A sacred forest where three districts meet
Local explanations of the name vary: some say Panchase means five ponds, after small pools near the summit, others five seats or five peaks around the top. What everyone agrees on is that the hill is sacred. Shrines near the summit draw pilgrims from the surrounding villages at festivals, and the forest around them was protected by custom long before it was protected by law. Villagers still bring offerings to the shrines, and many believe that cutting trees near the top brings misfortune.
The hill stands where three districts and several ethnic worlds meet: Gurung villages on the Kaski side, Magar villages to the south and west, and Brahmin and Chhetri hamlets lower down. For generations people came up to the forest for fodder, firewood and medicinal plants, and down to Pokhara's bazaar to sell ghee, oranges and millet. Trails linking the villages crossed the hill at Panchase Bhanjyang, the saddle below the summit, and traders, porters and pilgrims stopped there to rest. Most of the routes trekkers walk today were village paths long before anyone came for the view.
In the early 2010s the government declared the Panchase Protected Forest, about 58 km2, and community forest groups manage parts of it. Researchers surveying its plants have counted over 600 flowering species, including around 125 orchids, among them three found nowhere else, such as Eria pokharensis. Village homestays at Bhadaure and elsewhere were set up so that families could earn from visitors without felling the forest. Visitor numbers remain small, which keeps the experience personal.
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