Six Indian tourists, including two women, have lost contact after heavy snowfall while travelling from Dolpo Buddha Rural Municipality in Dolpa toward Shey Phoksundo Lake. They went out of contact in the area of Numla Pass and Bagla Pass, which lie between wards 4 and 8 of Shey Phoksundo Rural Municipality.
A local guide suspects the group became stranded after snowfall in the Himalayan region, triggered by the effects of Cyclone Arnab, which formed in the Bay of Bengal.
Locals had warned that crossing the mountains would be difficult because of the snow. The tourists reportedly went ahead anyway and were trapped in the snow on their way back, according to locals.
Chief District Officer of Dolpa Junu Hamal said the tourists were on their way back from Dho toward Phoksundo Lake when they became stranded in the snow. She said locals had warned them about the difficulty of crossing the mountains, but they proceeded and have now lost contact.
According to Dhawa Samduk Gurung, chair of Shey Phoksundo Rural Municipality, there is no phone coverage at all on the passes between wards 4 and 8. He said the lack of communication has made it difficult to get updates on the tourists’ condition.
244 tourists in Dolpa
According to the District Administration Office in Dolpa, 244 tourists have visited Upper Dolpa. Of them, 149 are Nepali, 44 are from SAARC countries, and 51 are other foreign nationals.
Because of the adverse weather, the administration has urged tourists not to go into risky areas and to stay in safe places.
Data show that the Shey Phoksundo Lake area has been drawing growing numbers of tourists. In the first 11 months of the last fiscal year, 2025/26, 4,882 tourists visited Phoksundo Lake.
Helicopter requested for search
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Anilraj Giri of Dolpa said that, according to the latest information, the six Indian tourists have still not been reached. He said concerned agencies have been asked to arrange a helicopter for the search and rescue.
Heavy snowfall and bad weather are searching and rescue difficult in the high mountain area. Because the area has no phone coverage and the snow is deep, it remains unclear what condition the tourists are in.
The missing group consists of two women and four men. They were coming from Dho to visit Phoksundo Lake. CDO Hamal said a team from the Nepali Army has also been deployed to locate and rescue them.
