Travelogue of Panchase Trekking

Suffocation and I could hardly move my feet. All the others were suffering too. So Ram Dai stood up to maintain his easy posture. It was actually a 4WD (Four wheel Drive vehicle, Jeep) in which we were taking a trip to Panchase, a junction of Kaski, Parvat and Syangja district in mid Nepal.


The Day was Dec 8, 2007 and we were destined for Bhadaure, some 2 hours drive from Hari Prasad Chowk of Pokhara. Adjustment in the jeep was too tense and the rough terrain drive after leaving the Bhupi Serchan Highway was very adventurous. Soon we arrived Bhadaure during dawn and made our night stay there.

Taking some snacks including dried meat and local radish, we strolled around the streets in this village and watched the dances performed by the local teenagers. It was actually a rehearsal for the upcoming Bhadaure Festival in their village.

Our aim was to visit the Bala Chatudarshi Fair of Panchase where different 100 sorts of corns (satbij) are dispersed around the temple of lord Shiva. There were series of devotees who were in search of lodges to pass their night at Bhadaure but most of the rooms had already been booked. So some of the devotees happened to stuck in the chill atmosphere. Fortunately for us, we were adjusted in the best hotel there in Bhadaure. FM radio journalists, Bhanu and Manoj made a live broadcast of that situation of the devotees but Sagar was not preparing any news like me and Ram Dai

The very next morning we left Bhadaure at 5 am and it took more than five hours to reach Panchase. On the way, we captured the picturesque sunrise in our cameras and had breakfast. The huge number of crowd in Panchase made us very happy. Devotees were dispersing the satbij around the temple in the name of their ancestors. Some of them made the replica of houses around the trails. According to their belief, such houses will be used in the heaven after their death

Panchase is 2,509 m high and this hill sometime gets snow and remains cold in most of the seasons. Altitude sickness is another problem here but as I am a highland walker and as I have done many treks above the snowline, I could resist this. We spent about two hours in the hilltop of Panchase and donated some money for the local club but another club nearby Panchase Lake was extorting money from the devotees. They stopped doing that as we media persons were seen there but later the club members continued their job.

The combination of long arrays of snow-caped crystal clear peaks was the main attraction of Panchase. From the newly built view tower there, we could see the great Himalayan peaks of Macchapuchare, Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Lamjung and Manaslu. More than a hundred species of orchids, rhododendron, forest, wildlife, and view of the sunset, caves, water pools and temples are the other magnetisms of the Panchase.

We can take Panchase as a virgin destination from the tourism point of view because very few tourists have been there in that place. Since it is the junction of three districts, we can get there from many locations. Fewa lake of Pokhara- Lamakhet- Makawanpur- Bhanjyang is another way to go Panchase but we used it for our returning. The route can be followed from Chapakot of Kaski too. There are also routes from Syangja and Parvat.

There are no villages in Panchase so tourists who arrive there should stay in Bhanjyang or Bhadaure. Camping is the best way for the trekkers. Spring & Autumn are the best seasons to trek to this place. It could take a whole day to the two-way trekking for Panchase but if one likes to take full enjoyment, it takes four days.