Nepal Is Going to Drain Four Glacial Lakes After the Deadly Floods, Here's Which Trekking Valleys They Sit Above

Breaking · Climate & Environment A US$50 million project will study and drain Thulagi, Lower Barun, Lumding Tsho and Hongu II, and it could take six years. Here's what it means for… By Laxman Rawal · Oct 2, 2026 Read the full story

Nepal will start work this fiscal year on draining four high-risk glacial lakes, Thulagi, Lower Barun, Lumding Tsho and Hongu II, in a roughly US$50 million project that could take up to six years, Reuters reported on 2 October 2026. It follows the August… Travel Himalaya Nepal · News Read the full story

What Nepal has actually announced

Design work and detailed studies for the four lakes begin in the fiscal year that runs until mid-July 2027. The draining itself will use gated structures that release water in a controlled way into nearby rivers, and it starts only after those studies. The… Travel Himalaya Nepal · News Read the full story

Has Nepal drained a lake like this before

Yes, twice. Reuters notes that Nepal lowered Tsho Rolpa by 3 metres in 2000 and Imja Lake, near Everest, about ten years ago. So the engineering is known, but the new lakes are higher and harder to reach, which is why the timeline runs to six years. Glacial… Travel Himalaya Nepal · News Read the full story

Does this change your trek this autumn

No. The studies have not started, so there is no construction, no closure and no new permit rule attached to the announcement. The August disaster remains the context: the toll is still rising and thousands were reported missing, as we covered in one month… Travel Himalaya Nepal · News Read the full story

Which of our treks pass near these valleys

The Makalu Barun valley is the home of our 18-day Makalu Base Camp trek , and the Dudh Koshi basin feeds the route of our 12-day Everest Base Camp trek . The Manaslu side is covered by our 14-day Manaslu Circuit . Prices are on each page, with the solo rate… Travel Himalaya Nepal · News Read the full story

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