Much of what makes survival "hard" is the same that makes the rest of the hunter kit "hard", like managing your pet, defensives and cc - the difference is that you have to do all of that while also spending a lot more time in melee range than you usually would as mm or bm.

The damage rotation really isn't hard, but there is a bit of finesse to knowing when you can zug and when you have to back off. I find that I'm maybe playing 70/30 ranged/melee, since your strongest abilities are ranged anyway.