One fine morning in February this year, a colleague asked me, “Why don’t you join us on a trip to Dhampus?” My smile, I guess, displayed acceptance of the proposal. And a short conversation culminated in a trip. Time crept at a snail’s pace and my eagerness grew to reach Dhampus and Pokhara. It was a six-hour trip from Kathmandu to Pokhara and still required two whole hours to reach Dhampus, a touristic paradise with abundant natural beauty.
Dhampus, an unspoiled village, is located at an altitude of 1,800 metres above sea level in Kaski district in the Annapurna region. The majestic Himalayan peaks like Annapurna, Manaslu, Dhaulagiri and a panoramic view of Pokhara make this place surreal, giving visitors their most lasting impression. It is popular for its local brandy and Gurung staple food. The Rodhi dance, a typical Gurung cultural dance, is another attraction of this village.
Dhampus is also the gateway to the popular and picturesque Annapurna Base Camp. It takes a 45minute drive from Pokhara to reach the starting point of the Dhampus trek. From there, it is a two hours’ walk to reach Dhampus hill. The hill welcomes trekkers with mesmerising views of the mountains and hosts some great hotels and lodges with very modern amenities. Our struggle to reach Dhampus hill ended with the welcoming retreat of delicious local food, a dance performance and finally a good night’s sleep.
Next morning, the sun awoke us with its warm rays peeping through the curtains and alluring us with the most stunning views. The snowcapped Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountains, when touched by the first rays of sunlight, glisten in natural beauty and are breathtakingly beautiful.
With abundant natural resources and scenic views, Dhampus is developing as a tourist hot spot. As it lies on the main trekking route to Annapurna Base Camp, it enjoys economic prosperity. All the houses are constructed to attract tourists. The number of hotels outnumbers houses and many locals work as tourist guides. The major occupation of these local people is tourism-related activities.As we left Dhampus for Pokhara, the mild breeze between the pine trees gave us a soothing and refreshing feel as we descended the rocky slopes. Not accustomed to walking on such rocky trails, we took our time. After about 40 minutes downhill, picturesque Pokhara lay ahead of us. The everenchanting Pokhara mesmerised us with its beautiful landscape, lakes, mountain views, comfortable and cosy accommodation and huge number of activities to indulge in. Many of us never felt like returning to Kathmandu.
Source:-Saroj Devkota ,The Himalayan Times, 1-Nov-2013
