In a recent Omicron update, the administration of Ladakh has cancelled all the prominent winter tourist activities including the very popular Chadar Trek over the concern of rising Omicron cases in the country. The new COVID-19 variant, though less deadly, is highly contagious. Therefore, the government of Ladakh doesn’t want to take any risk.

Chadar Trek is a popular adventure activity undertaken by adventurers. The taxing 105 km trek takes trekkers to the frozen Zanskar River. Another popular activity that got cancelled this year is the snow leopard sighting expedition. The activity was started to promote tourism in the Rupshu Valley in Leh.

The deputy commissioner Leh Shrikant Suse took to Twitter and issued notification for the suspension of ChadarTrek 2022, snow leopard sighting expedition and other winter activities in the district.

The Omicron virus has also cancelled the famous apricot blossom festival that is organised in the Kargil district in the January-February period. The 2020 lockdown and the border spat with China gave a major hit to tourism in locals who are mostly dependent on the summer tourist season for income.