Poon Hill or Annapurna Base Camp, here's which one fits the time and fitness you actually have

Deals & Routes Poon Hill tops out at 3,210 m on a 5-day walk, Annapurna Base Camp at 4,130 m over 9. Here's which suits your fitness, time and nerves. By Laxman Rawal · Oct 3, 2026 Read the full story

Choose Poon Hill if you have under a week, have never trekked above 3,000 m, or want a sunrise rather than a summit. Choose Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) if you can give it nine days, are comfortable with stone stairs and cold nights, and want to stand inside a… Travel Himalaya Nepal · News Read the full story

Which trek is easier, and by how much?

Poon Hill is the easier trek by a clear margin: it peaks at 3,210 m on day 3 and then descends, while ABC climbs for seven straight days to 4,130 m. We grade Poon Hill as easy and ABC as moderate. Poon Hill is a viewpoint hike, and ABC is a sustained climb… Travel Himalaya Nepal · News Read the full story

How hard is the altitude on each?

Neither is extreme, but ABC is the only one where altitude sickness is a realistic planning issue. Poon Hill never goes above 3,210 m, so most healthy walkers feel only mild breathlessness. ABC sleeps at 3,700 m at Machhapuchhre Base Camp and 4,130 m at the… Travel Himalaya Nepal · News Read the full story

What will you actually see?

Poon Hill gives the wider view, and ABC gives the closer one. From the 3,210 m summit you see a long skyline that includes Dhaulagiri (8,167 m), Annapurna I (8,091 m) and Machapuchare (6,993 m) at sunrise. ABC puts you inside the Annapurna Sanctuary, a basin… Travel Himalaya Nepal · News Read the full story

What does each cost, and when should you go?

Poon Hill costs roughly half as much because it is four fewer days. On our ladder the 5-day Poon Hill trek is US$500 solo and US$450 each for two or three people. The 9-day ABC trek is US$920 solo and US$830 each for two or three, with the guide, porter… Travel Himalaya Nepal · News Read the full story

Common questions

Yes, if they are fit and give it nine days, because the grade is moderate rather than technical. A beginner who has never been above 3,000 m should expect slow days and cold nights at the top. Yes. A licensed guide is mandatory for Annapurna region treks… Travel Himalaya Nepal · News Read the full story

Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek — 5 Days

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