Nestled at 3,300 metres in Putha Uttarganga Rural Municipality-5, Rukum East, Thakur Patan— a high-altitude pastureland (locally called patan)—sits like a natural amphitheatre. Surrounded by towering hills, the wide pasture bustles with herders tending cattle, grazing horses and buffaloes, and farmers collecting fresh milk.

In summer, it turns into a vibrant settlement for herders, who descend to their homes during the winter chill and festive season. The pasture falls within the Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve and can be reached with a day’s trek from Rukum’s Hukam and Taksera or Baglung’s Dhorpatan.

Local authorities are working to promote it as a tourism destination, though development efforts are subject to reserve guidelines. Visitors can already find basic lodges for overnight stays, making Thakur Patan both a pastoral haven and a traveller’s retreat.