Dolpo, an ideal example of extreme remoteness is dominated by arid lands. Although the major occupation of the people of Dolpo is farming, majority of the families in Dolpo are unable to grow food sufficient for whole year because of the insufficient land they own. Hence, the Dolpa-pas (people of Dolpo) are bound to depend on other activities for their living.

Majority of people in Dolpo relying on agriculture grow potatoes, wheat, millet, buckwheat, Tibetan barley and their native crops like chino and kagumo.  However, they also are involved in animal husbandry. It is the most important traditional economic activity, which signifies the financial status of the family based on number of animals they own. Sheep, goats, cattle and yaks are major animals Dolpa-pas own. They take all the animals to the highland grazing lands in the summer and in winter; they are brought back to warmth of lowland villages. So do the people; during the winter, they migrate to lowland meadows near Dunai (the district headquarter) and settle, their yak hair tents to accommodate themselves throughout the winter.

Yaks play important role in the daily life of the people of Dolpo. These hairy and short-legged creatures can only survive above 3000m. Their bushy tail and thick hair suit them to survive outdoors the extreme harsh temperature- even below freezing point. Their short legs and small hard hooves suit them to walk over the steep and rugged trials. Dolpa-pas weave the yak fur to prepare the warm coats and blankets, their skin is useful leather, yak milk is a nutritious highland diet and the dried yak dung is essential fuel.  Yaks the Himalayan transporters walking in-group with loads on their backs, which is known, as caravan is a sight trekkers to Dolpo eagerly wait to see.

Life in Dolpo is adventurous to the natives and for the trekkers it sounds like a story. Dolpa-pas do the extreme for their survivals. They travel miles with the yak caravans up to high northern areas in the Himalayas, sometimes close to Tibetan border to collect medicinal plants, salt and other Himalayan resources and travel back to lowlands to exchange their collection for food and other essentials.

Dolpo is a wonderland in terms of medicinal herbs. Yarsa-gumba, the combination of fungus and caterpillar is a present day high value plant found in Dolpo. Several villages go vacant during the harvesting season of Yarsa-gumba; everyone goes on a long trek to hunt Yarsa-gumba. The present day gold rush of Dolpo, Yarsa-gumba is an alternate for Dolpa-pas to earn better living.  It is rather an integral part of life in Dolpo.

Famous Dolpo-pa

Gifted thanka painter Tenzing Norbu Lama belongs to isolated corner, Bansthang in Dolpo. Descendant of the painter family, Tenzing keenly observed his father work on the intricate paintings. He was a gifted painter knowledgeable with the native stories and culture and hence his paintings captivated authentic Dolpo. He traveled around the world exhibiting his work in 1990 and was soon grabbed the attention of global celebreties. His work was featured in Eric Valli’s Himalayan Caravan. Good-hearted Tenzing these days promotes Dolpo, its landscapes and culture through his paintings and contributes the significant amount of earning to support the education of Dolpo kids and development projects in the region.