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A recently opened trekking trail that has yet to be discovered by many people is always an excellent choice. If you think the same, Panch Pokhari Trek is one of Nepal’s recently opened trekking trails. The expert team of Sabbatical Explore Nepal is on the go to lead you there!
Panch Pokhari translates to "five lakes.” So, the Panch Pokhari Trek is a beautiful journey to explore the area that houses five pristine and holy lakes. These alluring five tiny lakes are locked in the foothills of the Central Himalayas, Sindhupalchowk, Nepal. Popular among local Buddhist and Hindu devotees as a pilgrimage trek, the trek is yet to be done by many outsiders.
Yes, Panch Pokhari Trek is all about the five sacred lakes, but that is just a saying. The trek also is an opportunity to explore the Central and Eastern region’s overall cultural & natural beauty. As this journey starts from Chautara of Sindupalchowk, you will move through embellished vegetation, traditional villages, amazing landscapes, and more. There is no exact listing of the things that you can experience during this trek.
Yet, the highest point of the trek is Panch Pokhari(4,100m) itself. You will trek many uphills, downhills but mostly uphills to reach the top. However, your every laborious climb will make true sense when you see the natural five ponds at Panch Pokhari and the mountains & hills across the place. Along with diverse hills, you will get glimpses of Jugal Himal, Langtang Himal, Ganesh Himal, and more.
In a nutshell, the Panch Pokhari Trek is an under-the-veil trek. Most people miss out on the adventure in the hype of other popular tours. But the Panch Pokhari Trek itinerary is equally rewarding and exciting, mark our words.
Also, if you love spending nights under nothing but the moon and stars, this trek has that possibility for you! It is quite different from other treks.
Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu
Day 2: Drive from Kathmandu to Chautara(1,450m) | 5-6hrs
Day 3: Trek from Chautara to Phurse(2,050m) | 5-6hrs
Day 4: Trek from Kami Kharka to Pauwa Bas(3,000m)| 4-5 hrs
Day 5: Trek from Pauwa Bas to Hile Bhanjyang(3,400m) | 5-6hrs
Day 6: Trek from Hile Bhanjyang to Nasim Pati(3,700m) | 4hrs
Day 7: Trek from Nasim Pati to Panch Pokhari(4,100m) | 4 hrs
Day 8: Trek from Panch Pokhari to Nasim Pati(3,700m) | 3hrs
Day 9: Trek from Nasim Pati to Dhukang(2,100m) | 6hrs
Day 10: Trek from Dhukang to Dhap(1,200m)| 6hrs
Day 11: Trek from Dhap to Melamchi Pul Bazaar(800m)| 6hrs
Day 12: Drive from Melamchi to Kathmandu
Day 13: Airport Drop and Farewell
Our representative will meet you at the Kathmandu Airport to give you a warm welcome. Then, our team will transfer you to your hotel for a rest. You will rest and relax until you feel it’s enough. We will arrange for the trek to check your trek checklist and you will have dinner together with the trekking team from Sabbatical Explore Nepal in Thamel in the evening. We will have a precious discussion on the Panch Pokhari Trek itinerary. Overnight in the hotel.
We are ready to begin. After breakfast at the hotel, we will join a picturesque drive to Chautara, the beginning point of the Panch Pokhari Trek. The ride will happen over Araniko Highway for around 5-6hrs, covering 328km. Upon our arrival in Chautara, the hub of Sindhupalchok District, we will know the local market area before calling it a day in a hotel.
The hike starts from here! We will take a trail towards the mountains in the north to leave Chautara. Throughout the day, we will do several uphill and steep sections. Passing through villages, terraced fields, and green vegetation, we will arrive in Phurse in the evening. There also will be times when we will enjoy views of Mt. Gaurishankar, Dorje Lakpa, and more. Phurse, the place for the night, is a small village of Tamangs by the pasture lands. Overnight in a tented camp.
We will have our breakfast, and we will join a trail that leads to a forest. A couple of hour's walk into the woods of Rhododendron, Oak, Pine, and Juniper will bring us to a village of nomads. We will stop there for a while to take a rest and interact with the locals. After the rest, we will continue trekking in the direction of Kami Kharka or Pasture. Several more hours of hiking will lead us to Pauwa Bas, the stop for the day. Overnight in a tented camp.
Following a sweet night in Pauwa Bas, we will move out on the trail to reach Hile Bhanjyang. The destination for the day is a hill ridge, so there will be some steep climbings. We keep on ascending for 3 hours to arrive at the top; Hile Bhanjyang is yet to come. From the summit, we will enjoy a scenic view of green hills and white mountains. Next, we make a 1-hour descent to reach our destination, Hile Bhanjyang. Overnight in a tented camp across mountain views.
Opening our eyes to an awe-inspiring view, we will have our breakfast to leave Hile Bhanjyang. We take a steep climb from the place, which goes through green vegetation. We will climb gradually by enjoying the views of the vicinity. No rush, just one step at a time, and we will be in Nasim Pati after 4 hours of trek. The rhododendron trees will come along, and so will the lovely mountain views. Overnight in a tented camp.
Today is the most awaited day of the Panch Pokhari Trek when we will reach Panch Pokhari. However, the trek is not too long, just 4 hours. So, with no hurries, we will start ascending towards the place. En route, we will arrive at Lauribinayak Pass, a famous pass for mountain scenarios. Having a beautiful break at the pass, we will move forward until we find Panch Pokhari. Finally, we will see the five holy & tiny lakes right in front of our eyes.
Each of the lakes is quite different in shape and size. A little up from the lakes is Panch Pokhari Viewpoint, a perfect location to view the lakes and mountains. We will feed our eyes from the place as well. The day full of astonishing views will end at a tented camp by the lakes.
Now we will start our journey back to Kathmandu as we have already explored the five lakes. To do that, we will descend to Nasim Pati via the same trail. The trek is convenient as we do not have any uphills to climb. The descending walk of 3 hours is enough to bring us back to Nasim Pati. Overnight in a tented camp.
Leaving Nasim Pati back, we will head towards Dhukang. It will be a dropping trek via a forest full of Juniper, Oak, and Rhododendron. We may also come across some animals in between. Out of the woods, we reach several Buddhist Chortens and an area full of prayer flags. The day will be comparatively more extended than the last day, but the trek of 6 hrs will leave us in Dhukang. Overnight in a tented camp in Dhukang, a traditional village of Tamangs and Sherpas.
Now, we march towards Dhap, another traditional village of the trek. We’ll start the day with a slow descent from Dhukang to the Indravati River’s riverbed. Then our walk continues along the river until Dhap. Along the trek, we will pass several more villages and their farming fields. Also, we will see the locals living with no time to waste. The 6 hours of trek will be done by us today to reach Dhap. Overnight in a tented camp.
From Dhap, we will make a lowering trek to Melamchi Pul Bazar. The Indravati River will guide us most of the way. Just like yesterday, we will hike through various settlements. We will see the rice terraces throughout the day. Enjoying the last trekking day of Panch Pokhari Trek, we will reach Melamchi Pul Bazaar after 6 hours of leaving Dhap. Overnight in a lodge.
Now we are done with the trekking. It is time for a jeep/bus drive. After breakfast in Melamchi, we will take a 3-4 hour bus ride back to Kathmandu via Helambu-Melamchi road. Next, we will get back to our hotel in Kathmandu for a rest. The rest of the day will be free time for shopping and hangouts. Overnight in Kathmandu.
As per your flight schedule, our team will transfer you to the airport for departure. Farewell! We’ll meet you on another adventure.
What kind of meals should I expect during the trek ?
You will get hygienic, energetic, and well-cooked meals three times a day. The food items available on the trek are the most common ones from Nepali, Indian, Chinese, and Western but local style.
Will I get WiFi on this trek?
Yes, but not in all the places. The teahouses of the lower areas have WiFi services. But the higher areas teahouses may lack the service.
What is the best time for this Trek ?
March till May and September till November are the two-time intervals that are best for the trek.
Is it necessary to have training for the trek ?
If you are an experienced trekker, you do not need that. But if you are an amateur, it is helpful to have training like cardio, hiking, and running. Those sorts of activities will make you ready for the rugged trails of the trek.
Do I need a visa to visit Nepal?
Yes, a visa is necessary to visit Nepal for all tourists except Indian nationals. You can get a visa from the Nepalese Embassy in your country or an on-arrival visa from Kathmandu (TIA) Airport. For that, you will need a valid passport before 6 months, some passport-sized photos, and a visa fee.
How much is a Nepalese Visa fee?
The up-to-date visa fees (as of 6/6/2024) for a Nepalese visa is: US$30 for 15 days, US$50 for 30 days, US$125 for 90 days. For Visa Extension: 3 USD per Day(minimum 15 days) 5 USD per day as late fine in the case of delay
Which time is best for a Nepal tour?
The best times to visit Nepal are September to November and March to May. If you are not doing any high-altitude tours, you can visit Nepal all year round, including Monsoon and Winter.
What is Nepal best known for?
Nepal is known for multiple reasons. The country is geographically, culturally, architecturally, and religiously a gifted one. It is the birthplace of Buddha, home of Mt Everest and eight other world & highest peaks, the world best trekking trails, the land of brave Gurkhas, and more. Therefore, multiple reasons make Nepal popular across the globe.
The trip was well worth it! I was in Nepal last Autumn with the team of Shiva and Kiran, whom I knew from my colleagues. I was confused about where to go. But my expert friends, Shiva and Kiran, suggested I do their best-selling Nepal Panorama Tour. I'm glad they suggested it. I am not a hiking person, my body does not let me be. So I went on a tour of Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Chitwan. In Kathmandu, I saw a lot of historical and time-traveling sites. Pokhara was so much vivid by Fewa Lake; I enjoyed the boat riding there. And Chitwan was unimaginably full of nature. I saw rhinos, elephants, birds, crocodiles. I was expecting the Bengal Tiger, but luck did not favor me. Except for that, Chitwan treated me quite well. Overall, the trip felt so smooth and rewarding. I traveled around Nepal panoramically. Thanks!
Dr. M.H. ALHAMRAN
Dec-2022
Chitwan Jungle Safari was a great experience with good value for money. We hired the Car from Kathmandu and stayed for 02 Nights. Our trip was well organized with good service on time. It was rainy and animals were scarce but the driver and Guide worked hard to spot them for us. 01-hour canoeing ride in the middle of hundreds of Crocodiles & Gharial followed by Elephant Breeding Center was an amazing experience. Our Jeep Safari of 04 hrs of continuous rides on the main Jungle was quite a good experience. The excitement level goes up when any kind of Wildlife creature is spotted. We saw Peacock, One Horn Rhino, and different species of Birds but with no luck Royal Bengal Tiger missed out. Overall it was a lovely and memorable experience with good Food and will highly recommend this tour. The best season would be in Winter with good Nature.
Philip
Sabbatical Explore Nepal's team planned this excursion, which went excellent and was exceptionally well planned. We had the best guide on this trip who was friendly, humorous, and professional. He made us feel easy throughout the excursion. He was always there to explain the new things of the journey from the unique hanging bridges to the rapid Dudh Koshi River. The entire team for the journey was great. I can say the trip to Everest Base Camp is a trip for my lifetime. Thanks a lot to the entire team of Sabbatical!
Sarah Green
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