Trail & Weather

The road reaches Machha Khola: how the Manaslu Circuit start has changed for 2026

The jeep road now runs deep into the Manaslu approach, Machha Khola is the new practical trailhead, and 4G has reached Samagaon. Here's what the…

By Laxman Rawal · Jun 14, 2026

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The Manaslu Circuit has long been sold as the wilder, quieter alternative to the Annapurna Circuit — and it still is. But the way you reach it is changing fast, and trekkers planning a 2026 departure should know where the road now ends and the walking begins…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

Where the road ends now

For years, trekkers started walking from Soti Khola. That section is now largely a jeep track. As of 2026, the road from Kathmandu via Arughat is concrete and smooth to Arughat, then continues to Machha Khola, which most operators now use as the practical…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

The trade-off

This is the eternal Himalayan bargain. The road shortens the hot, low-altitude slog through the first day or two, which many trekkers happily skip — you start higher and spend your energy on the spectacular upper valley. But it also chips away at the sense of…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

Connected, even up high

One genuinely useful change: 4G coverage has reached Samagaon and other iconic villages. For trekkers that means easier check-ins home, live weather checks before the Larkya La, and — most importantly — faster communication in an emergency. It is a small…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

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