Panchase Trek is yet another one of Nepal’s hidden cultural and natural gems. The trek is located in the same region as the popular Annapurna Circuit Trek and Annapurna Base Camp Trek and is often overlooked by hikers. It is a small trek ideal for experiencing beautiful natural scenery and mountain peak views within a short amount of time. The Panchase Trek is a great trek for families and beginners and offers some of the best viewpoints to see the Annapurna range as well as other mountain peaks including Dhaulagiri (8167 m), Lamjung Himal (6983 m), and Machhapuchhre (6993 m). Apart from being a great introduction to trekking in the Himalayas and offering a great experience for those with a short amount of time available, it provides amazing diversity and beauty in the scenery as the trek goes through lush rice fields, lavish vegetation, and local Gurung communities and villages.
The Panchase Trek sets off with a boat trip across the beautiful Phewa Lake to our starting point. We will climb through a lush forest before reaching the stairs that lead up to the famous Buddhist World Peace Pagoda. 80 World Peace Pagodas have been built around the world in an attempt to promote world peace. The pagoda itself is a remarkable sight; however, it also offers breathtaking views of Phewa Lake and the city of Pokhara. We continue our trek down through a little forest before ascending again to reach Bumdi, our destination for the day. The trail leads us through a beautiful forest with great opportunities to see some of the wildlife of the area, such as a vast amount of rare birds and monkeys as well! We continue the trek, passing some great panoramic viewpoints before arriving at Bhanjyang. On our third day, we will reach the summit of Panchase Hill (2500 m), which is the highest point of our trek. Apart from the awe-inspiring view from Panchase Hill, it is also one of the best places to witness the sunrise as it bathes the mighty mountain peaks in golden sunlight in a truly remarkable sight! Continuing down through the village of Alldanda, we will follow the trail to Bhadaure. On our last day, we will follow a trail winding its way down through local villages and across streams before finally reaching our destination of Naudanada, from where we will get transport back to Pokhara.
Likewise, if your time frame permits, then we highly recommend visiting the most beautiful community lodge trek, the Mohare Danda Trek, and the classic Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek. For more details, please do not hesitate to contact the local experts.
