Last updated: 29 September 2026. We will update this post as conditions change

Where things stand today

Nepal has experienced another period of extreme weather over the past several days, bringing heavy rainfall, flooding and landslides across several parts of the country. Now that the sun is shining again, it’s time to share some of our thoughts.

For those travelling with us, planning upcoming river trips, or simply wondering what these events mean for rafting and kayaking in Nepal, we want to explain clearly where things stand and what Paddle Nepal is doing.

Our approach is simple: we will not guess

A river returning to a normal-looking water level does not automatically mean that it is ready for commercial rafting.

Major floods can change river channels, move enormous boulders, create or remove rapids, deposit trees, bridges and other debris, destabilize banks and slopes, damage access roads and bridges, and alter emergency access and evacuation routes.

That means that after an event of this scale, yesterday’s risk assessment can no longer be relied on.

Before Paddle Nepal resumes operations on an affected river, our senior guide team will allow conditions to settle, personally scout the relevant commercial section and access routes, identify significant changes and hazards, and revise our risk assessments and operating procedures where necessary.

Kali Gandaki River

The recent weather caused significant flooding and landslide damage along the Kali Gandaki corridor, particularly across Mustang, Myagdi and Parbat.

Roads and bridges have been damaged, sections of the Beni–Jomsom road and the Kali Gandaki Corridor have been disrupted, and communities along the river have suffered serious losses. Flooding also damaged the Maldhunga bridge connecting Parbat and Baglung, washing away part of its approach road.

Our normal commercial Kali Gandaki rafting put-in is approximately 10 km upstream of Maldhunga.

Some of the most severe damage occurred farther upstream in Myagdi and Mustang, but flooding also damaged roads, homes and the Maldhunga bridge close to our commercial section. We are not assuming that our commercial section is unchanged.

Paddle Nepal is therefore currently holding Kali Gandaki departures.

Once conditions have had time to settle, our team will scout the river, access roads, put-in, camps and take-out, and complete a revised risk assessment before operations resume.

Marsyangdi River

In Manang, flooding and landslides caused serious disruption along the upper Marsyangdi corridor. Debris entering the Marsyangdi near Chame partially blocked the river and created a lake, while flooding damaged roads, bridges and settlements elsewhere in Manang.

The water level has since fallen, and authorities are now using excavators to clear the remaining partial blockage. But this is precisely why patience matters.

A river flowing again is not the same thing as a river being cleared for commercial operation.

Paddle Nepal has not operated the upper section of the Marsyangdi since 2025 due to the construction of a hydroelectric project. Our lower Marsyangdi season does not normally begin until around mid-November, when water levels become appropriate.

We therefore have plenty of time. There is no reason to rush.

We will allow the river system and surrounding landscape to settle before scouting and completing a fresh risk assessment.

Trisuli River

The Trisuli presents a different and particularly serious situation.

On 26 August, the catastrophic Rasuwa flash flood travelled through the Bhote Koshi-Trisuli River system, causing devastating loss and widespread destruction to communities, tourism infrastructure and access along the river corridor.

The river has since settled considerably, and sections may now appear runnable.

For Paddle Nepal, however, appearing runnable is not enough.

An event of this magnitude can change far more than water levels. River features may have changed. New hazards may exist above, below or within the river. Banks and slopes may remain unstable. Access roads, bridges, evacuation routes and communication systems may have been affected. Some risks may only become apparent through careful inspection on the ground and on the water.

We therefore remain in a complete holding pattern on the Trisuli River.

We are not working toward a predetermined reopening date, nor will we resume operations simply because water levels have fallen or a section of river can physically be paddled.

We will give the river and surrounding landscape time to settle, and the local communities time to heal.

When we believe it is appropriate to begin reassessment, our senior team will personally scout the commercial river section and its access and evacuation routes. We will identify changes and new hazards, revise our risk assessment and operating procedures where necessary, and only then make a decision about future operations.

Lower Seti River

The Lower Seti is a different river system and was not affected by the August Rasuwa flash flood.

At present, we are not aware of significant changes to our commercial Lower Seti section resulting from this latest weather system.

The final approximately 500 metres of our Lower Seti trip runs on the lower Trisuli, below the confluence, before our take-out. That stretch did carry the August floodwater. We currently have no specific concerns about it.

Nevertheless, “no known problem” is not the same as “checked.”

As part of our normal pre-season procedure, our guide team will personally scout the entire Lower Seti commercial section, including that final stretch, as well as the camps, access points and take-out, and update our risk assessment before the season gets underway. We plan to do this within the next week.

Middle Seti River and Fusre Khola, Pokhara

Closer to home in Pokhara, conditions on the Middle Seti River and Fusre Khola are good and our half-day rafting operations continue as usual.

Both are rain-responsive rivers whose levels can rise and fall quickly. This is normal for these sections and is something our guide team works with throughout the season.

Conditions, water levels and weather are assessed before departures, and trips operate only when they fall within our established operating parameters.

Half-day rafting from Pokhara therefore remains available daily, subject as always to our guide team’s assessment of conditions.

Phewa Lake, Pokhara: kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding

Kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding on Phewa Lake have not been affected by the flooding at all, and both our Kayak Shacks are open as usual.

With calm water, Annapurna views and no experience needed, kayaking and paddleboarding on Phewa Lake remain a wonderful option for any adventure level, from first-timers to experienced paddlers. You’ll find Kayak Shack in central Lakeside and Kayak Shack North in Khahare, North Lakeside, and our guides are happy to offer instruction or support.

If you are booked with us

If you have a trip booked on an affected river, our team will contact you directly.

If you have any questions in the meantime, message us on WhatsApp or get in touch through our contact page. We’re happy to talk it through.

A responsibility shared across our industry

Our thoughts remain with everyone affected by the catastrophic Rasuwa flash flood and with the families and communities affected by the more recent floods and landslides across Nepal.

We also recognize that this is an important moment of responsibility for Nepal’s outdoor adventure tourism community.

There will understandably be pressure to reopen routes, restart trips and reassure travellers that Nepal remains open for adventure. And yes, Nepal is open for tourism. But supporting Nepal’s recovery also means being honest about the places that require more time.

After events of this magnitude, the question should not simply be:

“Can we run it?”

We believe we also need to ask:

What has changed?

Who has been affected?

Have we seen it ourselves?

What new hazards may exist?

Are access and evacuation routes secure?

Are our emergency and communication systems still appropriate?

Have we updated our risk assessment based on what exists today, not what existed before the flood?

Do we feel entirely confident to run this trip?

We hope Nepal’s rafting, kayaking, trekking and wider adventure tourism community will work together to share reliable information, cooperate openly, scout affected areas thoroughly, and give rivers, landscapes and communities the time they need before making operational decisions.

There is no prize for being first back on the river.

There is enormous value in getting that decision right.

Nepal’s rivers are dynamic, powerful and constantly changing. Respecting that power is part of our profession.

For more than 20 years, Paddle Nepal has worked on Nepal’s rivers. That experience has taught us that professionalism is not demonstrated by how quickly we can get back on the water.

Sometimes it is demonstrated by having the patience not to.

Scout. Assess. Adapt.

Paddle Nepal

Still Paddling. Still Learning. Still Respecting the River.