Duration: 8 Days
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Panchase Trek is a short getaway trek lying in the Annapurna Region. It is one of the eco-friendly trekking trails in the region which is a short off-beat trail taking you close to nature. A perfect illustration of hillsides trekking in Nepal, Panchase Hill Trek is a great alternative for other short treks of the region like; Poon hill and Ghandruk, etc. The Panchase Trek allows you to have intriguing sights of terraced fields backdropped by the majestic Himalayas ranges like Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Lamjung Himal, Gangapurna, and Machhapuchhre mountains. Along with the spectacular sights of mountains and hills, Panchase Trekking also takes you close to some authentic Gurung and Brahmin villages of the region providing you with an opportunity to experience the local culture and lifestyle. The Panchase hill trek is a quiet trekking trail filled with stunning panoramic views that also holds a cultural significance to the surrounding people, as it is regarded as a site where Lord Shiva had meditated in the past days.
This 8-days short and scenic trek starts with a drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara. In Pokhara, you'll start with boating around Phewa lake and then hike to Bumdi via Shanti Stupa. From Bumdi, you'll trek to Panchase Bhanjyang and Panchase hill which is the main destination of your trek. After summiting Panchase hill, you'll trek down to Naudanda and then to Pokhara. The trek ends with a drive back to Kathmandu from Pokhara.
The perfect blend of nature with stunning Annapurna mountain views and culture showcasing the lifestyle of typical Nepali hillsides, Panchase Trekking is an ideal option for everyone looking for a short escape to nature.
Travellers can expect some light physical activities.
Narayan Baniya (nature pathfinder) and Sumir Gyawali (yoga teacher) guide me in this adventure. Actually they manage perfectly my short time and all the noisy burocratic thinks like documents or Covid control. They makes me feel safely and had care of me since the moment I reserved .. now I’m at home and still feel the power of their experience, friendship and good nature. They makes me “enter” in the Nepali lifestyle, from metropolitan Kathmandu until the top of the mountain were the vibes are soo deep. Their good vibes are compatible with all, Sumir had a clinical yogi eye and Narayan the calm you need to arrive over the clouds.. it was like a day dreaming and I never forget this experience out of time. Thank you Antonio
A great & well organised experience. I highly recommend Himalayan recreation to anyone planning to trek to the Annapurna Basecamp. Everything from start to finish was all taken care of, taking away all of the stress of organisation so that I could focus on enjoying the trek. Ashok was very responsive on whatsapp at all times and was able to adapt the tour when circumstances changed. For example, when my flight to Pokhara was cancelled, Ashok arranged for a friendly driver to take me all the way there by private car instead (I did have to wait 1.5 hours for the driver, but traffic in Kathmandu is difficult). My guide Santosh and porter Bal were very friendly and accommodating and were good company during the trek. They have the English skills required to answer the majority of questions, particularly relating to the trek. Overall, a very good experience. The trek itself is very beautiful. It has everything, including rural villages with rice terraces, bamboo forests, and epic mountains. The accommodation is basic but everything you need for a trek (much better than camping). The weather forecast is inaccurate - I enjoyed decent weather despite the forecast being constant rain/thunder. I found the difficulty to be much easier than others state, and could have completed the trek in 5-6 days. Almost anyone with a decent level of fitness would be able to complete this trek (adjusting the duration to accommodate).
The Annupurna Poon Hill Trip is a lovely trek through the lower elevations of the Annupurna range of the Himalayas. Starting from Pokhara, a 90 minute drive in a taxi drops us off at the beginning of the trek and then goes up from there. My guide, Raj, was absolutely awesome and provided a lot of great information about the area during our trek over the several days that this trek takes place. The second day of the climb takes us to the small town of Ghorepani, and then an early climb the next morning to Poon Hill. I went on this trip in the 2nd year of the virus. According to my guide, the number of travelers was still way down from pre-pandemic years. So, in one way, it is a great time to travel since you will have most of the trails to yourself. The tea houses are also pretty empty. The negative side to this is that there are limited menu items and several places didn't have WiFi. There are a few recommendations I would make about this trip. The first is the ride from Kathmandu to Pokhara. I took the bus and regretted it about halfway there. While the distance is only 200 km, it took about 8 hours on the bus. If I were to do this again, I would have opted for a 30 minute flight. It costs more, but is so worth it. Second, make sure you bring toilet paper with you on the trek. The tea houses I stayed in during my trek didn't have any. So, bringing a roll of your own is a huge help. And speaking of bathrooms, most of the toilets along the route are not the western style sit-down toilets. Rather they are the hole in the grounds. So, make sure to use the bathroom before leaving the tea house since the next western-style toilet isn't until the next guest house, which could be a half day hike away. Finally, if you have time after the trek, spend an extra day in Pokhara. It is much more interesting than Kathmandu. Otherwise, the trek was wonderful and the folks at Himalayan Recreation did a great job in staying in touch, picking me up at the airport when I arrived in Nepal, and provided excellent service all the way through.
This trip was the first we took with those guys. It was very nice, guide was interesting and gave us a lot information about Bhaktapur and Nepal itself. After they arranged few more trips for us. First was Chitwan national park and jeep safari. After Pokhara and paragliding. And then return to Kathmandu. It was very helpful to have someone local there who can arrange flights, pick ups, all the activities and return wherever needed. We didn't have more time, but all the time we had, they managed to organize for us, without stressing or worrying. I truly recommend them, because they are very responsible and helpful for any situation. I firstly met them in Kathmandu for our first trip and they helped us with all the others.
This is your arrival and first day in Nepal. Our representative will be there at the airport to welcome and greet you during your arrival time. You'll then be escorted to the hotel where you can take a rest for the rest of the day after completing your check-in procedures. In the evening you'll have a short briefing session regarding the trek with your guides. Overnight stay at Kathmandu.
Things to look out for:
Meet and greet at the airport.
Briefing session at the hotel.
Keep in mind:
In the evening, you'll have a short briefing session at the hotel with your guide. Make sure to ask freely if there's any confusion or anything you need to buy for the trek.
Early in the morning, you'll start the drive to a stunning city, Pokhara from Kathmandu. The ride follows a winding road over the valley rim and descends onto the Trisuli River. It is a smooth and scenic ride where you can enjoy the view of hills, rivers, and small settlements along the way. After a ride of around 7-8 hours, you'll arrive at Pokhara. Overnight stay at Pokhara.
Scenic views along the way.
Evening walk at lakesides.
Today, you'll start the morning by exploring the city of lake Pokhara. You cannot miss boating at Phewa lake while you're in this city so, after the boating, you'll start the hike to Bumdi. But before Bumdi, you'll head towards the peace pagoda or Shanti stupa, which is situated at the top of the hill. After exploring the peace pagoda, you then continue your trek to Bumdi through the Rhododendron forests and the village of Lukum Swara. It is a short trek today where you can witness the layers of hills and small settlements along the way. Overnight stay at Bumdi.
Shanti stupa at the top of the hill.
Villages along the way.
The peace pagoda you'll be visiting today is the first peace pagoda built in Nepal and the seventy-first in the world built by Nipponzan-Myōhōji. Make sure to take in the peaceful environment as much as you can when you're there.
You'll continue your trek as you head to Panchase Bhanjyang today. The trail today takes you to the densely forested trail. You can get views of mountain peaks from in-between the trees along the way as you walk towards Panchase Bhanjyang. It is an easy walk of around 5-6 hours leading you to Panchase Bhanjyang. Overnight stay at Panchase Bhanjyang.
Things to look out for
Forested trails.
Mountain views along the way.
Today is the day when you'll finally reach the top of the Panchase hill situated at an elevation of 2500 m. You'll start the hike to the hill early in the morning to enjoy the sunrise view from the top. You can observe majestic sunrise over the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri Himalayan range from the top. After enjoying the view from Panchase hill, you'll start the descent down to Bhadaure where you can experience the local culture and lifestyle of Gurungs, Brahmins, and Kami living together. Overnight at Bhadaure.
Majestic sunrise view from Panchase hill.
Spectacular mountain views.
Local culture and lifestyle of ethnic people.
Today, you'll trek to Naudanda passing through several small villages on the way. You can get a chance to interact with the local ethnic people as you walk passing the villages. After arriving in Naudanda, you'll drive back to Pokhara. In the evening, you can stroll around the city for shopping and explore the restaurants and bars. Overnight stay at Pokhara.
This is the final day of your trek as you head back to Kathmandu. You'll follow the same route you took on the first day of your trek. The drive is smooth and scenic which takes around 7-8 hours. After arriving in Kathmandu, you can choose to either take a rest or stroll around to shop for souvenirs. In the evening, you'll have a farewell dinner with our team as it is your last day in Nepal.
Finally, it is your departure day. Our team representative will be there to drive you to the Airport and bid you goodbye during your departure time.
All ground transport in a private vehicle, including airport transfers
Two nights accommodation with breakfast at a 3-star category hotel in Kathmandu
Two nights accommodation with breakfast at a 3-star category hotel in Pokhara
Best available twin sharing lodge for accommodation during the trek.
3 standard meals a day (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) during the trek
Snacks of seasonal fruits during the trek
Himalayan Recreation’s experienced, government licensed, English speaking trekking guide during the Panchase Hill trip.
Porter to carry your baggage (1 Porter = 2 Trekkers)
All costs of staff which includes food, accommodation, salary, insurance, equipment’s and medicines.
Kathmandu to Pokhara to Kathmandu by Tourist bus and Pokhara to Nayapul to Pokhara by Private car
Duffel bag use while trekking, Trekking map, Himalayan Recreation's T-Shirt and trip achievement certificate
Required Annapurna Permit fee and TIMS Fee
First aid medicine Kit
Farewell dinner with Cultural show in a fine restaurant on second last day.
Government taxes & office service charge
Meals not specified in the 'Meal Inclusions' in the above itinerary
Personal Travel insurance & Personal trekking equipment or expenses
Alcoholic drinks and beverages
Tips for trekking guides, porters (tipping is expected)
Any other expenses that are not mentioned in the 'Price Includes' section.