’s runway needs clear visibility, and on 25 September weather disrupted regular flights, with helicopters carrying some trekkers instead. In the busy autumn season, Lukla flights usually leave from Manthali airport in Ramechhap, not Kathmandu, which means a very early road transfer. We will confirm the departure point when you book.
Plan at least one spare day at the end of this trek. If the flight is on time, spend that day in Kathmandu. If it isn’t, you won’t miss your international flight home.
High-altitude treks: what’s running
Everest Base Camp: Open. The storm did not suspend Khumbu trekking. There is fresh snow at Gokyo, Gorak Shep and Dingboche, so the upper trail will be colder and slower until it settles. The same Lukla flight advice applies.
Annapurna Base Camp: The trek is running, but the approach road needs watching. ACAP has resumed permit issuance, and rain hit the lower trail around Ghandruk and Chhomrong during the storm. On top of that, the Modi River washed out part of the Pokhara–Ghandruk road at Syauli Bazaar on 26 September. Travel with a licensed guide, which has always been the legal requirement here, and confirm road access with us before you travel.
Annapurna Circuit: Not open yet. As of 29 September, ACAP says the full route over Thorong La is expected to reopen soon, pending final safety clearance — that’s an expectation, not a confirmed date. The Khotro landslide section on the Chame–Besisahar road is still being cleared, and vehicle movement resumes only once it’s confirmed safe, which also affects resupply of food and fuel to teahouses along the route. Once it does reopen, ACAP is asking individual trekkers to travel with a guide or an organized group and stay on officially open trails. Separately, an avalanche struck the base camp of Himlung Himal in the Nar Phu area of Manang district on the morning of 27 September, leaving 14 Nepali climbing and kitchen staff missing. That’s a different mountain from Manaslu, though also in Manang district, and we have no update on whether that’s resolved.
Manaslu Circuit: Open. The Manaslu Conservation Area Project (MCAP) paused permit issuance during the late-September rain and resumed regular issuance on 27 September as conditions improved. MCAP is still advising caution, since landslide risk and some trail disruption remain in places. Travel with a licensed guide, confirm conditions on the morning you leave, and don’t treat the permit resuming as a sign the whole route is fully clear.
Upper Mustang and Jomsom/Muktinath: Open. Road access is disrupted at several points, but ACAP’s 29 September notice confirms trekking on foot is possible, and flights into Jomsom are running weather permitting. Expect delays and check current conditions before you go.
Mardi Himal Trek: Open. Base Camp sits at 4,500m, so the same high-altitude snow affecting Gokyo and Manaslu applies here too. ACAP has resumed permit issuance for the region; travel with a licensed guide and confirm conditions before departure.
Langtang, Gosaikunda and Tibet: wait for the road
No one has reported damage to the Langtang trail above Syabrubesi itself. The road to it is the real problem. Every jeep and bus into Langtang uses the highway through Betrawati and Dhunche, and crews are still rebuilding that road.
Crews have been working in waterlogged ground and on hard rock cliffs. Temporary Bailey bridges still have to go in, at both Betrawati and Syabrubesi. The government’s target is to reopen the road before Dashain. Treat that as a target, not a promise.
For Gosaikunda, the usual approach through Dhunche uses the same road. Some operators are selling a walk-in from Sundarijal through Helambu, which avoids Rasuwa completely. We haven’t confirmed the state of that trail since this week’s rain, so we aren’t offering it yet.
The flood damaged the crossing and the Nepal-side customs post, so overland travel to Tibet through Rasuwagadhi and Kerung also remains closed.
Dashain and booking timing
Dashain, Nepal’s biggest festival, runs from 11 to 25 October this year, and the main tika day is 21 October. Around those dates, buses and domestic flights fill with people travelling home, and some offices close. Kathmandu becomes quieter and more relaxed, which many visitors enjoy, but getting around takes more planning.
Our advice on booking is to book now, but book flexibly. Flights to Lukla and Pokhara tighten in October in a normal year. This year, more people are flying to avoid the roads, so seats are going faster. Securing your flights and core dates early costs you nothing if you choose a route that is already running.
What we’d avoid is locking in a non-refundable trip that depends on a road that hasn’t reopened yet. That means Langtang, Gosaikunda via Dhunche, and overland Tibet. For those, wait until we can confirm the road is open and we’ve had a report back from the trail.
What we don’t know yet
- When the road to Syabrubesi will fully reopen.
- Whether Syabrubesi’s lodges will be ready for trekkers as soon as it does.
- Whether Manang has lifted or extended its high-altitude ban.
- Whether more rain in early October will push back road repairs.
We’ll update this page as each of these becomes clear.
Frequently Asked Questions About Nepal Travel After the Floods
Most of Nepal was not in the flood zone. Kathmandu, Pokhara, the Everest region and the Annapurna region are all operating. The practical risks this autumn are road disruption and weather at altitude, not the flood itself. Check your government’s travel advice before you book.
Not nationwide. On 23 September the weather office advised trekkers to suspend Himalayan treks and advised everyone to avoid long road journeys from 25 to 27 September. Manang district formally closed its high trails for those three days.
No. No one has reported damage to the trail itself, but crews are still repairing the road to Syabrubesi. The government is aiming to reopen it before Dashain, and it hasn’t confirmed a date.
Fly. The Prithvi Highway is down to one lane on the Nagdhunga–Mugling section, and it can close again if the rain returns.
Only if your whole trip is Langtang, Gosaikunda or overland Tibet. For everything else, keep your dates, add a buffer day, and consider starting with a few days at low elevation.
Related Planning Guides
- Everest Base Camp Trek — full itinerary, pricing, and permits
- Everest View Trek — the shorter, lower-altitude Everest option covered above
- Annapurna Base Camp Trek — our top pick for a proper trek this autumn
- Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek — a short, low-risk option out of Pokhara
- Everest Gokyo Lakes Trek — running now, same Lukla-flight conditions as EBC
- Nangkartshang Peak Trek — running now, same Khumbu region as EBC
- Manaslu Circuit Trek — open, with MCAP permits resumed as of 27 September
- Not Trekking? Things to Do in Nepal — sightseeing, safari and adventure sports if a route you planned is disrupted
This page reflects information as of 29 September 2026. Conditions are changing quickly after the flood and this week’s rain, and we’re updating this page as new details come in. Check the date at the top before you rely on anything here.
Plan Your Trek With Confidence
We’re Mountain Hike Nepal, a Kathmandu-based trekking company that’s been running treks since 2018. We check road and trail conditions directly, not from a desk overseas, and we’ll tell you honestly if a route isn’t ready rather than book it anyway.
Right now, Everest Base Camp, the Everest View Trek, Annapurna Base Camp, Ghorepani Poon Hill, Mardi Himal and the Manaslu Circuit are all running, and we build in one spare day for flights or weather. Langtang, Gosaikunda via Dhunche and overland Tibet are closed. The Annapurna Circuit isn’t open yet either — ACAP expects to reopen it soon, but that isn’t confirmed.
Planning a trip this autumn? Send us your dates and the kind of trip you have in mind on WhatsApp, and we’ll tell you straight what’s running, what isn’t, and what we’d do in your place.