Dhorpatan Trek
Also known as Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve Trek (via Jaljala Pass).
Dhorpatan Trek is a moderate 6-9-day teahouse/camping mix trek in the Dhaulagiri / Dhorpatan (Baglung-Myagdi-East Rukum) region of Nepal, reaching 4,062 m. It starts at Darbang (Myagdi, road-head from Beni) and ends at Dhorpatan (jeep out via Burtibang to Pokhara).
Key facts
- Region
- Dhaulagiri / Dhorpatan (Baglung-Myagdi-East Rukum) (Baglung, Myagdi, East Rukum)
- Duration
- 6-9 days, 5-7 hours walking per day
- Distance
- 60 km
- Maximum altitude
- 4,062 m
- Difficulty
- Moderate — Moderate altitudes (Jaljala pass 3,414 m, optional Phagune Dhuri ~4,062 m) and 5-7 hour days, but the area is well off the tourist grid: accommodation is homestay/basic teahouse or camping, trails are herder paths, and services, rescue and English signage are minimal. Fitness and self-sufficiency matter more than technical skill.
- Trek type
- Teahouse/Camping mix, point-to-point route
- Best season
- Autumn (Oct-Nov) and Spring (Mar-Apr); the high valley is also lovely with summer wildflowers
- Guide
- Not mandatory
- Restricted area
- No
- Budget cost
- NPR 30,000–45,000
- Comfortable cost
- NPR 45,000–70,000
- Guided cost
- NPR 90,000–115,000
- Getting there
- Kathmandu -> Pokhara (tourist bus, 6-8h) -> Beni (3-4h, paved) -> Darbang (1.5-2h, rough) -> trek via Jaljala to Dhorpatan -> jeep Dhorpatan -> Burtibang (2-3h, rough 4WD) -> bus Burtibang -> Baglung/Pokhara (7-9h, mixed). A pure road trip to Dhorpatan (no trek) is also possible via Burtibang.
- Altitude sickness
- Moderate - Jaljala pass 3,414 m and the optional Phagune Dhuri (~4,062 m) day hike are reached gradually; sleeping altitudes stay at or below ~3,000 m.
Weather
Dhorpatan valley (~2,900 m) is a broad alpine basin below the Dhaulagiri range; Dec-Feb snow blocks Jaljala pass and closes the valley road. Monsoon rains make the Beni-Darbang and Burtibang roads landslide-prone, though some operators actually market the mid-June-Sep season for flowering meadows and blue-sheep spotting - expect leeches and mud lower down. Autumn is the busiest (hunting season and clear skies).
Permits
- Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve Entry Permit — NPR 3,000 for foreigners. Where to get it: Reserve entry posts (Dhorpatan/Burtibang side) or DNPWC; agencies arrange in advance
- TIMS Card — NPR 2,000 for foreigners. Where to get it: Via registered agency, NTB Kathmandu/Pokhara
Itinerary
- Day 1: Pokhara to Darbang, 0-1 h, 1,110 m — Kali Gandaki and Myagdi khola drive, bustling road-head bazar
- Day 2: Darbang to Dharapani (Myagdi), 4-5 h, 1,560 m — Terraced Magar villages, Dhaulagiri views opening up the Myagdi valley
- Day 3: Dharapani to Muna / Lamsung, 5-6 h, 2,100 m — Magar village homestays at Muna/Lamsung, mixed rhododendron-oak forest
- Day 4: Muna / Lamsung to Jaljala Pass area, 5-6 h, 3,414 m — Long climb to Jaljala pass (3,414 m): panorama of Dhaulagiri I, Gurja Himal, Churen Himal and (weather permitting) Annapurna; alpine meadows
- Day 5: Jaljala to Dhorpatan, 5-6 h, 2,900 m — Descent into the wide Dhorpatan valley - Nepal's only hunting reserve; blue sheep habitat, Tibetan refugee settlement and gompa, Uttar Ganga river flats
- Day 6: Dhorpatan to Dhorpatan (Phagune Dhuri day hike), 6-7 h, 2,900 m — Day hike to Phagune Dhuri ridge (~4,062 m) for Dhaulagiri range and Putha Hiunchuli views, chance of blue sheep and danphe; valley exploration and Tibetan camp visit as easier alternative
- Day 7: Dhorpatan to Pokhara, 0-1 h, 820 m — Drive down the Uttar Ganga valley through Bobang and Burtibang