All 6 Indian tourists rescued from snowbound Dolpa region in Nepal

All six Indian tourists, including two women, who were stranded in Nepal’s remote Upper Dolpa region following heavy snowfall have been safely rescued by helicopter, police said on Monday. The tourists were airlifted to Dunai in Dolpa district, and their condition is reported to be stable.
The group, which had been out of contact since November 1, was rescued by a private helicopter on Monday morning, Binaya Singh, Police Inspector and spokesperson for the District Police Office in Dolpa, said. The tourists are undergoing treatment at a government hospital in Dunai.The six tourists, comprising four men and two women, had travelled to the Dho area in Ward No. 8 of Shey-Phoksundo Rural Municipality, around 300 km northwest of Kathmandu.
They were trapped near the Numla and Wagla passes while returning from the famous Shey-Phoksundo Lake after heavy snowfall hit the region on Saturday. Continuous snowfall blocked trekking routes, leaving the group unable to continue their journey.Dolpa Chief District Officer Junu Dhakal said the area was covered in thick snow. An army helicopter had attempted to rescue the tourists on Sunday but was unable to land due to adverse weather conditions, forcing authorities to suspend the operation.
The District Administration Office and security agencies subsequently coordinated the evacuation with the help of security personnel deployed in the region. Communication with the stranded tourists had also been difficult due to poor mobile network connectivity.
Local authorities had warned tourists against visiting the area because of heavy snowfall and unsafe travel conditions. According to the District Administration Office, the six Indian tourists had also travelled to Upper Dolpa without obtaining the mandatory administrative permits, the OnlineKhabar news portal reported.Shey-Phoksundo Lake, Nepal’s deepest lake, is situated at an altitude of around 3,600 metres and has an estimated depth of 145 metres.
Tourists getting stranded in heavy snowfall is not uncommon in Nepal’s Himalayan regions. In October 2025, 15 trekkers, including three British women, were rescued after being trapped in heavy snowfall in Mustang’s Hidden Valley. In November last year, two Nepali tourists were also rescued by helicopter near the Mustang-Dolpa border.