Annapurna Panchase Trekking is an off-the-beaten-track trekking destination in the Annapurna Region. The total length of this trip is merely 12 days long. The altitude gains in this trek are quite mild. This makes Annapurna Panchase a remote trek which is also quite easy to complete.
This trek from The Great Adventure Treks takes you will get to some classic villages in the Annapurna Region like Ghandruk, Landruk, Thu, Kharka etc. These wonderful villages are beautifully placed in low altitudes. You can also get staggering views of the Annapurna, Machhapuchhre, and Dhaulagiri from these villages.
Annapurna Panchase trek starts after a cultural tour of Kathmandu valley. Here you can as you visit some UNESCO World Heritage Sites like Swayambhunath, Boudhanath, the Hindu temple of Pashupatinath, and Kathmandu and Patan Durbar Squares.
Your first glimpses of the mountains in the Annapurna Region will be during a 25-minute scenic flight to Pokhara from Kathmandu. You will start your trek from Pokhara itself.
From there, you will trek along a variety of climatic conditions, vegetation, and cultures. You will encounter a variety of vegetation during this trek ranging from temperate forests, the terraced rice fields and to the alpine region offering.
The walk through these villages in the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) region will especially be delightful in the spring season. This is because the rhododendron forests glow with a reddish hue in the spring season.
One of the best parts of the trek is the hike from Landruk village to the Australian Camp. Australian Camp is a picturesque spot on a large meadow. From here, you can experience panoramic views of the Himalayan range of mountains from Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Nilgiri to Manaslu.
The views of sunrise amidst these mountains from Australian Camp is quite mesmerizing.
Panchase Danda is the most beautiful point for mountain viewing in this trek. You can see panoramic views of Mt. Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Manaslu and Mt.Machhapuchhre (the Fish Tail) from Panchase Danda.
Panchase is also a pilgrimage place for the local of all Annapurna area. During the festival of Tamu-Lhosar Bhadaure Panchase, people all around gather to Panchase. The locals pray and pay respects to their deceased ancestors by making offerings to the local deities and mountain spirits.
Interactions with these locals of Gurung villages like Ghandruk and Landruk will also give you a very good understanding of the Gurung culture of this region.
You can also get to enjoy the great touristic vibe in Pokhara after the completion of the trek. You will also get to walk in the cool periphery of Phewa lake or experience some boating the lakes of Pokhara. You will also get some taste of the exhilarating caves in Pokhara.
Annapurna Panchase Trek by The Great Adventure Treks is for trekkers of different types of experience and almost all age groups. The towering mountains, lush forests, ancient culture, flora and fauna of this region away from the busy hum of other treks in this region makes it a cool experience.
Best Time for Annapurna Panchase Trek
The best time to complete the Annapurna Panchase Trek Autumn (September, October, and November), Spring (March, April, and May), and Winter (December, January, and February).
Annapurna Panchase Trek sees the maximum number of trekkers in autumn and spring. You can enjoy wonderful views of mountains as well as the beauty of the picturesque villages in these two seasons.
As the trek is in low altitude villages of the Annapurna Region, winter (December, January, and February) is also a very good time to come to this trek. Clear mountain views and low rainfall makes winter trek to Annapurna Panchase wonderful.
Good trekking equipment like trekking boots with form grip, raincoats, and umbrellas will help you to enjoy the Annapurna Panchase in the summer season as well. With some chances of rainfall in the summers, you must be flexible in your timings of the trek.
Main Attractions of Annapurna Panchase Trek
- Trek through lush rhododendron and orchid forests in the Annapurna Sanctuary.
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kathmandu
- 25-minute scenic flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara.
- Quaint villages like Panchase, Ghandruk, Landruk, Thulo Kharka etc.
- Learn the Gurung culture in these villages.
- Mesmerizing views of mountains like Mount Dhaulagiri, Nilgiri, Annapurna, Manaslu, Machhapuchhre during this trek.
- A chance to see exotic birds and animals within the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP).
- Astonishing views of sunrise from Australian Camp.
Annapurna Panchase Trek Difficulty
As the Annapurna Panchase Trek is a relatively short and low altitude trek, it is one of the easier treks in the Annapurna region.
The total length of the Annapurna Panchase Trek is 11 days long. The highest point during this trek is merely 2509 meters in Panchase Hill. So you won’t have to worry at all about altitude sickness.
All the other places and villages during this trek are around or less than 2000 meters in altitude. The number of uphills and downhills during this trek are also lower in comparison to other treks like Annapurna Base Camp Trek or Annapurna Circuit Trek.
So you can complete this trek even without any trekking experience. But preparing by running, jogging, swimming, cycling etc. for a few months will help you complete this trek quite easily.
Day 01: Arrive Kathmandu1,300m via respective airlines.
Day 02: Half Day sightseeing tour of Kathmandu.
Day 03: Drive to Pokhara 812m 6 – 7hrs
Day 04: Trek to Bhumdi village 1500m
Day 05: Trek to Panchase Bhanjyang 2,200m 5 – 6-hrs walk.
Day 06: Hike to Panchase hill 2,509m and trek to Bhadaure village 1670m,
Day 07: Trek to Bhirethati or Syauli Bazaar 1,200m 5 hours walk.
Day 08: Trek to Ghandruk 1,950m approx 3 – 4 hours walk.
Day 09: Morning free after lunch trek to Landruk 1,500m 2 – 3 hrs.
Day 10: Trek to Australian Camp ( Thulo Kharka) 2,050m approx 4 – 5 hours.
Day 11: Trek to Kande and drive to Pokhara.
Day 12: Drive back to Kathmandu.
Day 13: Transfer to Airport for the International departure.
If you want to extend your trip, please feel free to choose from our DAY TOURS, NEPAL TOURS or Jungle Safaris. here are some trip extensions that might interest you.