Dhorpatan Trek with Gurja Khani: A Perfect Place for Hunting

Destination
Nepal
Activity
Trekking
Accomodation
Hotel, Lodge, Tea house & Homestay
Region
West Nepal
Distance
90 km~
Start / End Point
Dharapani/Dhorpatan
Duration
9 Nights 10 Days
Max. Altitude
4493 m
Meals Included
Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Group Size
2-25
Nature of Trek
Tea house trek
Best Season
March-May / August-November
Trip Code
WNT-DG
Activity Per Day
5-7 hrs
Transporation
Jeep / bus
Grade
Strenuous

Dhorpatan Trek with Gurja Khani: A Perfect Place for Hunting Overview

Dhorpatan Trek with Gurja Khani offers a fantastic trail through an off-beaten path for a moderately challenging experience. It takes us to the western part of Nepal which is as unscathed by modern times as it is embellished by nature. Moreover, the wildlife, the vegetation, the mountain views, and the ever-so-friendly people, will make you think about extending your trip. The short 6-day Dhorpatan trek is for those adventure seekers who want a short trek on a friendly budget. Unlike other popular treks like Annapurna Base Camp Trek, Everest Base Camp trek, and Manaslu with Tsum Valley Trek, this trek is shorter and way more affordable. Moreover, detailed information can be found in Dhorpatan Trek with Gurja Khani itinerary section.

What make this trek interesting?
    • Trekking through Nepal’s only hunting reserve, with its abundance of wildlife.
    • See a part of Nepal that around only 100 foreigners visit each year.
    • Close-up views of Dhaulagiri and Annapurna as well as lesser-seen peaks in the west of Nepal.
    • Interact with the curious Magar locals.
Hunting yet Preserving Sanctuary

The primary destination of Dhorpatan Trek is the famous Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve which was established in 1987. It is the only Hunting Reserve in Nepal and covers an area of 1325 km2 spanning over the districts of Baglung, Rukum, and Myagdi.

As per its name, the park provides controlled hunting opportunities for Nepalese and foreigners alike. The park allows the hunting of birds and wild animals like blue sheep, serow, pheasants, and partridge, among others. However, Dhorpatan is also a sanctuary of several endangered wildlife and vegetation.

Dhorpatan Trek is not necessarily a hunting trip. However, we can arrange a hunting package for you during this trek. You need to have a permit from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation to participate in controlled hunting.

Dhorpatan Trek with Gurja Khani Weather.

The weather is hugely impacted by the season. As we know, the temperature drastically dwindles during winter whereas it is mild during summer. The majority of the trekkers favours Autumn and Spring season for their trek.

During this season, the sky is clear with no fog and clouds, and the hills and forests are cladded with green lush vegetation. It is very important to have a clear sky on a high-altitude trek in order to perceive the optimum view of the Himalayas.

 

Dhorpatan Trek with Gurja Khani: A Perfect Place for Hunting Photo

Dhorpatan Trek with Gurja Khani: A Perfect Place for Hunting

  1. day 1

    Arrival at Kathmandu and transfer to hotel

    Highest Altitude 1400 m

    After your arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport, you will be picked up by a private vehicle and drop you off at your hotel. You can rest in your hotel room and get rid of your jet lag from your flight to Kathmandu.

    In Kathmandu, you will be placed in a deluxe hotel. You will be provided with breakfast in the morning. So, rest well for we have a lot of new things to experience in the morning.

      • Overnight stay at a hotel.
  2. day 2

    Fly or Drive to Pokhara

    Flight Hours 25 mins
    Highest Altitude 1400 m
    Trek Duration 7-8 hours drive

    Our third day is filled with beautiful scenic views from the ride to Pokhara, we will take a tourist bus to get to Pokhara from Kathmandu. Sit back and enjoy the beautiful surrounding views of the landscapes and the mountains. We will stop on the way for lunch and reach Pokhara in around 6-7 hours. We will have dinner in Pokhara and stay at a hotel in Pokhara.

    You can also take a flight to Pokhara which takes about 25 mins.

      • Overnight stay at a hotel
      • Included meal Breakfast
  3. day 3

    Pokhara- Beni-Darbang and drive to Dharapani

    Highest Altitude 1070 m

    The journey starts by taking a 3hours bus drive from Pokhara to Beni. From Beni, we catch a local bus to Darbang which takes another 2 hours. This ride is mostly bumpy as the roads are rough and sometimes blocked by landslides.

    Darbang is a small village in the Myagdi district traditionally occupied by farmers. From Darbang we cross a suspension bridge over Myagdi Khola and in about 2 hours of jeep drive we arrive at Dharapani. Dharapani as the name suggests has stone-clad water spouts at the entrance. You can see gorgeous views of Dhaulagiri and Gurja Himal from here.

    The first day of our journey ends in Dharapani and we spend the night here at a lodge.

      • Overnight stay at Lodge
      • Included meals (Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner)
  4. day 4

    Dharapani to Lulang

    Highest Altitude 2450 m/ 8058 ft
    Trek Duration 6-7 hours

    We continue the jeep ride from Dharapani passing through terraced fields with a serene view of the Dhaulagiri ranges witnessing the daily lifestyle of people and the work they attend to. We come across villages like Takam, Sibang, Machim, and Phalyagaon.

    From Phalyagaon, a footpath gently descends to reach a bridge across Dar Khola in under an hour. Shortly after crossing the bridge, we reach Lulang. We spend the night here at a lodge.

    There is an immense forest in Lulang which is a habitat for various species of trees mainly Picea asperata and pinewood.

    • Overnight stay at Homestay

      • Included meals (Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner)
  5. day 5

    Lulang to Gurja pass (3250 m) to Gurja Khani (2630 m)

    Highest Altitude 3250 m / 10680 ft
    Trek Duration 8-9 hrs

    We ascend uphill from Lulang through a rhododendron forest. As we come out of the woods, we are greeted with a spectacular view of the Gurja Himal. We cross the Gurja Pass and then descend to the village of Gurja Khani. Lulang to Gurja Khani takes about 8 hours of hiking.

    Just being in the village will provide peace in your heart. In the wild and beautiful Dhaula valley, the village nestles itself on a sunny shelf beneath the snows of Dhaulagiri. Gurja Khani offers you a glimpse of rural Nepal and life in the mountains. Traditionally, people living here mined copper and exported it to Tibet and India. But after the wide use of aluminium imported from India mines became uneconomic.

    We will spend the night at a homestay in Gurja Khani witnessing beautiful mountains, local food, and the daily chores of people living here.

      • Overnight stay at Homestay
      • Included meals (Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner)
  6. day 6

    Exploring Gurja Khani

    On the fourth day, we will explore the whole of this beautiful village called Gurja Khani. Gurja khani is at the lap of Gurja Himal (3250m).

    The pristine nature in which the village resides is embellished with Magar people and their culture. The place has its traditions, temples, village crafts, and mining tunnels. You can also hike to the foot of Gurja Himal.

      • Overnight stay at Homestay
      • Included meals (Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner)
  7. day 7

    Gurja khani to Rugachaur pass(3850m) to Gurja Ghat(3000m)

    Highest Altitude 3850 m
    Trek Duration 6-7 hours

    From Gurja Khani we will be trekking for 8 hours to reach Gurja Ghat via Rugachaur Pass. We will depart early to catch the best views from the pass. Crossing three bridges and gaining altitude with an even more breathtaking view of the Dhaulagiri range we will reach Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve. The protected species include snow leopard, serow, goral, musk deer, wild boar, wolf and red panda.

      • Overnight stay at Homestay
      • Included meals (Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner)
  8. day 8

    Gurja Ghat to Dhorpatan

    Highest Altitude 3900 m

    We hike along almost a flat trail as we traverse the dense forest to reach the Dhorpatan Valley. We can also visit nearby villages and monasteries. A side trip to Tibetan Bonpo Monastery at Chentung can be done which is on the way to Dhorpatan.

      • Overnight stay at Tea House.
      • Included meal (Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner)
  9. day 9

    Explore Dhorpatan

    Highest Altitude 4493 m

    We explore the protected area and also climb to the pass at Phagune Dhuri, which is at an altitude of 4493 meters. Additionally, a hunting expedition can be done if the client has a hunting permit. To explore the beautiful Dhorpatan valley, you need to spend two nights at Gurja Ghat.

    Dhorpatan is a beautiful alpine valley with rushing rivers and rocky crags. The valley is flat and is a whole grassland where mules are grazed.

      • Overnight stay at a Tea House.

       

      • Included meals (Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner)
  10. day 10

    Dhorpatan to Burtibang. Burtibang to Pokhara

    We first take a 2 hours bus ride from Dhorpatan to Burtibang then it is a 6-hour bus ride from Burtibang to Pokhara. We spend the night at a hotel in Pokhara.

      • Overnight stay at a hotel in Pokhara.
      • Included meal Breakfast.

Dhorpatan Trek Map

everest base camp trek map

Dhorpatan Trek with Gurja Khani: A Perfect Place for Hunting Company Reviews

2023-01-10

Best travel company in Pokhara!

Mohan was extremely accommodating and went above and beyond to help us with everything I did in Nepal. He is the go-to guy for everything and I owe many of my best experience in Nepal to him. Highly recommend this travel company. Also, shout out to Bharat who was an excellent guide!

Mitchell E

Trip Downloads

FAQ's

1 : Best Time to Travel

2 : What about food and accommodations?

3 : Is this trek possible with children?

4 : Do I need any permits for this trek?

5 : Can we hunt in the Dhorpatan Hunting reserve?

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