Nepal Flooding 2026: Is It Safe to Trail run Annapurna or Manaslu?
A clear, honest update on the recent flooding in Nepal — and why our Annapurna and Manaslu trips are running exactly as planned.
In late August 2026 a severe flash flood struck Nepal's Rasuwa district, near the Nepal–China border, causing significant loss of life and widespread damage along the Rasuwa–Bhote Koshi–Trishuli river corridor. It has been one of the most serious natural disasters Nepal has faced in recent years, and our thoughts are with everyone affected.
We've had a number of questions from guests booked on our upcoming Nepal trips, so we wanted to set out clearly what happened, which areas were affected, and what it means — or rather, doesn't mean — for your trip.
Neither Annapurna nor Manaslu was affected by this flood. Both circuits sit on entirely separate river systems, well outside the affected corridor, and are running normally.
Your trip, specifically
The Manaslu circuit follows the Budhi Gandaki valley — a completely different drainage from the flood zone. The trail, villages and infrastructure along our route are operating normally.
The Annapurna region sits on its own separate river systems, well outside the affected corridor. There is no reported flood damage anywhere on our route.
What was actually affected
The flood was concentrated on a single corridor — the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers, running through Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading districts. This affected the Langtang and Gosainkunda trekking routes and the Rasuwagadhi border crossing to Tibet. It did not touch the Dudh Koshi valley that leads to Everest, and it did not touch the Budhi Gandaki or Annapurna river systems that our trips run through.
Nepal is a large and geographically varied country — a disaster in one river corridor does not automatically affect trekking regions elsewhere. Kathmandu itself, along with Pokhara and all the main trekking areas outside Rasuwa, are operating as usual.
What we're doing
We're in direct contact with our local guide teams on the ground in Nepal and are monitoring conditions closely in the lead-up to both departures, as we would for any Himalayan trip. If anything changes that affects the safety or viability of either route, we will contact all booked guests directly and immediately — you won't need to chase us for updates. If you'd simply like to talk it through, book a free 10-minute call and we'll give you an honest, up-to-date picture.
Whether you're booked on Manaslu, Annapurna, or just curious — we're happy to talk it through, honestly and without the sales pitch.
Book a Free Call →Charlie Knights
Founder · Pure Trails Adventure