Only a few days, or a first-ever trek
Poon Hill. Five days from Pokhara, never above 3,210 m, with a famous sunrise view of the Annapurnas.
Poon Hill →Side by side
Compare our treks
The numbers that decide how hard a trek feels: how high you sleep, how many nights you spend up there, and the biggest single day's climb.
| Measure | Annapurna Base Camp | Everest Base Camp | Annapurna Circuit | Poon Hill | Langtang Valley |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Days | 8 | 12 | 11 | 5 | 8 |
| Highest point | Annapurna Base Camp, 4,130 m / 13,550 ft | Kala Patthar, 5,545 m / 18,192 ft | Thorong La Pass, 5,416 m / 17,769 ft | Poon Hill, 3,210 m / 10,531 ft | Kyanjin Ri, 4,600 m / 15,092 ft |
| Highest nightWhere you sleep matters more for altitude than where you visit. | 4,130 m | 5,164 m | 4,450 m | 2,860 m | 3,870 m |
| Nights above 3,000 m | 2 | 9 | 6 (plus 1 night at a stop not yet in our data) | 0 | 3 |
| Rest days at altitude | None | 2 | 1 | None | None |
| Biggest climb in one dayFrom where you slept to that day's main stop. | 920 m | 830 m | 966 m | 850 m | 1,010 m |
| Grade | Moderate to hard, 3 of 5 Moderate to challenging | Hard, 4 of 5 Challenging (high altitude, no technical climbing) | Hard, 4 of 5 Challenging (long days, one very high pass) | Moderate, 2 of 5 Easy to moderate | Moderate to hard, 3 of 5 Moderate |
| Best months | Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov | Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov | Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov | Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov | Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov |
| Start / end | Pokhara / Pokhara | Lukla (flight from Kathmandu or Ramechhap) / Lukla | Besisahar / Jomsom | Pokhara / Pokhara | Kathmandu (drive to Syabrubesi) / Kathmandu |
| Permits | Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) | Sagarmatha National Park entry permit; Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality entry fee; Licensed guide requirement | Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP); TIMS card | Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) | Langtang National Park entry permit; TIMS card |
| Price | On request | On request | On request | On request | On request |
| View trek | View trek | View trek | View trek | View trek |
Altitude by day
See the climb
Each trek on the same scale, easiest first.
Altitude of each day's stopAbove 3,000 m, where altitude sickness becomes a real riskSame scale for every trek: taller and longer means harder
- Highest night
- 2,860 m
- Nights above 3,000 m
- 0
- Biggest climb
- 850 m day 2, to Ghorepani
- Rest days
- None
- Highest night
- 4,130 m
- Nights above 3,000 m
- 2
- Biggest climb
- 920 m day 4, to Deurali
- Rest days
- None
- Highest night
- 3,870 m
- Nights above 3,000 m
- 3
- Biggest climb
- 1,010 m day 2, to Lama Hotel
- Rest days
- None
- Highest night
- 4,450 m
- Nights above 3,000 m
- 6+
- Biggest climb
- 966 m day 9, to Thorong La Pass
- Rest days
- 1
- Highest night
- 5,164 m
- Nights above 3,000 m
- 9
- Biggest climb
- 830 m day 2, to Namche Bazaar
- Rest days
- 2
Biggest climb = height gained from where you slept to that day's main stop. Full comparison →
Which one should I choose?
First trek above 4,000 m
Annapurna Base Camp. Eight days from Pokhara with no mountain flights, ending in a basin ringed by peaks.
Annapurna Base Camp →No flights, close to Kathmandu
Langtang Valley. A week up a high valley of yak pastures and glaciers, a day's drive from the capital.
Langtang Valley →You want the big name
Everest Base Camp. The longest time at altitude, with two rest days built in and the Lukla flight at each end.
Everest Base Camp →You want variety and a high pass
Annapurna Circuit. From green valleys to dry high desert, crossing Thorong La at 5,416 m.
Annapurna Circuit →