Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve

Located on the southern slopes of Mount Dhaulagiri in the Baglung District of the Mid-Western Region of Nepal, the small village of Dhorpatan is best known for being the headquarters of the Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve - a sanctuary for animals where a limited amount of hunting is permitted. A landing strip for light aircraft is available to visitors who choose this method to reach the village, however many visitors enjoy trekking through this very scenic region of Nepal and it is around a four day walk from the town of Balewa in the Baglung District to Dhorpatan.

The residents of Dhorpatan make their living primarily through the manufacture of traditional handicrafts and farming with animals. The terrain around Dhorpatan consists of more than 50 percent of pasturelands, as well as alpine and sub-alpine vegetation. Nature lovers will appreciate the abundance of fir, pine and oak trees, as well as the different species of rhododendron growing wild in the area and providing shelter for a variety of animals and birds. During the summer months, herds of up to 80,000 livestock are brought from other areas in the Mid-Western Region of Nepal to graze on the lush pastures around Dhorpatan.