'Stuck in car all night, no toilets': Snowfall rush in Manali turns into ordeal for tourists

Hundreds of tourists have been trapped in their vehicles for hours, and in some cases, for more than a day, without access to food, toilets or warm shelter.

• Heavy snowfall in Himachal strands thousands of tourists, mainly near Manali
• Over 835 roads are closed; Manali highway blocked for 8-10 km by deep snow
• Authorities urge people to avoid travel as weather warnings remain in effect

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A long-awaited spell of snowfall across Himachal Pradesh has transformed the region into a postcard-perfect winter landscape, but the beauty has come at a heavy cost for thousands of travellers.

Several areas, particularly around Manali, have been thrown into chaos as intense snow accumulation shut down roads, stranded vehicles and overwhelmed local infrastructure.

Large portions of the national highway leading to Manali remain impassable, with snow piled as high as two feet in certain stretches.

Officials estimate that nearly 8 to 10 kilometres of the route is blocked, forcing many travellers to abandon their vehicles and continue on foot through deep snow. Movement has slowed to a crawl, while some sections are completely frozen.

The situation worsened because the snowfall coincided with a long weekend, triggering a massive influx of tourists from Delhi, Gurugram, Chandigarh and nearby cities. What was expected to be a peaceful mountain getaway quickly became a logistical nightmare.

Across the state, authorities report that as many as 835 roads are currently closed due to snow. The disruption has not been limited to arrivals alone. Vehicles attempting to leave Manali are also stuck in long traffic queues, especially along the Manali–Patlikuhl stretch.

The India Meteorological Department has warned that weather conditions are likely to deteriorate further. A yellow warning has been issued for the entire state as a fresh western disturbance approaches, while Kullu, Kinnaur, Chamba, and Lahaul-Spiti districts are under an orange alert for heavy snowfall and rain. Officials have urged people to avoid non-essential travel until road connectivity improves.

Meanwhile, road-clearing teams are working around the clock to reopen major routes, though progress remains slow due to continuous snowfall and extremely low temperatures.

‘Stuck in car all night’: Tourists share their ordeal

For many visitors, the snowstorm has turned into an exhausting and frightening experience. Hundreds of tourists have been trapped in their vehicles for hours, and in some cases, for more than a day, without access to food, toilets or warm shelter.

"We have been stuck here since last evening," a tourist told NDTV, describing the situation as desperate. Another visitor from Delhi said his group had no option but to spend the night inside their vehicle because accommodation in Manali was already full.

News agency ANI quoted another stranded traveller as saying, "We have been stuck in the car all night. There are children with us; we are in a lot of trouble. There is no toilet facility here... The administration should have made better arrangements for the snowfall."

The lack of basic amenities has added to the misery. "We have not eaten anything except biscuits and chips," said another tourist. "We've only had water and have been stuck in the car for more than 24 hours. We couldn't sleep at night and couldn't have breakfast."

Some travellers have been forced to walk between 10 and 20 kilometres carrying their luggage in order to reach Manali town, navigating icy roads and deep snowdrifts along the way.

While snowfall initially raised hopes for a strong winter tourism season after a prolonged dry spell, the overwhelming rush and inadequate preparedness have exposed serious gaps in crowd management and infrastructure.

Authorities continue to advise tourists to remain cautious and delay travel plans until weather conditions stabilize and roads are fully restored.

Also read: 685 roads shut, 8-km snarl, 100% hotel occupancy: Manali snowfall rush leaves thousands stranded