Is Tsum Valley Open for Trekking?

Is Tsum Valley Open for Trekking? Latest Trail Update

Short answer: Yes, Tsum Valley has reopened for trekking. A recent official-channel update from the Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) advisory of 25 October 2026, and no later closure as of 5 November 2026. Places Nepal’s own check with local contacts: [05/11/2026].

After the 11 October flood, local communities repaired trail sections and built temporary wooden bridges. The route towards Chhekampar and Mu Gompa is walkable again. Reopened does not mean restored, though. Several repairs are temporary, and conditions should be checked again before you leave Kathmandu. 

Current Tsum Valley Trekking Status

Four things to settle before you start: which bridges are temporary on your exact route, whether your lodge at each stop is operating, how far the vehicle can go on the day, and what the weather is doing.

What Happened to Tsum Valley After the October 2026 Flood?

In the early hours of 11 October 2026, flooding along the Budhi Gandaki and Shiar Khola hit northern Gorkha during the first weeks of the autumn season. Reports describe damaged roads, washed-out trail sections, destroyed footbridges and lost houses and lodges. Kathmandu Post reported more than two dozen hotels destroyed between Yarukhola and Dobhan, and damage to the lodge market at Jagat.

Trekkers were stranded at Jagat and in the valley for several days, and some were flown out by helicopter. Access was closed while repairs began. 

For the people who live here, this was the start of their main earning season. Within about two weeks, local residents had built temporary wooden bridges and re-cut trail sections, which is why trekking resumed. Relief for displaced families is still ongoing.

Which Sections of the Tsum Valley Route Are Open?

We go in walking order, because “Tsum Valley is open” hides a lot of detail.

Machha Khola and the lower Budhi Gandaki. Vehicles reach Machha Khola. From there the trail climbs through Tatopani and Dobhan to Jagat. This is the stretch with the most flood damage, and a short alternative trail was opened at Yaru Bagar to bypass a difficult section.

Jagat to Lokpa. Jagat took heavy damage. Trekkers have been crossing the repaired sections. Confirm the current state of this stretch with our operational team on WhatsApp.

Lokpa junction. Lokpa is where the Tsum Valley trail leaves the Manaslu Circuit route. We could not independently confirm the condition of the Lokpa–Chumling section, so we won’t describe it as normal.

Chumling and Chhekampar. Chhekampar, the main village of Upper Tsum, is reachable using the new temporary bridges around Sardi Khola.

Nile and Mu Gompa. The trail to Nile and Mu Gompa, the valley’s highest point at roughly 3,700 m, is open. We have not seen detailed for every section beyond Chhekampar. 

Trek the Tsum Valley Trek

Discover the Tsum Valley trek, a remote Himalayan journey through a sacred, restricted valley. Explore the full itinerary, trail map, and package pricing before you book your adventure.

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Can You Combine Tsum Valley with the Manaslu Circuit?

Yes. Most trekkers combine them. The Tsum trail branches from the main route at Lokpa. You walk up the valley, return to the junction and rejoin the circuit towards Samagaon and Larkya La. The side trip typically adds about a week.

The two routes are separate on the ground. A flood on 6 September also damaged bridges near Namrung on the upper Manaslu route, so the circuit has its own damage and repair history. TAAN reported the Manaslu Circuit running as well, but a reopened Tsum trail doesn’t guarantee conditions on the Larkya La side, and the reverse is also true.

That is why a combined trek needs careful planning, with buffer days built in. Our Manaslu Circuit with Tsum Valley Trek page covers the combined itinerary options. 

Trek the Tsum Valley with Manaslu Circuit Trek

Into the Hidden Valley of Tsum and Around Manaslu.

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Are Tsum Valley Trek Permits Available?

According to TAAN, Immigration and MCAP confirmed permits are open. A Tsum Valley trek needs:

• Tsum Valley Restricted Area Permit: about US$40 per person for the first week from September to November (about US$30 from December to August), plus about US$7 per extra day.
• Manaslu Conservation Area Permit: NPR 3,000.
• Local municipality fee: Around NPR 1,000.
• Manaslu Restricted Area Permit, only if combining with the circuit: about US$100 for the first seven days in autumn, plus US$15 per extra day. The circuit also adds an Annapurna Conservation Area permit (NPR 3,000).

Since 22 March 2026, a single trekker can apply for a restricted-area permit, so the old two-person minimum no longer applies. This is not permission to trek independently. You still need a registered Nepali agency to arrange the permit and a licensed guide for the whole route.

Fees change, so confirm against the Department of Immigration fee table. We’ll give you the current figures when you enquire.

Are Teahouses and Accommodation Open in Tsum Valley?

Not uniformly. The lower approach lost lodges, so some familiar stops near Jagat and between Yarukhola and Dobhan are damaged or closed. Upper Tsum lodges and homestays are small, family-run and seasonal. Status can differ village to village.

We have not seen verified, lodge-by-lodge confirmation for the whole valley. Don’t assume your usual stop is operating, and expect simpler facilities and possible reshuffled overnight stops. Our operational team confirms each night’s accommodation before departure and carries a plan B.

Is It Safe to Trek Tsum Valley Now?

A route being open is not the same as being safe. Here is what we’d weigh:

• Temporary bridges. They are community-built wooden crossings, not engineered replacements. Cross one at a time, and don’t assume they’ll hold if the river rises.
• Repaired trail. Fresh cuts through landslide debris can be loose or narrow, so allow extra time and avoid walking them after heavy rain.
• River levels. Both 2026 floods came in September and October. Late-season rain, though less common, can still raise rivers quickly.
• Operators disagree. Some paused departures; others resumed. Ask how our team is deciding.

A guide helps with route-finding, local information and judgement, but cannot remove the risk. Trust conditions you’ve checked recently over a status you read weeks ago.

Best Time to Trek Tsum Valley

Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the reliable seasons for clear skies and stable trails. The monsoon (June to August) brings landslide and flood risk, which is exactly what 2026 showed. Winter is cold, and the upper valley gets snow, so access gets harder. For 2026 recovery, the safest window is late autumn with a flexible schedule, or spring 2027 after the trail work has settled.

How to Get the Latest Tsum Valley Trail Update

Our operations team checks route conditions with local guides and contacts before each group departs. Message us for:

• Latest bridge and trail updates
• Road access to Machha Khola
• Permit availability and current fees
• Lodge availability
• Combined Manaslu and Tsum Valley itinerary options

WhatsApp: +977 9851239965

Planning a Tsum Valley Trek with Places Nepal?

Places Nepal is a Kathmandu-based local trekking company with more than 12 years of operating experience. We arrange the permits, licensed guide, accommodation, transport and itinerary. For a combined trek, see our Manaslu and Tsum Valley itinerary options, and tell us your dates and how flexible you can be. We’ll tell you plainly whether we’d run it.