A snowstorm sweeping through northern Nepal on Tuesday stranded around 100 Israeli trekkers in remote mountain villages, where they are facing rising panic, sub-zero temperatures and snow accumulation over half a meter deep.
Helicopter evacuations are planned for Wednesday morning, as darkness and extreme weather have made immediate rescue impossible.
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Snow covers the mountainside in northern Nepal, where a severe storm has stranded around 100 Israeli trekkers at high altitude, Oct. 29, 2025
(Photo: Roy Levi)
"We're stuck in a Nepali village at 4,000 meters," said Roy Levi, one of the stranded Israelis. "There’s more than half a meter of snow, and backpacks are buried. People here are panicking, especially the girls. A cyclone is expected tomorrow."
The trekkers are spread across three villages: Samdo, Samagau and Dharmasala, in the Manaslu region. Levi described the situation as dire, citing a lack of access to roads and the region's isolation. "The last time I saw a road was over a week ago," he said. "This area is extremely remote — it takes several days of hiking to reach any roadway. The only possible rescue here is by helicopter."
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A yak walks through deep snow in a village in northern Nepal, Oct. 29, 2025, as a severe storm strands trekkers in the region
(Photo: Roy Levi)
Trekkers, most of them insured with the Israeli provider PassportCard, said they contacted the company for emergency evacuation. “All of us were told the situation is being reviewed and that there is currently no immediate danger to life,” Levi said. “But that didn’t really calm us down.”
He accused insurers of delaying rescue operations unnecessarily: “It’s their choice to leave us here for a week until the snow melts. People nearly died today trying to reach the pass. This storm is insane — over a meter of snow. Nepali porters abandoned bags along the way and fled without them.”
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A weather map shows the path of a cyclone moving north toward Nepal, Oct. 29, 2025
(Photo: Roy Levi)
Local police, he added, have barred any movement toward the mountain pass due to dangerous conditions, and another cyclone is forecast for Thursday.
Levi also said locals told the group this kind of storm is highly unusual. “They’ve never seen anything like this. The nearest road is a week’s walk away, and the pass is blocked with one and a half meters of snow,” he said.
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A local stands outside a snow-covered structure in northern Nepal, Oct. 29, 2025, as a powerful snowstorm disrupts trekking routes and delays evacuations
(Photo: Roy Levi)
PassportCard confirmed that a coordinated helicopter evacuation is scheduled to begin Wednesday morning, weather permitting. “In the Dharmasala region, severe winter weather including heavy snowstorms has halted movement and prevented evacuation of a group of about 100 Israeli trekkers, most of whom are covered by our insurance,” the company said.
“There is no immediate danger to any of the Israelis,” the statement continued. “The group is sheltering in huts and is in constant communication with local rescue teams and medical staff. Helicopter evacuation will begin at daylight from all three villages, ensuring the operation can be carried out safely. The helicopters will depart from Kathmandu and retrieve the travelers from Samdo, Samagau and Dharmasala.”
The Foreign Ministry said it is monitoring the situation and is in contact with local authorities and rescue services.