Nepal Flash Flooding - Travel Update (16 September 2026)
On the morning of 26 August 2026, a major flash flood swept down the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river systems in Nepal's Rasuwa district, part of Bagmati Province in north central Nepal, on the border with the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. The event is believed to stem from a glacier collapse on Langtang Lirung, which triggered a tremor detected by seismometers worldwide. The surge tore down the Bhote Koshi gorge, sweeping away the Rasuwagadhi border crossing and stretches of the only road linking Kathmandu to Tibet, before continuing south through Timure and Syabrubesi, the trailhead town for the Langtang treks, and on towards Trishuli Bazar. This is a region dominated by the Langtang Himal range and home to Langtang National Park and the Langtang Valley trekking region. The flood destroyed roads, bridges, buildings, electricity infrastructure and communications networks in the area, and recovery and safety assessments are still ongoing. Because the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli form one continuous river system, the effects of the flood were felt tens of kilometres downstream of Rasuwa, well beyond the initial impact zone.
Last updated: 08 September 2026
Latest Updates
16 September: (1) A Nepal fundraising link has been added - see the 'How can I support Nepal?' section. (2) The November 2026 'Trek the Langtang Valley to Summit Yala Peak' trip has been cancelled and customers have been informed directly. (3) MBA's first Nepal groups of the season are already on the trails.
8 September: (1) An alternative itinerary is in place for 2026 departures of 'The Ultimate Adventure Through Nepal', details of which are outlined below and on the Trip Page. Customers have been contacted directly. (2) A minor itinerary amendment is possible for September and early October departures of Trek the Annapurna Circuit, to break the extended journey, should the Prithvi Highway remain closed. Customers on relevant departures have been contacted directly.
3 September: This article was restructured and reviewed as a whole. Significant updates include: the status of the Sep/Oct 2026 departures of ‘Trek the Langtang Valley to Summit Yala Peak (5500m)’ (now cancelled). More details added about the Kathmandu to Pokhara road closure and alternative routes (relevant to Annapurna trips, and Ultimate Nepal trips). New section: ‘How can I support Nepal?’.
1 September: The Kathmandu to Pokhara highway has closed again, with reports of structural damage to some sections. Alternative travel arrangements/routes may be required if it remains closed.
29 August: The highway reopened in full. Chitwan status information was added, along with an update on the Trishuli rafting section of The Ultimate Adventure in Nepal (see below).
Key questions
Were any MBA customers in Nepal when the disaster hit?
No. We do not run trips during the main monsoon season, for safety reasons. Our trips start operating from mid-September onwards.
Are MBA's local host staff safe?
Yes. All of our local host partners' staff are safe and accounted for.
Which regions are affected?
This is a dynamic situation - this page reflects our current understanding of events, which may evolve with time.
🏔️ The autumn/winter 2026 trekking season has commenced, and MBA customers are already on the trails in Nepa! 🏔️
Kathmandu and Pokhara city are unaffected.
The Everest and Annapurna trekking regions are unaffected, as they sit in distinctly different river and valley systems from Rasuwa.
The lower Langtang region is badly affected (see below).
Chitwan has a high casualty count, but this reflects impact carried downriver via the Bhote Koshi/Trishuli system rather than direct flooding: the main town of Sauraha and the areas of Chitwan we visit sit on the Rapti River, a separate system, and are unaffected.
Flooding has caused structural damage to parts of the Prithvi Highway between Kathmandu and Muglin (at Krishna Bhir), which is currently closed. This affects travel to Pokhara and the Annapurna region. As this is the main highway connecting the Kathmandu Valley and Nepal's east-west transport corridor, repairing it is a priority for the Nepali government. Although no official timeframe has been announced, our local host estimates that it may take weeks, not days, to repair. In the meantime, MBA groups will take the alternative route (Kathmandu-Hetauda-Narayanghat-Muglin-Pokhara/Besiahar), which may add 2-3 hours to the journey (approximately 8-10 hours to/from Pokhara), depending on traffic.
Is my trip likely to be affected?
Everest region trips
No impact anticipated. Trips are planned to operate as normal.
- Trek to Everest Base Camp
- Everest and Gokyo Lakes Circuit
- Climb Mera Peak (6461m)
Annapurna region trips
No impact to the Annapurna trekking region itself is anticipated. However, if the Prithvi Highway has not reopened, the alternative route (Kathmandu-Hetauda-Narayanghat-Muglin-Pokhara/Besiahar) may add 2-3 hours to the journey.
- Trek the Annapurna Sanctuary Route
- Trek the Annapurna Sanctuary Route & Go on Safari
- The Annapurna Circuit*
*Until the highway reopens, Annapurna Circuit groups will break the extended journey to the trailhead by staying in Besisahar on Day 2 (instead of Tal), then on Day 3, continue by jeep to the Dharapani checkpoint and trek to Bagarchhap (hiking: approximately 6km, 2 hours).
The Ultimate Adventure in Nepal
2026 departures of this trip are planned to operate, but with some amendments to the itinerary.
The majority of the places and activities in 'The Ultimate Adventure Through Nepal' itinerary have not been affected, including Kathmandu, Pokhara, the Dhampus Trek, and the Chitwan safari. However, our local host in Nepal has advised that the Trishuli River rafting and overnight riverside camping on days 2 and 3 will not be possible for the remainder of 2026. Instead, the rafting and camping will take place on the Seti River, a different, unaffected river system.
The Seti River camping is full-service wild camping, with the team erecting and dismantling tents, cooking, and handling all camp chores for you. Tents are allocated on a twin-share basis (solo tents may not be possible), with sleeping mats and sleeping bags provided. The Seti River rafting runs between Pokhara and Chitwan, compared to the Trishuli rafting's Kathmandu to Pokhara route, so the itinerary has been reordered accordingly. The three-hour canyoning activity in Jalbire has also been removed as a result.
The alternative itinerary in operation until the end of 2026 is as follows:
Day 1 - Arrival and transfer to Kathmandu.
Day 2 - Drive to Pokhara.
Day 3 - Dhampus Trek.
Day 4 - Sunrise yoga and trek to Panchase.
Day 5 - Morning yoga and trek to Bhumdi.
Day 6 - Lower Seti rafting (from Damauli to Sarangghat, 4 to 4.5 hrs including lunch). Full-service wild camping beside the Seti River.
Day 7 - Raft from Sarangghat to Gaighat (2hrs), then transfer to Chitwan.
Day 8 - Chitwan jungle and wildlife.
Day 9 - Return to Kathmandu.
Day 10 - Departure.
The next departure of this trip starts on 09 October: if the Prithvi Highway has not reopened, the alternative route (Kathmandu-Hetauda-Narayanghat-Muglin-Pokhara) may add 2-3 hours to the journey.
Langtang region: Trek the Langtang Valley to Summit Yala Peak (5500m)
The lower Langtang Valley, including the road towards Syabrubesi, the Syabrubesi settlement itself, and sections of trail towards Lama Hotel, has been badly affected. Rasuwa remains a high alert area, and search and rescue operations are ongoing.
The three 2026 departures of this trip have been cancelled. The relevant customers have been contacted directly, and our team is assisting with alternative travel arrangements or full refunds, as needed.
Departures in 2027 are expected to operate. Once things stabilise in the region, we will contact customers directly if any itinerary amendments are expected.
What about safety?
Your safety and that of our host's staff is our top priority. We're working closely with Freedom Adventures, our local host in Nepal, to monitor and assess the situation on the ground. Freedom Adventures is committed to following official advice and completing appropriate assessments before committing to running trips in the affected region.
You can read more generally about how we approach traveller safety on our Safety & Wellbeing on Your MBA Trip article.
MBA adheres to the UK government's FCDO travel advice for Nepal.
How can I support Nepal?
✈️ Visit
Nepal's Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister, Khadak Raj Paudel, has released a video calling upon travellers to continue visiting Nepal and to stand with the country during this time.
Nepal's tourism industry makes up as much as 15% of total employment in Nepal and supports many thousands of livelihoods. Trekking is one of the most important sources of income for remote mountain communities across the country, where alternative economic opportunities are scarce. Where a region remains safe to visit, continuing to travel there helps support the guides, teahouses and porters who depend on this income, and is part of how many of these communities will recover. We'll only run trips where we and our host partner, Freedom Adventures, are confident it's safe to do so.
🙏 Donate
MBA is currently running a fundraiser following the devastating flooding that affected Nepal's Rasuwa district in August 2026. We'll be matching your donations, so if you want to help, your money will go twice as far.
Questions about your trip?
If you have a booking that may be affected and would like to talk it through, please contact us at hello@muchbetteradventures.com, and our team will be happy to help.