A Cyclone in India Just Shut Nepal’s High Trails

Nepal has suspended trekking in its high-altitude Himalayan regions from October 29 to 31, citing the risk of heavy snowfall, snowstorms and avalanches linked to Cyclone Arnab. The Department of Immigration stopped issuing permits for restricted high-hill and Himalayan areas for the three days and asked trekkers and operators to stay away from mountain terrain.

Arnab made landfall on India’s east coast on October 28, but Nepal’s disaster authority warned that moisture from the system would reach the mountains from the night of October 29. Forecasts cited by local media suggest up to 200 millimeters of rain over several days at lower elevations, with snow higher up. The cyclone is not expected to strike Nepal directly, yet the country is on high alert from Thursday to Saturday.

Trekkers who already hold restricted-area permits have been asked to pause their journeys, and anyone already on the trail has been told to find shelter and stay put. Sections of the Everest, Manaslu and Annapurna ranges are named as most exposed, and mountain airstrips such as Lukla could close if conditions worsen.

Lower-altitude cultural tours and city travel have not been reported as suspended, and Kathmandu and Pokhara remain open. Operators suggest travelers who planned high treks this week consider late November or the spring season instead. The warning follows an avalanche at Himlung Himal base camp in September, a reminder of how quickly weather can turn in the high Himalaya.

Sources: WION, The Traveler, Travel Monitor