Dhorpatan Hunting Reserveढोरपाटन शिकार आरक्ष
Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve is a hunting reserve in Lumbini, Gandaki, Karnali, Nepal, covering 1,325 km² from 2,850 to 5,500 m. Established in 1987, it is known for Blue sheep (bharal), Snow leopard, Cheer pheasant.
Nepal's only hunting reserve — a regulated, quota-based trophy-hunting model in the Dhaulagiri Himal
Area
1,325 km²
Established
1987
Elevation
2,850–5,500 m
Lumbini, Gandaki, Karnali
Managed by
DNPWC
Districts
Eastern Rukum, Myagdi, Baglung
Establishment
Opened 1987 — Nepal's only hunting reserve.
Key species
- Blue sheep (bharal)
- Snow leopard
- Cheer pheasant
- Himalayan tahr
- Musk deer
About the area
Dhorpatan, opened in 1987, is Nepal's only hunting reserve and one of the most distinctive entries in its protected-area system. Set high in the Dhaulagiri Himal across Eastern Rukum, Myagdi and Baglung, it spans 1,325 km² between 2,850 and 5,500 m — a landscape of alpine pasture, ridges and the broad Dhorpatan valley that gives it its name.
Unlike every other protected area, Dhorpatan permits a legally sanctioned, fee-based trophy-hunting programme run under quota by DNPWC. The principal game species is the blue sheep (bharal), with a limited tahr quota; snow leopard, cheer pheasant and musk deer that share the reserve are fully protected and never hunted. The fees are intended to fund conservation and deliver local benefit.
This sustainable-use model is unique and controversial in Nepal — a country otherwise built on strict protection — but it embodies a deliberate experiment in funding conservation through regulated, high-value, low-volume hunting in a remote mountain landscape that sees few other visitors.
Where it sits
The highlighted pin is this protected area; the others show Nepal's full network of 20.
Frequently asked questions
How big is Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve?+
Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve covers 1,325 km². It lies in Eastern Rukum, Myagdi, Baglung (Lumbini, Gandaki, Karnali provinces).
When was Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve established?+
Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve was established in 1987 as a hunting reserve. Opened 1987 — Nepal's only hunting reserve.
What type of protected area is Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve?+
Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve is a hunting reserve, managed by DNPWC.
What animals live in Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve?+
Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve is known for Blue sheep (bharal), Snow leopard, Cheer pheasant, Himalayan tahr, Musk deer. Nepal's only hunting reserve — a regulated, quota-based trophy-hunting model in the Dhaulagiri Himal.
What is the elevation of Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve?+
Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve ranges from 2,850 m to 5,500 m above sea level.
Sources & data note
Figures for Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve as documented by the listed sources. Where reputable sources disagree the discrepancy is stated in the establishment note. Map coordinates are an approximate centre point, not a surveyed centroid.