Since devastating floods struck north-central Nepal on August 26, we have seen trekkers cancel trips to places the disaster never reached.

The travellers making those calls are not being unreasonable. They have seen images of bridges torn apart, settlements inundated and roads swept away by raging rivers. They have been told that Nepal has suffered a major natural disaster. Faced with uncertainty thousands of miles from home, cancelling a holiday can seem the prudent choice.

But there is a basic geographical fact that has been lost in much of the reporting: Nepal is not one destination.

The country stretches about 800 kilometres from east to west. Its mountains, river systems, roads and trekking regions are separated by considerable distances.

The August 26 disaster was catastrophic. It was also geographically specific.

A glacial flood surged through the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river systems, devastating parts of Rasuwa district, north of Kathmandu. Roads and bridges were destroyed, including vital infrastructure around Syabrubesi, a gateway to some of Nepal’s best-known trekking routes.

Langtang, Gosainkunda and the Tamang Heritage Trail have consequently been badly affected.

But this does not mean that trekking has stopped across Nepal.

Everest and the wider Khumbu region lie outside the affected area. Annapurna, including Poon Hill and Mardi Himal, is operating normally. Manaslu and Tsum Valley were not affected by the Rasuwa disaster. Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan remain open.

The distinction matters because the international perception of Nepal can have consequences far beyond the flood zone.

Everest, for instance, lies about 150 kilometres east of the affected area, in a different river system and served by a separate transport network. The flood did not damage the Everest Base Camp trail or close the Khumbu.

Yet a traveller who sees only the words “Nepal floods” could reasonably conclude that an Everest trek planned for September is no longer possible.

This is how a disaster in one district becomes an economic problem in another.

A trekking lodge in the mountains is often a family business whose income depends heavily on a short tourism season. Guides, porters, cooks, drivers, shopkeepers and hotel workers all depend on visitors during the spring and autumn seasons.

When a traveller cancels an Everest or Annapurna trip because of a disaster in Rasuwa, that money does not reach the families whose homes or businesses were destroyed by the flood.

It simply disappears from another mountain community’s economy.

The people of Rasuwa need reconstruction, employment and sustained support. They need roads and bridges rebuilt and their livelihoods restored.

An empty lodge in Namche does not help them.

This is not an argument against caution. Travellers should avoid affected areas and follow official advice. Conditions in Rasuwa remain difficult, and access to trekking areas in the district has been severely disrupted.

But caution depends on accurate information.

International travel advisories themselves distinguish between the affected areas and Nepal as a whole. On September 4, the United States has issued a Level 4, “Do Not Travel”, warning for the Rasuwagadhi, Timure and Syabrubesi areas, while Nepal as a whole remains under a Level 2, “Exercise Increased Caution”, advisory.

The problem is that the headline often travels further than the qualification.

To someone planning a holiday from Europe, North America or elsewhere, Nepal can appear to be a single, compact destination. A disaster hundreds of kilometres away can therefore feel as though it has happened next door.

The reality is quite different.

The situation in Rasuwa is changing, too. Reconstruction crews are working to restore crossings and road links where infrastructure was swept away. Bailey bridges are being installed and alternative road alignments developed where old routes have disappeared.

If reconstruction proceeds as expected, vehicle access through parts of Rasuwa could improve during October. But travellers should not assume that the roads will immediately return to their pre-flood condition.

Langtang and Gosainkunda may become more accessible as the road network is restored. The Tamang Heritage Trail is a different matter because several communities and sections of the route lie within the affected area.

There are also alternative approaches. Gosainkunda can be reached from Sundarijal, crossing the Laurebina Pass before continuing towards the lake and Langtang Valley. The journey is considerably longer than the conventional itinerary, and trekkers may have to return the same way while road access on the Rasuwa side remains disrupted.

But there are questions that cannot yet be answered with certainty.

How easily can lodges beyond the pass be supplied when the road that traditionally carried food and other necessities has been destroyed? How quickly can damaged trails and infrastructure be restored? How will conditions change as reconstruction continues?

We do not know yet. That uncertainty should be acknowledged rather than filled with assumptions.

Nepal has suffered a terrible disaster. The people of Rasuwa and communities along the Trishuli river system need urgent help and sustained support.

But describing the disaster accurately matters, too.

“Floods in Nepal” is true, but it can leave an international audience with the impression that the entire country has been affected in the same way.

“Floods devastated parts of Rasuwa district and disrupted access to Langtang and Gosainkunda” tells travellers something much more useful.

So if you are holding autumn travel dates, check the valley you are actually travelling to before cancelling.

In many cases, the disaster happened somewhere else entirely.

Bhattarai is co-founder of Spade Himalaya, a trekking and tour company based in Kathmandu.