Tourism can lead to economic development through direct and indirect effects. Direct effects include revenue generation and foreign exchange. Indirect effects include local employment and business activities.

Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, Nepal’s only game reserve located 126 km west of the Baglung district headquarters, has drawn hundreds of elite foreigners, who have spent millions over decades to hunt. Yet, there is no transformation in local livelihoods.

The reserve sprawls over 1,325 square kilometres and is the only hunting space in the country available to foreigners to take blue sheep and other game animals as trophies.

The higher elevations remain under the snow throughout the year. Altitudes vary from 3,000 metres to more than 7,000 metres. The flat meadows above the treeline, known as patans, are essential for animals like the blue sheep and other herbivorous species.

The reserve is divided into six blocks for hunting management.

Foreign tourists arrive to hunt, paying millions, contributing to government revenue.

However, the spillover effect of this prized tourism product is not visible at the local level. While it is easy for tourists to travel, the locals face trouble.

Foreigners charter helicopters and lease jeeps for hunting, but the locals do not have reliable means of transport.

The roads are damaged, and most children and elderly people go to Dhorpatan, Buki, and Jaljala from Bobang on foot, using walking sticks.

The school building is also in a state of disrepair. Locals must walk when migrating to the lowlands in winter and return on foot when summer arrives. The residents face problems related to education, health, transportation, and drinking water.

No health post exists, and the community health service is insufficient. Due to a lack of medicines and doctors, patients frequently visit the army barracks for treatment. Army medics examine approximately 20 patients daily.

“The medicine arrives mainly for army personnel, but we cannot turn away local patients without help. This stretches our medicine supply,” said an army officer who wished to remain anonymous. “Residents of this area face various health problems. Most patients have uterus issues and disabilities.”

Last year, Purnima BK, a local woman requiring emergency medical attention, had to be taken to a hospital in Burtibang on an army vehicle. Many pregnant women and critically ill patients are at risk from the lack of medical facilities.

More than 3,000 households in Dhorpatan live in temporary homes.

Children are left behind when parents leave for grazing animals in the highlands. Three years ago, the army rescued a stranded child and returned him to his parents after a search. The nearest health centre is in Burtibang, 36 km away.

Without a vehicle, people must walk hours to a medical facility. To ensure safe childbirth, women must rent accommodations in Burtibang. Others involved in accidents often do not receive timely treatment and succumb to their injuries.

Around 2,000 children study in five schools in Dhorpatan Valley, but there are no proper buildings with basic facilities. Schools lack furniture and drinking water, forcing children to study sitting on a cold floor.

“Most children come to school hungry. We cannot give them lunch,” said teacher Indra Kumari Gharti Magar. “How can children study on an empty stomach?”

Aside from the families who grow potatoes, most locals do not have sufficient incomes to afford two meals a day. Those who go to the highlands for animal grazing rely on potato-based dishes. Incidents of cow slaughter are reported, with some farmers reasoning they are compelled to do so to manage their meals.

Some infrastructure exists, such as a bridge over the Uttar Ganga river.

However, children must cross forests in the rainy season, leading many to miss classes. The scenic beauty of Dhorpatan Valley alone does not alleviate people’s troubles.

Some residents have access to nearby water sources, but others rely on rivers like Uttar Ganga, Dhorkhola, and Gaprakhola for drinking water.

The municipality has invested millions in managing the Dhorbarah temple but has not allocated funds for education and healthcare.

Many locals remain unaware that education, health, and drinking water are basic facilities that the local government must guarantee.

“We have repeatedly requested the government to implement basic projects, but there is never a sufficient budget,” said Bhadra Mani Sunar, the ward chairman.

Tourists are only permitted to hunt animals if they pay for the privilege. However, wild boars, which cannot be killed, destroy farmers' potato farms.

There is no internet in Dhorpatan, preventing tourists from posting pictures and videos immediately. A 2G service was introduced in Nisheldhor in the current fiscal year, but operating 4G is impossible without the national grid, according to Santosh Baral, chief of the Nepal Telecom’s Baglung office.

The lack of internet also creates communication barriers for the reserve office and army officials.

Electricity shortages further exacerbate issues, particularly in storing hundreds of quintals of potatoes. “If we had storage facilities, we could consume potatoes year-round and sell them during winter,” said farmer Tek Bahadur Sunar.

The Dhorpatan-Saljhadi road, overseen by the Baglung division, has remained under construction for 16 years, leaving the area poorly connected.