Dolpa
Dolpa is one of the most remote and sparsely populated Districts in Nepal.
The landscape is high steep valeys and dry climate. There's no road in Dolpa
and only only small airports exist. The main transportation is by foot while
making the mules carry the lagguage. Life there involves complex webs of social,
economic and resource use patterns. Yet, Dolpa is one of the most beautiful
parts of Nepal.
Shey-Phoksundo National Park
Established in 1984, this largest national park in the country
includes the spectacular, - I would like
to call it the world's most beautiful lake - Lake Phoksundo. This lake is the
second largest body of water in Nepal after the Rara Lake. This park also
includes an exclusive healthy population of blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur) in
the Shey Gompa area. Most of this national park's area lies in the trans-Himalayan
region with typical Tibetan type flora and fauna. The Tibetan nare, Himalayan weasel
and Himalayan marmot are the wild inhabitants of this near desert landscape.
This park was forbidden to foreigners until 1989. The first westerner to travel
this area was Peter Mathiesen and he wrote a book The Snow Leopard, which
gives excellent details about this region. This park includes the snowcapped Himalayan
peaks and is full of lush forests, consisting of blue pine, spruce, cypres, poplar,
fir, deodar, birch and other species of plats. It has animals like the ghoral, yellow
throated martens, Himalayan mouse hares, Himalayan weasels, Himalayan black bears,
jackals, wolves, leopards, serows, etc. Birds include the Impeyan pleasant (danphe -
the national bird of Nepal), blood pheasants, red and yellow billed cough, raven,
jangle crow, and snow partridge.
Trekking in Dolpa
Trekking in Dolpa began with the beginning of trekking tourism in Nepal. It has
effectively brought the traditional and modern worlds together. Indigenous peoples
struggle to participate in development and make a living while at the same time
maintaining their ancient cultural heritage and environment.
Community-managed projects, such as Tapriza School and Dunai DESERT (Dolpa Educational,
Social, Environmental Reservation Team) organization have increased access to
knowledge, resources and local control over development. While these are the benefits
that the Dolpa people get, the visitors are equally benefited by the marvelous
beauty of Dolpa and surroundings.
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