Is Manaslu Circuit Trekking Trail open on Septmber?

Manaslu Circuit Reopening With Alternate Trail Route: What Trekkers Need to Know (September 2026)

Quick answer: Yes—the Manaslu Circuit Trek is open again. A flash flood destroyed the main Budhi Gandaki bridge near Namrung on September 6, 2026, but local communities rebuilt a temporary crossing within days, and the trail toward Samagaun and Larkya La is walkable again. Here's what changed, what stayed the same, and what to actually check before you book.

What Happened Near Namrung

On September 6, 2026, a flash flood tore through the Therang Khola, a tributary that feeds into the Budhi Gandaki river near Namrung, in Chumnubri Rural Municipality-4, Gorkha district. The flood took out the main suspension bridge over the Budhi Gandaki along with a second nearby crossing. The flood also damaged several homes and two micro-hydropower plants. Remarkably, no injuries were reported—a detail worth sitting with, given how fast these floods move through narrow Himalayan gorges.

For a trek that routes almost every trekker through this exact corridor on the way to Samagaun and the Larkya La pass, a lost bridge here isn't a minor detour. It's the kind of disruption that, a decade ago, might have closed the route for a full season. That's not what happened this time.

How the Trail Reopened So Fast

Under Ward Chairperson Pema Gyalpo Lama, the community in Chumnubri didn't wait for external contractors or government engineering teams. The Manaslu Conservation Area Project (MCAP) and local stockholder rapidly built the bridge using local builders, who used indigenous construction knowledge and hand-cut timber to put up a temporary log crossing at Suksum, alongside a rerouted footpath through Therang and Syabari. Within days, movement toward Namrung, Samagaun, and Larke (Larkya) Pass was restored.

It's worth being direct about what the situation means for outsiders trekking the route now: the people who fixed this trail live on it. The same flood damaged their homes and hydropower supply. Anyone walking through Namrung this season is passing through a village mid-recovery, not a fully "reset" tourist corridor—which shapes both the safety picture and the etiquette expected of trekkers.

The Alternate Trail Route—What Actually Changes On the Ground

If you've read a Manaslu Circuit itinerary before, most of it is unchanged. The difference occurs in one section:

• Where it applies: The Deng → Namrung stretch, specifically the river crossings around Suksum, Therang, and Syabari.
• What's different: Instead of the original engineered suspension bridge, trekkers now cross via a temporary single-file wooden log structure with rope or timber handrails, plus a rerouted footpath around the damaged section.
• What's unchanged: Everything from Namrung onward—Lho, Samagaun, the acclimatization day, Samdo, Larke Phedi, the Larkya La crossing itself, and the descent to Bimtang and Dharapani—follows the standard route.

In short: this is a localized repair and reroute, not a redesign of the whole trek.

Manaslu Circuit At a Glance (2026 Status)

Is It Safe to Cross the Temporary Bridge?

Reasonably, yes, with real caveats. The structure at Suksum was built by experienced local builders using materials and techniques suited to the terrain, and it has already been in active use. But it's a temporary structure, not a permanent engineered bridge, and it should be treated that way:

• Cross one person at a time.
• Keep trekking poles collapsed or held still, not swinging.
• Don't stop mid-crossing for photos.
• Follow your guide's call on timing. River levels and structural load capacity shift with weather, and that's a judgment call best left to someone reading conditions daily, not a fixed rule in an itinerary.

A responsible operator will not lock in a departure date across this section until their on-ground contacts and official advisories both confirm it's stable, and they should be upfront about rerouting or delaying rather than sending a group in on a "wait and see" basis once already on the trail.

Manaslu Circuit Trek 12-Day Itinerary (9-Sept-2026)

Trekking Through a Community That's Still Rebuilding

It's deceptively simple to read "trail reopened" as "situation resolved." In reality, the situation is more complex. Namrung, Lho, and Samagaun are Tibetan Buddhist communities with active monasteries and sacred sites, and right now several households in the area are also rebuilding homes and restoring hydropower that the same flood damaged. Trekking groups moving through are guests on a route that the community has just repaired quickly, for their own benefit first.

Practically, this situation means a bit more intentionality than usual:

• Be mindful with cameras and photography near homes and rebuilding work—ask before photographing people, not just landscapes.
• Follow standard etiquette at gompas and mani walls (pass to the left, keep voices down, and ask before entering).
• Support local teahouses and lodges directly rather than treating the stop as incidental—spending here goes further than usual this season.

Do You Need a Guide for the Manaslu Circuit?

Yes. This isn't optional or a recommendation; it's a permit requirement. Manaslu is a restricted area, which means a minimum of two trekkers accompanied by a licensed guide, in addition to holding the RAP, MCAP, and ACAP permits. Solo trekking, in the sense that's common on Annapurna or Everex Base Camp routes, isn't permitted here.

Best Time to Trek Manaslu Circuit in 2026

Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) remain the two stable weather windows. If you're booking an early-autumn 2026 departure specifically, factor in post-monsoon trail conditions near Namrung. This is exactly the window where river levels and the temporary crossing's condition matter most, and where a flexible itinerary with buffer days pays off.

FAQ 

Is it safe to cross the temporary bridge near Namrung?

The temporary structure is a wooden log crossing with rope or timber handrails, built by local indigenous builders. It's functional and in active use, but it isn't a permanent engineered bridge. Cross one person at a time, follow your guide's instructions, and avoid stopping on the crossing for photos.

How long does the Manaslu Circuit Trek take? 

Most Manaslu Circuit Trek itineraries take 12 to 18 days, from Kathmandu to Kathmandu, including acclimatization time in Samagaun and buffer days for weather or river conditions.

Is the Manaslu Circuit Trek open in September of 2026?

Yes. After a flash flood destroyed the original Budhi Gandaki bridge on 6 September 2026, local communities in Chumnubri Rural Municipality rebuilt a temporary wooden crossing and alternate footpath near Namrung. The trail to Samagaun and Larke Pass is now open again. Trekkers should check with their operator before they book, as conditions change with the weather.

What caused the Manaslu Circuit trail closure in 2026?

The flash flood on Therang Khola, a tributary of the Budhi Gandaki River, struck on September 6, 2026, near Namrung in Chumnubri Rural Municipality-4, Gorkha district. It destroyed the main suspension bridge and another nearby crossing, several homes, and two micro-hydropower plants. There were no injuries.

Do I need a guide for the Manaslu Circuit Trek?

Yes. Manaslu is a restricted area designated by the government that legally requires a minimum of two trekkers with a licensed guide and a Restricted Area Permit (RAP), Manaslu Conservation Area Permit (MCAP), and Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP).

Best season for trekking the Manaslu Circuit?

The best weather for the Manaslu Circuit is in spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November). Those departing in early autumn 2026 should pay particular attention to trail conditions around Namrung post-monsoon.

What is the highest point of the Manaslu Circuit?

The highest point of the trek is Larkya La (Larke Pass) at 5106 meters.

Likewise, the main lifeline Kathmandu to Pokhara Highway also reopened to two-way traffic on 17th September 2026, which had been blocked since August 30 due to the second Rasuwa Bhote Koshi flood. After concluding the Manaslu Circuit trek, drive from Tilje-Dharapani-Besi Sahar Dumre-Abukhairenai-Mugling Krishna Bhir (reopened road) to Kathmandu. The Prithvi Highway road blocked at Krishna Bhir was 85 km from Kathmandu. Now, the road has access to Pokhara, Chitwan, and other cities from the capital city.

Conclusion:

The Manaslu Circuit Trek is open again in September 2026, but not quite the way it was before. A flash flood tore through the Therang Khola near Namrung on September 6, destroying the main Budhi Gandaki bridge along with a second crossing, four homes, and two micro-hydropower plants. Yet within four days, the villagers of Chumnubri Rural Municipality and MCAP had hand-built a temporary wooden log crossing at Suksum and rerouted the footpath through Therang and Syabari, restoring trail access toward Samagaun and the 5,106-meter Larkya La pass. For trekkers weighing whether to book, that's the headline: this isn't a trail reopening on paper while conditions remain shaky on the ground; it's a working, community-rebuilt route, though still a temporary one that deserves the same caution and respect as the village currently rebuilding around it.