Kathmandu, The Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve is globally recognized for offering hunting opportunities for species like the Himalayan tahr, serow, and wild boar, under specific permits and designated times. As a premier destination for adventurous hunting, the reserve has established minimum revenue fees for hunting, currently set at 150,000 NPR for tahr and 75,000 NPR for serow.
According to senior conservation officer Birendra Prasad Kandel, companies bidding for hunting rights often exceed the minimum, with last season’s bids for a single tahr reaching up to 2.3 million NPR. The highest bid for serow last year was recorded at 1.8 million NPR. However, hunting is prohibited for certain species like the barking deer and thar due to their inclusion in the CITES schedule.
Hunters are granted a period of 14 to 21 days to hunt, bringing their own licensed firearms from their home countries, accompanied by teams of 25 to 30 local assistants. The challenging terrain and logistics, including helicopter transport, make hunting here quite costly.
The reserve, established in 1984, spans 1,325 square kilometers across parts of Rukum East, Baglung, and Myagdi, and is home to 32 species of mammals, including the tahr, serow, thar, and Himalayan bear, as well as 164 species of birds, some of which are rare and protected.