A total of 72 tourists, including 17 foreigners, stranded at Annapurna Base Camp in Myagdi due to heavy snowfall, have been rescued by security personnel.
According to officials, the trekkers were trapped along the Dhaulagiri Circuit Trail’s Hidden Valley section, which connects Myagdi and Mustang, after the route was blocked by snow.
The tourists, who had been visiting Annapurna Base Camp in Annapurna Rural Municipality-4, were unable to return after continuous rain and snowfall since Monday night.
A rescue team led by Armed Police Inspector Binod Paudel from APF Galeshwar Base, including seven armed police personnel, three Nepal Police officers, and local rescuer Indra Singh Sherchan, successfully carried out the operation.
According to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Lil Bahadur Bhujel, the team brought all 72 trekkers safely down to Humkhola on Thursday morning. “Twenty tourists stranded on snow-covered trails were rescued with the help of ropes,” he said, adding that the team cleared blocked paths and ensured everyone’s safety.
The Maurice Herzog Trail connecting to Annapurna Base Camp has now been reopened after the rescue. Tourists had been stranded at around 4,190 meters above sea level, where they had taken shelter during the adverse weather.
Trekkers staying in Humkhola, Phutphute, Sadhikharka, Gufa Faat, Bhusket Mela, and Panchakunda hotels have also safely returned with assistance from rescuers.
Following the incident, Myagdi’s Chief District Officer Badri Prasad Tiwari announced a temporary suspension of treks to Annapurna Base Camp until Kartik 14, citing possible risks from ongoing snowfall and rain. Authorities have also urged travelers to avoid routes like Khopra Lek, Ghorepani, Poon Hill, and Mohare Danda until conditions improve.
Meanwhile, in Dhaulagiri–4 Mudi, a second rescue team has been deployed to assist three British female trekkers and 12 Nepali guides and porters trapped in the Hidden Valley while en route to Marpha in Mustang.
According to Mustang CDO Bishnu Prasad Bhusal, the team—comprising trained personnel from the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, and Nepal Police—reached Alubari, Marpha (3,700 meters) on Thursday morning.
“The trekkers are reported to have reached Dhamphul Lek,” Bhusal said. “Rescue personnel are clearing the route and are expected to reach them by this afternoon if weather conditions remain favorable.”
The rescue mission is being led by Major Prashant Bisht of the High Mountain Training School, Jomsom, with a team of 15 trained army rescuers actively engaged in the operation.
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