DHORPATAN HUNTING RESERVE
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| Photo credit: Sunil Pandey |
DHORPATAN HUNTING RESERVE
Hunter’s Paradise
When we think of a unique place on earth, we may have a few names at our fingertips. But those who have ever been to Dhorpatan will never have second thoughts about naming Dhorpatan the best place in the world. This is not an exaggeration, but a fact. Dhorpatan is replete with pristine, natural beauty, which is abundant in Dhorpatan but may be rare to be found elsewhere. Both the flora and fauna found in this region are of a special kind. The vast land of Dhorpatan has been enriched with such plants as fir, pine, birch, rhododendron, hemlock, oak, juniper, spruce, etc. Dhorpatan is also the home of a wide range of wild animals, which are found and thrive in Dhorpatan alone. As a whole, Dhorpatan is a must-visit place, where adventure in game hunting and breathtaking panoramic views are guaranteed. In brief, if someone loves nature and wildlife, then Dhorpatan must be their first choice. (All photos by Sunil Pandey)
The Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve is the only hunting reserve in Nepal. It was established in 1987 and is spread over a 1325-square-kilometer area. The hunting reserve area falls in the Dhaulagiri Himal of western Nepal, in the Rukum, Myagdi, and Baglung districts. The altitude of Dhorpatan varies from 2850m to 5500m. Dhorpatan is the home of Kham Magar and Tibetan refugees.
There are two ways to reach Dhorpatan. The first one is from Baglung via Burtibang. Another one is Beni via Myagdi Khola. The trekkers should get a bus or jeep from Baglung to Burtibang. The visitors to Dhorpatan find it pleasurable to see large herds of livestock grazing on the vast meadows of Dhorpatan. During the summer, Kham Magar releases their cattle to graze across the open land of Dhorpatan.
Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve is the cynosure of trophy hunters. This reserve is the first of its kind in Nepal, or it may be in Asia, where trophy hunting is arranged under strict observation. Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve spreads across Bobang, Adhikarichaur, and Nishi villages in the western Baglung district. Dhorpatan shares its boundary with the Baglung, Rukum, and Myagdi districts.
Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve has earned an international reputation for game hunting at 9000 feet. Hunting for the public in Dhorpatan is open only twice a year. Autumn and spring are considered the best times of the year for hunting. During the insurgency period, the Reserve was closed but reopened in March 2008. The reserve is divided into seven blocks for hunting. Experienced hunting guides help foreign hunters choose the best block for hunting. Hunting is only possible with a hunting license issued by the government. The authorized companies provide licenses to tourists, which allow them to hunt the animal of their choice. Most of the tourists prefer to hunt blue sheep, wild boar, and Jharal. To attract more tourists to Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve for game hunting, the government has permitted them to take hunting trophies with them to their countries.
In recent times, Dhorpatan has also attracted many mountaineers. The peaks of Ptha, Sisne, and Chure mountains are higher than 7000m, and they are ideal for climbing. The tourists can also feast their eyes on birds, lophophorus, musk deer, and blue sheep. The Dhorpatan region has a real treasure trove, as there are lakes, ponds, caves, waterfalls, cliffs, stone quarries, and beehives in abundance.
Pinophyta forests attract several tourists. The forests have covered the high-altitude area with lots of rhododendrons, which spread a variety of hues across the mountain. Dhorpatan is renowned for Hindu religious sites. There are Uttarganga temples, Baraha temples, and several Buddhist monasteries. Among others, Dhorpatan is also famous for adventure sports like skiing, paragliding, and golf. In brief, Dhorpatan has many things to offer the visitors, but the hunting reserve is the major attraction among the game-hunting visitors.
Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve has been doing its work brilliantly. A large area has been confined to breeding specific types of wild animals, and when numbers exceed, they are allowed to be hunted. This way, the number of wild animals hunted does not hurt the population. The entire hunting procedure is quite systematic. A game hunting license is issued by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation in Kathmandu.
The entire hunting expedition is organized by private companies. The bidding for awarding game hunting licenses is done through an electronic bidding system. To stop any possible corruption, the companies are asked to submit their tenders through an online process and are selected accordingly.
Hunting packages have been attracting many hunting enthusiasts to
rush for Dhorpatan. They normally spend about Rs. 3 million. Hence, Dhorpatan
has attracted potential tourists to the country, helping the country’s tourism
sector. Dhorpatan has also created several types of jobs for the local people
of Dhorpatan. The hunting reserve employees say that most of the US, Spain, Denmark,
Hungary, and Russians visit Dhorpatan for hunting.
A JOURNEY TO DHORPATAN
“For the first time when I stepped into the Dhorpatan area, I was greeted by such a treasure trove of natural beauty that I had never witnessed in my life—it was otherworldly. The majestic views of nature were simply marvelous and pleasing to the eyes. After having reached Dhorpatan, I took a vow that I would visit this place whenever it was possible for me,” said Sunil Pandey, who recently returned from Dhorpatan.
Sunil Pandey holds a master’s degree in ‘Computer Information Systems from Pokhara University. For some years, he worked for a couple of leading companies in Nepal. After that, in 2009, he established his own company, ‘XL Soft Tech Pvt. Ltd.’ However, being an IT expert, he has some odd hobbies, which have made him notorious among his staff and clients. Besides being the CEO of his company, he is an avid nature lover, and his best hobby is trekking.
If all of a sudden he disappears from his office, then he is found in the woods or at the foothills of the mighty Himalayan slopes. “Yes, it is true that more often than not, I do disappear from my office for a few days, but that does not mean that I leave any backlog behind me. I carefully complete the task on time, then manage a few days to trek to some remote areas. This is my hobby, or you can also say an addiction—truth has it that a traveling bug bitten me when I was still a schoolboy,” revealed exalted Pandey.
His sincerity in his job cannot be doubted, as he is a hardworking and dedicated professional. But at the same time, his intense penchant for traveling and his love for nature have left many people confused about his dual personality. Some call him a nature lover and an avid trekker, while others call him a gifted IT expert. However, his humble answer is, “I am both.”
Speaking with this scribe, Sunil Pandey, the CEO of XL Soft Tech Pvt. Ltd. and a regular traveler, spoke at length about his recent odyssey to Dhorpatan.
“I took a bus ride from Pokhara to Baglung and changed to another bus to Galkot, which is about 45km from Baglung. There are a few things in Galkot worth visiting. The first one is Galkot Darbar. There stood a small royal palace to tell its glorious history when this region was ruled by King Pratapi Narayan. Until 1533, Galkot had become a trading town. There is one more very exciting place called Ghoda Badhe. There is an interesting story behind this rather unusual name for the place. The legend has it that the late King Mahendra, soon after his ascension to the throne, visited Baglung. From Baglung, he desired to see Galkot Palace. King Mahendra rode his favorite horse and reached Galkot palace. There, he chose a particular place to tie his horse. Later, the local people of the area started calling the place Ghoda Badhe, i.e. a place where a horse was tied.
“Siddha Bhairab temple is located at Ghoda Badhe. Two mountain bikes are kept at the temple of Siddha Bhairab. It could be a strange sight for people to see mountain bikes at the temple. Normally, devotees do not offer mountain bikes to the gods and goddesses, but at this temple, yes. There are two mountain bikes, which were offered to the omnipotent Siddha Bhairab. There is an interesting story behind those two mountain bikes. A few years ago, five cyclists had ridden their mountain bikes from Kathmandu to Baglung. The next morning, they climbed the hill with their mountain bikes and reached the summit, where the temple of Siddha Bhairab is located. Two of the cyclists were badly exhausted and decided to offer their mountain bikes to Siddha Bhairab and return to Kathmandu by bus.
“The next day, early in the morning, I got on a bus to Burtibang (45km). Burtibang is the only town where all sorts of modern facilities can be found. From Burtibang, nature will be in total command. There are a few houses here and a few there, and sometimes no houses at all, even if we ride for hours. From Burtibang to Dhorpatan (30 km), there are terrific roads that are broken in many places, and the journey is full of nasty jolts. I opted to trek to Dhorpatan instead of taking a jeep ride. My rule is to avoid vehicles as much as possible until it is necessary. On the way to Dhorpatan, I met some indigenous people who lived and thrived in those harsh conditions of nature.
“When I entered the valley of Dhorpatan, my eyes remained open in stunned disbelief. A lush green, huge plateau was before me, which I had even not seen on posters and televisions. For a moment, I thought I might not be on earth but on an alien land. For the first time, I could realize the immense and aesthetic beauty of nature. Since that day, my respect for nature has intensified many times.
“The elevation in Dhorpatan and the surrounding areas is highly uneven. The altitude is 2850m at Dhorpatan, but it soon rises to 5500m within a distance of a few kilometers. Of course, life is not easy at such an altitude. Only tough people like Kham Magar, BK, and Tibetan refugees live in Dhorpatan. The harsh climate of this area has made these people strong enough to live in all weather conditions. Potatoes are the staple source of food in Dhorpatan. The local people also grow apples and millet, but the yield is quite limited. Potatoes are grown in plenty, and the climate here is perfectly suitable for growing healthy potatoes. Potato powder is the main source of food in Dhorpatan. Actually, during the peak season of potato cultivation, the local people of Dhorpatan cut potatoes into pieces and dried them under sunlight, and later they beat the dried potato pieces to make powder. During the off-season, when foods become scarce, they put potato powder into hot water, salt, and a few vegetables, and a delicious soup is ready to be eaten.
“In Dhorpatan, I saw Kham Magars and Tibetan refugees get involved in the horse-trading business. They help breed horses on the flat land of Dhorpatan and sell them in Dolpa, where Dolpali people purchase strong horses to search for Yarsagumba. I came to know from one of the horse traders that the average selling price of horses begins at 1.50 lakh rupees and can reach up to 3 lakh rupees or even more. During the tourist season, horses are offered for riding as well. They charge Rs. 300 for half an hour of riding around the large field of Dhorpatan.
“I was surprised at seeing a long strip in Dhorpatan, which was fenced from all sides. It was an airport, but it is not in use at present. Many local people still expect to see one day, in the future, a big flying bird landing and taking off from the Dhorpatan airport. It is such a nice flat area, and Dhorpatan is so popular for adventure sports like skiing, mountain climbing, and game hunting. Despite that, the airport is not in operation. That sounds very strange, doesn't it?
“I heartily appreciate a well-managed school in Bobang, Dhorpatan. It is Shree Jyoti Bikash Lower Secondary School, which is being run by an INGO named L’ARCHE DE DOLAN. There are about 15 teachers and 80–100 students. Some students walk on foot from as far as 15 to 20 kilometers to attend the school. The school has provided them with uniforms, which separate them from other boys and girls of their ages.
“The inception of the Uttar Ganga River lies here. A small rivulet, as it appears, is the Uttar Ganga, which becomes larger as it is joined by other tributaries. At the mouth of the Uttar Ganga River, there are 22 natural taps. Fresh water always flows from all those 22 taps. Many Hindu devotees take baths under those taps to clean up their sins. Several Hindu devotees regularly visit this place from different parts of Nepal and India.
“It is a tradition among the people of Uttar Ganga to sacrifice 500 sheep at the temple of Uttar Ganga on the day of Lord Buddha’s birth anniversary. What an irony! Lord Buddha is known for love, peace, and non-violence, but the local people of Uttar Ganga worship the deity by killing 500 sheep, and that was also on the day of Buddha’s birthday—quite strange!
“I met a Nepali guide who was with a foreign team of hunters. He was considered one of the most experienced hunting guides in Nepal. While talking with me, I noticed that he was sitting on a huge blue sheep, which he shot and killed with the last bullet. He said that only calculated bullets are provided for hunting. The hunters should be able to make their hunt with those limited bullets. His hunting team had already fired nine rounds, and the last bullet they did not want to waste on a blue sheep, which was constantly lurking on the sloppy mountain slope. Then, he got the opportunity to show them that he was not only the best hunting guide but also a good hunter as well.” Sunil Pandey concludes the exciting story of his travels to Dhorpatan.
Dhorpatan is located at a distance that is neither far nor difficult to access from any part of the country. One thing is true about Dhorpatan, the visitors will never regret their labor of trekking to Dhorpatan. Because Dhorpatan is the jaded pearl of Nepal, it is worth visiting the place to get a lifetime experience.
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| LB Thapa is the publisher and editor of The Hemingway Post, a literary magazine. |
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