- TRIP DURATION
- 12 Days
- MAX. ALTITUDE
- 4460
- TRIP GRADE
- Easy
- LODGING
- Camping/ Home stay
- BEST SEASON
- Autumn and Spring
- MEALS
- Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
- COMMUNICATION
- Local SIM card
- PER DAY WALK
- 5-6 hours
Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve tour
Are you crazy about wildlife and the thought of hunting crazy animals in the wild excites you? If it does excite you, then a hunting tour to Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, the only legal hunting ground in Nepal can make a thrilling experience for you.
Where is Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve?
Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve lies in the west of Nepal, bordering three districts namely Rukum, Myagdi, and Baglung. It lies just before the majestic Dhaulagiri Himal range, standing proudly in the west while other smaller mountains such as Patha, Churen, and Gurja border the North.
The total distance of Dhorpatan from Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal is estimated to be 325 km. The off-road ride to Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve Rukum begins in a town called Beni which lies beyond Pokhara. This hunting reserve was established in the year 1987 over an area of 1,325 km2 (512 sq mi). Now, the elevation of this hunting reserve ranges from 3000m to 7000m, meaning the vegetation, wildlife, and weather vary greatly throughout the year. While the higher region is covered in snow throughout the year, the lower land is very warm and humid. The flat grassland of about 4000 where the tree lines end is the region that is the most popular animal.
The highlight of Dhorpatan trekking
- Explore and hunt in the only legal hunting ground of Nepal
- Witness over 80,000 animals living within the grazing land of Dhorepatan
- Explore many villages on all sides of the hunting reserve for the rich cultural experience of Nepal
- Explore three distinct types of forest namely: alpine, sub-alpine, and high-temperate vegetation
- A great bird-watching experience with over 137 species of birds, all rear and distinct to Nepal
- Visit a Hindu temple named Dhorbaraha that lies on the banks of the Uttarganga River
- A naturalist guide to help to recognize the wildlife and hunt them down
- All permits and documents shall be arranged by the crew of Himalayan Masters
7 blocks are available for hunting in two different sites of the conservation area:
1. Southern Hunting Block:
- Barse Block: Bluesheep
- Gutsang Block: Bluesheep and Himalayan Tahr
- Surtibang Block: Himalayan Tahr
- Falguna Block: Bluesheep and Himalayan Tahr
2. Northern Hunting Block:
- Seng Block: Bluesheep and Himalayan Tahr
- Dogadi Block: Bluesheep and Himalayan Tahr
- Sundaha Block: Bluesheep and Himalayan Tahr
Do you want to explore the rich biodiversity of Nepal without hunting? Then check this Chitwan Jungle Safari tour.
ITINERAY
Day 01: Drive from Kathmandu to Beni
Early in the morning, we hop on a bus to Beni. Depending on the budget of the trip and group size, it shall either be a private jeep or a tourist bus. We drive on the west of Kathmandu, along the bank of Trishuli River. We stop for lunch along the way and reach Pokhara city in about mid-day. 3/4 hrs ride from Pokhara takes us to Beni. Beni is also the starting point of many other important treks as Mustang Trek. There are some good guest houses for us to crash in the night.
Meal : Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Accomodation : Guest house
Walking / Driving : 9 hours drive
Day 02: Drive to Darbang and trek to Dharapani
From Beni, Darbang is about 3 hours of ride on an off-road. This ride in a private jeep is going to be rather exciting. Then we reach Dharapani for a quick stop. After a short break, we get our bags ready and commence the trip.
The next part of the trip is a rather relaxing walk on a mostly leveled path. Since it’s your first trekking day, the couple of hours of trek feels quite easy today. We crash at a small homestay in Dharapani and enjoy our dinner.
Check for a rather adventurous trekking in Nepal EBC and Gokyo lakes trek.
Meal : Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Accomodation : Homestay
Walking / Driving : 3 hrs drive/ 5 hrs walk
Day 03: Trek to Lamsung
From Dharapani we trek along the streams and waterfalls on a leveled path. We stop at midday for our packed lunch and then walk to Lamsung. Lamsung will be reached in the early evening, giving us enough time to set up the camps.
Meal : Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Accomodation : Camping
Walking / Driving : 6-7 hrs
Day 04: Trek to Tallo Jaljale (3,400m)
This is a difficult day for walking as we gain a lot of altitude. Although the ascent is difficult, the beautiful landscape takes our hearts away. This area is mostly covered in tropical forest and the chances of spotting the rear wildlife are great. In between the forest, you can see a glimpse of Dhaulagiri, Chure, and Putha.
Meal : Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Accomodation : Camping
Walking / Driving : 6-7 hours
Day 05: Trek to Dhorpatan (2,860m)
This is an exciting day of the trek. We leave Tallo Jaljale and walk on a rather short and leveled trail. The trek is only about 5 hours long and since we lose some altitude, the walking gets easier. We set a camp and settled down at Dhorpatan quite early in the evening.
Meal : Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Accomodation : Camping/ homestay
Walking / Driving : 5 hrs
Day 06-09: Hunt in Dhorpatan and explore Phagune Phedi
Now our plan is to stay quiet and go for some hunting. We set our camps and practice some skills for hunting. As per the restriction, you are only allowed to hunt one animal at a time. We cover as many blocks as possible. Make sure you capture some exciting pictures of the wildlife and yourself.
Alternatively, we can also plan a trek to Phagune Phedi on the 1st or the 2nd rest day. If you are bored of waiting for animals or hunting, this tour to Phagune Phedi can be quite exciting. It is about 4,400m above sea level, and the risk of attitude fitness is also high. So, instead of completing the trek in a single day, we can camp around Phagune Phedi for one more night.
After a good sum of leisure time, we walk to the Jungle camp in the evening of the 3rd day. This makes our trek to Gurjaghat on the other day easier.
Check an exciting Rara Lake Trek.
Meal : Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Accomodation : Camping/ homestay
Day 10: Trek from Jungle Camp to Gurjaghat
This is a rather relaxing walk on the forested trails on a leveled path. We step our camps at Gurjaghat for the evening at around 3000 meters.
Meal : Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Accomodation : Camping
Walking / Driving : 5 hrs
Day 11: Trek to Patichaur
Another fun day of walking as we walk down to the longer altitude. We leave Gurjaghat only in the late morning and walk for about 5 hours to reach Patichaur. At an elevation of 900 meters, this is a fun place to spend a night.
Meal : Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Accomodation : Camping
Walking / Driving : 6 hrs
Day 12: Trek to to Darbang and drive to Beni
On this day, we begin the hike early in the morning. After 2 hours of walking in the morning through the forest, we reach Darbang. From here, the town of Beni is about 3 hours of drive. Back in the city, you can enjoy a good hot shower.
Meal : Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Accomodation : Hotel
Walking / Driving : 2 hrs/ 3 hrs drive
Day 13: Beni to Kathmandu
It’s a long drive back to Kathmandu. This is the same route we took at the beginning of the trip. The return journey shall either be on a tourist bus or a private vehicle depending on your budget whatsoever. We shall stop at some places like Pokhara and the banks of the Trishuli River. The views of rivers and hills shall keep you company all the way back to Kathmandu.
In the evening, there shall be a small gathering to celebrate your successful journey with a team of Himalayan Masters. It’s time to bid farewell to the team.
Go for a quick Extension to Nagarkot Nepal.
Meal : Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Accomodation : Hotel
Walking / Driving : 8 hrs drive
Day :
Meal : Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
useful info
How to reach Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve from Kathmandu?
Flight: You can book of private helicopter from Kathmandu to any sport of Dhorepatan hunting reserve you like. This might only be possible if you are in the larger group of 45 people. If booked on a sharing basis, you will be surprised how cheap the helicopter booking in Nepal can be. But groups booking for helicopter might not be easily available for a solo tour or couples. In this case domestic flight to Pokhara Airport is the only way to get there quickly. This saves you about seven hours of ride but you still need to drive for five hours because there is no domestic airport near the hunting reserve.
Check our very popular All Nepal tour packages.
Bus: You can drive directly from Kathmandu to Beni. The bus to Beni, which falls within Myadgi district leaves Kathmandu from the bus park in Gangabu. Then, you need to hire a jeep or private taxi to take you all the way into Darbang which is about 3 hrs of ride.
Private vehicle: Well, it is possible to book a Jeep directly from your hotel in Thamel to Darbang. For the larger group, you can hire a jeep and a small group can get a Taxi. Although a bit expensive, this is the most convenient way to travel for tourists. It might cost between $150 to $200 to book a Jeep or Taxi for the whole day.
Best time for Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve
Between September to June, the mild and dry kind of weather is suitable for the Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve. However, the months of late December and January can be harsh if you are not a winter lover. September and October is regarded as the best season for great visibility and the early monsoon of May to June is suitable due to collar full bloom of wildflower.
Perks of Different Months
August/ September/October/November- great visibility of the sky mountains and the animal
December and January- Very cold
March/April/May/ June- warm temperature/ colorful bloom of wildflower/ maximum chances of spotting the wildlife
July- Heavy rainfall/ mosquitoes and leaches
Dhorpatan tour Difficulty
Our intention for the Dhorepatan tour is to explore the wildlife and do some exciting hunting. Long treks to the mountains are not the plan here. This means it is going to be a rather easy walk on an elevation of about 4,000 meters. The highest point Phagune Phedi at 1193 meters, will be mostly trekking in the leveled path. We trek for 5-6 hours each day and camp in the middle of a meadow to spot the wildlife. There shall be a lot of time for searching and hunting the wildlife.
Permits and rules for hunting in Dhorpatan
Now, this is the tricky part. You cannot just pack your bags and carry a gun for hunting in Dhorepatan. Each year, during two seasons..e September to November and March to May, a total of 20 Himalayan Blue Sheeps and 11 Himalayan Tahr can be hunted. And there are lots of applications for the hunt. So, if your plan is to hunt, you need to start consulting with Himalayan Masters quite early, The booking for the Dhorepatan hunting reserve trek should be made at least 1.5 months before the trip.
However, if you only plan to see the wildlife or make some documentaries in this beautiful landscape, there’s no need for such a long wait. The foreigners can pay Rs 3000 to get the entry permit while citizens of SAARC nations shall pay Rs. 1,500 at the entry gate or even at Kathmandu. The entry fee to Dhorepatan hunting reserve for Nepalese is only Rs 100.
For filming the documentaries or moves, a special kind of permit should be issued from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) in Kathmandu and can cost up to US$ 1,500 (Foreigners), Rs. 50,000 (SAARC Nationals) and Rs. 10,000 (Nepali). Flying drones (UAVs) also need the same kinds of permits.
Also, you can’t harm any animals or plants during your stay and you should only be walking between sunset and sunrise for your own safety.
Camping is permitted only in designated areas of Dhorepatan hunting reserve Rukum and Mountain bikes/ motorbikes is not allowed
Official website of Dhorpatan National Park.
Dhorepatan tour from Pokhara short Itinerary
Well if you don’t have such long hours to explore to an entire region or trek for weeks, you can simply witness the beauty of Dhorpatan in a 4-5 day trip. The Itinerary for short Dhorepatan tour from Pokhara is listed here:
Day 1: Jeep from Pokhara to Burtibang and Burtibang to Dhorepatan
Day 2: Visit the Dhorpatan area
Day 3: Drive back to Pokhara
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