Difficulty Level and Difficulty Factors
15 Days Annapurna Base Camp via Poon Hill Trekking is considered to be one of the easiest Himalayan expeditions, even among the mainstream trekking routes. Even if you are a complete beginner in the Himalayan trekking, with enough determination and prep time, you will be able to enjoy this classical adventure easily.
The difficulty of this exhilarating exploration of the base of the tenth-highest mountain in the world is at a ‘moderate’ level. You won’t need any technical skills or need to have previous high altitude trekking experience to do this trek. However, Poon Hill Annapurna Base Camp Trekis still a high-altitude adventure, so you shouldn’t underestimate its challenges. Here are some of the hurdles that you will have to overcome while doing Annapurna Base Camp with Poon Hill Trekking.
Elevation Annapurna Base Camp
Although the elevation gain in this Himalayan adventure is mild compared to other remote and high-altitude explorations, the elevation Annapurna Base Camp is still high. Starting your trekking adventure from Ulleri (2,070 meters), you will move along the high elevation points of this adventure like Ghorepani Village (2,885 meters), Poon Hill (3,210 meters), Machhapuchare Base Camp (3,720 meters), and the highest elevation point, Annapurna Base Camp (4,130 meters).
So, due to the high altitude nature of Annapurna Base Camp Poon Hill Trekking adventure, there is the risk of altitude sickness. You need to train efficiently, stay hydrated, eat a balanced-diet, get enough rest, and stay hydrated to overcome this hurdle of your trek.
Trekking Distance
During your Annapurna Base Camp via Poon Hill Trekking, you will cover a total trekking distance of 115 km. Thus, during your trekking days, you will walk for about 6 hours on average during the trekking days of your adventure.
Furthermore, the steep section, high altitudes, and rugged trails add even more challenges to your trek. You will also be trekking at the rising altitude carrying your backpack if you haven’t put much effort into your preparation; the long hours of trekking can be physically exhausting.
Weather
Undoubtedly, Poon Hill and the Annapurna Base Camp Poon Hill Trek in Nepal is a remarkable trekking experience; however, the unpredictable weather factors do contribute to its overall difficulty level. Although the peak seasons are considered to be the most ideal seasons with the perfect climatic conditions for this trek, the high-altitude Himalayan climatic conditions can be unpredictable at times.
It's even more challenging during the off-seasons like winter (December-February) and monsoon (June-August). Winter covers the trekking trail with snow, and even the day temperature of the region can be freezing.
As for the monsoon, slippery-muddy trails, unpredictable weather, risks of landslides, and flooding make the trekking experience even more complicated. So, if you are a beginner, you should pick a pleasant month for the trek and prepare yourself for unpredictable climatic conditions at the high altitudes.
Remoteness
Although the Annapurna Base Camp via Poon Hill Trek takes place in the mainstream trekking region of the country, it is still a remote exploration. This classical route in the Himalayas explores the remote and secluded parts of the region that are not as developed as the urban civilizations.
So, expecting grand services and amenities like a star hotel/restaurant during this expedition is futile. The technological, transportation, and infrastructural developments in the region are pretty much limited to the lower regions. So, you have to mentally prepare yourself and visualize your journey lowering the bars rather than getting disappointed later.
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Training and Preparation for Annapurna Base Camp Trek via Poon Hill
An adequate amount of preparation for the trek can help you to reduce the difficulty level of hurdles of this trek significantly. This way, not only will you have a comfortable experience during each day of your Annapurna Base Camp Trek via Poon Hill exploration, but you will also be able to truly relish your adventure.
If you are into sports or you have a habit of working out routinely, you might not need to put in a lot of hours during your training part. It is the exact opposite if you are a complete beginner and don’t have a habit of working out; you will need to put in some extra hours so that your body will get used to physical activities.
The minimum recommended period for this trekking adventure is about 4-6 weeks; you can do your own physical assessment to determine the training program and period more effectively. Practice hikes, stair climbing, and strength and endurance training are some of the efficient exercises for your preparation. You can also include the following exercise in your preparation to boost your overall stats.
Strength and Endurance: Plank, push up, pull up, deadlift, bicep curl, overhead press, bench press, bicep curl, leg press, lunges, glute bridge, etc
Cardiovascular: Dancing, cycling, jumping rope, swimming, jumping jack, burpees, jogging, etc
Food, Accommodation and Drinking Water
In this Annapurna Base Camp via Poon Hill Trek, you will spend 10 nights in the teahouses/lodges along your trekking route, 3 nights at a hotel in Kathmandu, and 1 in Pokhara.
During your stay at the star hotels, you will receive all the modern amenities and services. As you move along with your trekking route, you will stay at the teahouses/lodges run by the locals of the region. Still, Annapurna is a mainstream trekking region in the country, and you will be able to enjoy all the modern facilities in the lower regions.
For accommodation at the teahouses, you will rest in well-furnished rooms with attached bathrooms at the lower trails. Your standard package will get you dormitory-styled rooms with two or three adjacent beds. If you want to enjoy a luxurious experience, you can also buy custom-tailored and luxurious trekking packages.
Food
You will need to eat a balanced-diet to keep up with every day's exploration in the rising altitude. Balanced diet and an adequate amount of rest are the best preventive measures for altitude sickness in high-altitude adventures. One of the best things about the teahouse trekking adventures in Nepal is that you will be able to enjoy locally sourced healthy and nutritious meals during each day of your adventure.
As this is a popular and beloved Himalayan trekking destination, the food menus are pretty extensive, and you can enjoy a variety of regional dishes, including other Asian and Western cuisines. Here are some food menus you can expect during your exploration route of the Annapurna Base Camp Poon Hill Trek.
Breakfast: Tea, coffee, fresh juice, eggs, bread, toast, jam, butter, honey, Tibetan bread, muesli, oats, pancake, pudding, paratha, chapati, etc
Lunch and Dinner: Dal bhat tarkari (lentil soup, steamed rice, vegetables, and pickles), dhindo, gundruk, Thakali set, momo, chowmein, shyakpa, thukpa, tingmo, rildok, pasta, pizza, spaghetti, sandwich, steak, fries etc
Drinking Water
You are recommended to drink at least 3-4 liters of water for a comfortable trekking experience and to prevent altitude sickness. As the sale of bottled water in the Annapurna region has been banned since 2015 to conserve the environment, you can buy boiled water at the teahouse or drink water from safe drinking stations.
Even though the water from the mountain is considered to be safe and pure, you shouldn’t take any chances. You are recommended to carry reusable water bottles with filters and purification solutions or tablets to make the water safer. If you want to buy boiled and filtered drinkable water at the teahouses, the cost can vary depending on the altitude; in the most general case, it costs US$ 1 to US$ 2 for a pot.
Safety
The safety and well-being of our guests are our utmost priorities. Our itinerary package has been designed by veteran guides and travel experts who have explored this trekking route numerous times. During your trek, you will be guided by a government-licensed guiding expert who has numerous years of experience in this trekking route and is also trained for the high altitude response by the Kathmandu Environment Education Project (KEEP).
During your trek, guides will monitor your physical and mental health and regularly check your oxygen saturation level at high altitudes. Your guide will continuously update your physical location to our head office located in Kathmandu, which is available 24/7.
In case if you get sick, your guides will coordinate with us about whether to transfer you to a nearby health facility or evacuate you from the region via helicopter. We also make the arrangements for oxygen bottles and Portable Altitude Chamber (PAC) in case if its necessary.
Permits and Requirement
You will need two permits to do this iconic Himalayan adventure:
- Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP)
- TIMS (Trekkers Information Managemtn System) Card
The cost for an Annapurna Conservation Area Permit is US$ 25 (NPR 3,000) for foreign trekkers and NPR 1,000 for the citizens of the SAARC nations. It is only NPR 100 for the Nepali trekkers.
As for the TIMS Card, it costs US$ 17 (NPR 2,000) for foreign trekkers and NPR 300 for SAARC nationals. Nepali trekkers don’t need a TIMS Card to do this trek. You will be able to get both of these permits from the Nepal Tourism Board’s office located in Kathmandu or from the Tourist Information Centre located in Pokhara.
You wil need to have the following documents and information to get these permits for your trek.
- 2 passport-sized photo
- Copy of your passport
- Date of both the start and end of your trek
- Itinerary and route plan
- Entry and exit points along the route
- Travel insurance detail
- Emergency contact person information
Packing List
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need too much heavy gear and clothes when it comes to doing a Himalayan expedition in Nepal. Your trekking trail will pass through diverse landscapes and climatic zones; the temperatures in the lower regions are generally warm during the peak seasons and a bit chilly at the higher altitudes.
Although we suggest you to pack light for your Himalayan exploration, you shouldn’t miss out on the essentials. Here are some recommendations that you can cross-reference with your checklist.
Head and Body
- Sun hat, head scarf
- Beanie, woolen hat
- Neck gaiter, muffler
- Tshirt (both half sleeve and full sleeve)
- Inner thermal wear
- Windproof/waterproof light jacket
- Heavy down jacket
- Woolen/ fleece jacket
- Hiking shorts, cotton full pants
- Windproof/ waterproof trousers, heavy woolen trousers
- Undergarments (several pairs)
Foot
- Trekking boots (break in first to check comfort)
- Socks (several with different thickness levels)
- Sports shoes compatible for short excursions
- Crocks/sandals/slippers
- Waterproof gaiter
- Ankle support
Personal Hygiene
- Toothbrush, toothpaste
- Medium-sized face towel
- Quick dry towel, wet wipes, and toilet paper
- Sunscreen (UV protection), body lotion, lip balm
- Soap, shampoo, conditioner
- Foot powder
- Insect repellant
- Deodrant
- Nail clippers, small mirror
- Personal medications
- Small first aid kit
Equipment/ Gear
- Sleep bag
- Duffle bag, backpack
- Packing sack
- Trekking poles
- Binoculars, camera
- Headlamp with a few extra pairs of batteries
- Sunglass
- Power bank, solar charger
- Journal, magazine, pens
- Universal charging cord
