Hiking Training Plan for your Nepal Trek

Signing up for an extended trek in Nepal can be daunting. Many people who go backpacking in Nepal have never done a trek of more than a few days — let alone the 2+ weeks that is normal here. While I firmly believe that people of pretty much any fitness level can manage a Himalaya trek, you will have much more fun if you’re in good shape. So I put together this hiking training plan to help you prepare.

 

Most people can’t take tons of time off work in advance of a big trip like visiting Nepal. So this hiking training plan is designed to fit realistically into your life — before work, after work, and on weekends. It’s definitely a time commitment, but it shouldn’t completely take over your life. Plus, the hiking preparation is pretty enjoyable!

 

(Disclaimer: I’m not a fitness expert. But I did tons of research, including consulting fitness experts and personal trainers, before my trek — and I know this plan worked for me. You should talk to your doctor before starting a new fitness plan.)

 

Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you decide to purchase through these links, I receive a percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you, which helps me keep this site up and running.

 

Why start a hiking training plan before trekking in Nepal?

 

 

Imagine this: You’re on the trip of a lifetime, hiking to Everest Base Camp, starting out on the Annapurna trek, or venturing way off the beaten path around Manaslu. You’ve been dreaming about being in these mountains for months. You’ve just reached your tea house after your first 10-hour day on the trail. Then, your guide tells you there’s a really special gompa (Tibetan monastery) that you could visit — but it’s another hour’s hike, straight uphill. You don’t really want to miss out on that experience because you’re too tired, do you?

 

Or, imagine it’s the second day of your trek. The first day was amazing, but you have even more ground to cover today — and it’s steeper than Day 1. When you crawl out of your sleeping bag, you find that your legs are so sore you can barely walk. You have to take the hike at a far slower pace than expected. If you’re on a tight timeline, you have to choose between powering through while you’re in pain, or stopping early for the night and sacrificing an important altitude acclimatization day later on. Both scenarios put you at risk of not completing the trek.

 

On my trek in Nepal, I saw hikers in both of these situations. While their trekking buddies were enjoying the mountains, they were totally miserable. The good news is, following a hiking training plan virtually guarantees that you’ll be able to keep up on the trail and have fun while doing it.

 

The other major advantage to making a hiking training plan is it will allow you to test out your gear and get a feel for how your body reacts to more exercise. It took me several training hikes before I really understood how to layer correctly, how quickly I’d run out of water, and how much food I needed to pack. Better to know that before you’re on your Nepal trek.

 

When to start training for a trek

 

 

As soon as you can! Really there is no right or wrong answer to this question. Any preparation you can do is better than no preparation. So if you book your trip to Nepal for two weeks from now, you should still start ramping up your exercise routine!

 

But ideally, depending on your baseline fitness level, you’ll start training well before your Nepal trek. I started about four months before my trek, and I really noticed the difference in my fitness level after about two months. I was not in great shape before I started training — I cycled a few miles to and from work every day, but otherwise didn’t get much exercise.

 

Training Phase 1: Walking 5 miles without a break

 

 

Most tales of trekking in Nepal focus on the short, steep days at high altitude, where just putting one foot in front of the other feels like a gargantuan task. But often overlooked are the very long days on mostly flat terrain that make up several days on many treks in Nepal — including the popular Annapurna trek and the Manaslu Circuit. This is more of an endurance test than a strength test, and it tends to leave people more sore and tired than the visibly difficult segments.

 

So if you’re not accustomed to being on your feet for extended periods of time, the first step in your hiking training plan is to start getting used to it.

 

No need to hit the trails to do this — you can incorporate medium-length walks into your daily routine. Just go for a long stroll around the neighborhood. Go for a walk outside during your lunch break at work. The main goal at this phase is to establish a baseline fitness level as you start training for long distance hiking.

 

Ideally, you’ll wear your hiking boots on these walks, at least occasionally. This is especially important if you have new hiking boots. (In the market for new boots? I recommend these Merrells.)

 

If you incorporate long walks into your routine a few days a week, you’ll be in good shape to move to the next phase of this hiking training plan.

 

Training phase 2: Cardio

 

 

The next step is to build up some aerobic endurance — necessary for those long, steep climbs in the Himalayas. So you’ll need to add some higher-intensity cardio into your fitness routine.

 

You can do this with whatever form of cardio works best for you. Many people enjoy running, since you can do it outside for free. I prefer spin classes at my gym. If you’re not sure what works best for you, try signing up for Classpass — you can test out different classes at different gyms until you find something you like.

 

Whatever you choose, make sure your cardio routine is something that pushes you out of your comfort zone — you want it to be hard. Additionally, since you’re preparing for a long trek, be careful not to put unnecessary stress on your knees (you don’t want to suddenly have knee problems when facing a long descent in the Himalayas).

 

You should aim to do a cardio workout 3-4 times per week when you’re training for a trek.

 

Training phase 3: Strength training

 

 

While endurance is an important component of training for long distance hiking, don’t overlook strength. You’ll need it for everything from getting yourself up the steepest hills, to balancing on very narrow cliffside paths, to carrying your backpack (even if the only thing in it is water).

 

Focus on building strength in your legs, core, and back. Having super-toned biceps isn’t going to help you a whole lot on the trails.

 

If you’re not into weight lifting at the gym, that’s okay! You can still build strength using body weight exercises. I like this recommended circuit — it only takes 10 minutes a day to do it once, or go through it a few times for a longer workout.

 

Adding strength training into your routine 1-2 days a week should be plenty when you’re training for a trek.

 

Training phase 4: Hiking as much as you can

 

 

As you get closer to your trek departure date, you need to build up more capacity for long days on the trail. This is a totally different form of exercise than running for an hour (or even running a marathon), so regardless of what else you’re doing, you should work as much of it into your life as possible.

 

Starting about six weeks before my trek, I made sure to get in at least a 10-mile hike with 1,000+ feet of elevation gain on varied terrain every weekend. You should aim to maintain a 3 mph or faster pace, even if you’re climbing a lot. This is the closest you can come to simulating the Himalayas, and it’s an essential component of training for a backpacking trip in Nepal.

 

A word of warning: You will likely be very sore the first few times you do a hiking workout. But after a few weeks, you’ll get into a routine and a long hike won’t feel like a big deal anymore.

 

In addition to building up your fitness, training hikes are your best chance to test gear and get a feel for what you need to bring. If you can work in some cold-weather hikes, hikes in the rain, or hikes on back-to-back days, that’s even better.

 

Training phase 5: Add weight

 

 

Weighted backpack training is only critical if you plan on carrying your own backpack when trekking in Nepal, but it’s helpful even if you only plan to carry a day pack. After all, water is surprisingly heavy and you’ll need to carry a lot of it.

 

Once you’re comfortable hiking 10+ miles a day routinely at a good pace, start carrying a weighted backpack. Ideally you should use the same pack you’re using in Nepal.

 

Start with a small amount of added weight — only 5-10 pounds. Once you can hike with significant elevation change with that, gradually add more weight. Work your way up to the amount of weight you plan to trek with in Nepal.

 

One thing you’ll notice as soon as you start weighting your pack is the downhill segments are more brutal on your body. Consider investing in a pair of trekking poles to bring to Nepal with you — and to spare your knees on the training hikes.

 

Training phase 6: Add it all together

 

 

The final component of your hiking training plan is to incorporate all of the above into a weekly routine. My hiking training plan looked something like this:

 

Monday: Spin class in the morning; walk home from work in the evening (3 miles)

Tuesday: Strength training; walk to and from work (6 miles total)

Wednesday: Spin class in the morning; walk home from work in the evening

Thursday: Walk to and from work

Friday: Spin class in the morning; walk home from work in the evening

Saturday: Long hike (15+ miles) with a slightly weighted backpack

Sunday: Long walk in my neighborhood (5 miles)

 

If you keep this up for 3-4 weeks, you’ll notice a rapid improvement in your fitness level. That’s a good sign that you’re ready to hit the trails in Nepal!

 

Hiking training plan tips for success

 

 

Holding yourself accountable to a hiking training plan can be difficult, especially if you weren’t exercising regularly before. But whenever you don’t feel like working out, remember — you’ll enjoy your trek in Nepal so much more if you do! Day dreaming about your trip can help you stay on track.

 

Additionally, it’s really important not to overdo it when you’re training for a backpacking trip. You should take at least one rest day every week (it’s fine to go for a walk, but don’t do any intense exercise). If you start to feel too sore or too tired, take a break. You want to push yourself, but you definitely don’t want to get injured before your trip to Nepal.

 

I also found it helpful to complement my hiking training plan with a careful meal plan. I discovered that I needed to eat a lot more when I started walking everywhere and adding intense workouts to my lifestyle. As a vegetarian, I was worried about getting enough protein to build the muscle I needed as well. So I cut all the junk food out of my life and started looking for new recipes that would help me keep my energy levels up. It was surprisingly easy to shift to a much healthier diet, and I almost immediately felt better and more ready to exercise.

 

Finally: Go to Nepal and enjoy your trek!

 

 

All your preparation will pay off the minute you step onto the trails in Nepal. While your travel buddies are huffing and puffing their way up the hills, you’ll be standing at the top taking epic panorama photos.

 

You’ll have broken-in gear that you’re comfortable with. Your joints will be accustomed to the additional stress. You’ll know how much water you need to carry and how often to stop for a snack. And you’ll be free to have fun instead of dealing with aches and pains and exhaustion.

 

Trekking in Nepal is an unforgettable experience — make it even better by being ready for the challenges!

 

Have you been on a long trekking trip? How did you prepare? Leave a comment!

 

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Ready more about travel in Nepal here.