Leh, Aug 27: A group of 30 tourists from Hyderabad, including senior citizens, is stuck in Ladakh after flight cancellations triggered by unexpected early winter conditions.
Originally set to return on August 27 after departing Hyderabad on August 20, the group now faces a wait until at least August 31.
Leh airport, overwhelmed with stranded Indian and foreign tourists, remains closed due to mud-covered runways and taxiways.
Leh airport is reportedly crowded with both Indian and foreign tourists seeking a way out. The airport has been closed for multiple days due to mud accumulation on the runway and taxiways and the region is said to be experiencing unusually early winter conditions.
One of the stranded tourists said that, after visiting landmarks like Pangong via Wari La Pass, snowfall and rain hit soon. Freezing temperatures and high-altitude sickness are hitting their senior citizens hard.
Although the group is staying in relatively comfortable rooms about 2 km from the Leh airport — which has been shut for the past few days — their ordeal is compounded by erratic power supply, expensive oxygen cylinders, and unreliable mobile and internet connectivity.
“The oxygen cylinders provided by our tour operator have run out, and each new one costs around ₹3,500. Senior citizens need them occasionally. The hotel staff is doing its best to keep us comfortable with hot food, but it turns cold within minutes. Heaters can’t be used in the hotel as they may reduce oxygen levels further. We’re desperate to get out,” said another tourist.
The group narrowly escaped a landslide on their return to Leh during a snowstorm. “Temperatures have dropped to two degrees Celsius, and we’re confined to the hotel—not just due to the weather, but also because of the volatile political situation here,” added another member of the tourist group.
The stranded Hyderabad group expressed concern over the lack of support from the private airline they booked with and is appealing for immediate evacuation, possibly via a special flight, before health issues worsen due to fatigue and altitude-related complications.
