The hardest hikes in Nepal, by the numbers
Of the 42 trails in Nepal in our dataset, 20 (48 percent) rate strenuous or very strenuous on the gain-and-distance scale we use and run 3 to 30 miles with at least 1,500 ft of climb; all 20 are listed here, highest rating first.
Makalu base camp trek with Arun valley leads with 17,434 ft of gain over 28.9 miles, 603 ft per mile, with a steepest pitch of 54 percent.
Across the 20, gain runs from 2,170 to 17,694 ft and distance from 3.6 miles to 29.9 miles; the median gain is 6,571 ft and the median distance 11.8 miles.
14 of the 20 are out-and-back routes; the rest are point-to-point (6).
| # | Trail | Miles | Gain (ft) | Ft per mile | Max grade | Elevation (ft) | Rating | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Makalu base camp trek with Arun valleyMakalu Barun NP | 28.9 | 17,434 | 603 | 54% | 2,372 to 16,053 | 1003.8 | |
| 2 | Mera Peak trek (via Zatrw La)Makalu Barun NP | 29.9 | 15,176 | 508 | 53% | 9,423 to 17,940 | 952.6 | |
| 3 | Miristi Khola | 18.1 | 17,694 | 978 | 97% | 5,364 to 19,383 | 800.3 | |
| 4 | Mardi Himal Base Camp TrekWestern Nepal Pokhara | 25.5 | 9,904 | 388 | 75% | 5,635 to 14,493 | 710.7 | |
| 5 | Ganesh Himal Trail | 19.5 | 12,115 | 621 | 54% | 2,733 to 12,772 | 687.4 | |
| 6 | Tsum Valley trek | 21.5 | 10,842 | 504 | 47% | 5,331 to 12,677 | 682.8 | |
| 7 | Tiuche Lake | 20.8 | 10,713 | 515 | 60% | 5,413 to 14,022 | 667.6 | |
| 8 | Annapurna Marathon 46K | 28 | 6,556 | 234 | 95% | 5,978 to 13,583 | 605.9 | |
| 9 | Sherpani Amphu LaptsaSagarmatha NP | 19.4 | 6,586 | 339 | 58% | 15,492 to 20,210 | 505.5 | |
| 10 | Annapurna Base Camp Trek | 11.6 | 10,752 | 927 | 5,020 to 12,854 | 499.4 | ||
| 11 | Everest South ColSagarmatha NP | 8.1 | 10,987 | 1,356 | 84% | 17,434 to 28,615 | 421.9 | |
| 12 | Makalu BasecampMakalu Barun NP | 12 | 4,938 | 412 | 40% | 11,293 to 16,073 | 344.3 | |
| 13 | Kapuche Glacier Lake | 7.3 | 4,333 | 594 | 59% | 5,433 to 8,222 | 251.5 | |
| 14 | Mardi Himal East Trail | 5.5 | 5,597 | 1,018 | 77% | 11,627 to 16,965 | 248.1 | |
| 15 | Naar-Phu trek | 6.7 | 3,517 | 525 | 42% | 13,071 to 16,473 | 217.1 | |
| 16 | Phakding to Namche | 6.5 | 3,208 | 494 | 64% | 8,609 to 11,503 | 204.2 | |
| 17 | Tengboche to DingbocheSagarmatha NP | 6.4 | 2,170 | 339 | 23% | 12,248 to 14,298 | 166.7 | |
| 18 | Ice Lake Trek | 3.6 | 3,789 | 1,053 | 46% | 11,385 to 15,177 | 165.2 | |
| 19 | Terangaon to Mukot | 5.4 | 2,476 | 459 | 56% | 11,296 to 13,225 | 163.5 | |
| 20 | Piplang to SiraanchaurChhayanath NP | 5.5 | 2,217 | 403 | 50% | 11,529 to 13,743 | 156.2 |
How this list is ranked
Rating = the square root of 2 x elevation gain (ft) x distance (miles), the gain-and-distance formula Shenandoah National Park publishes for its own trails. Bands: under 50 easiest, 50 to 100 moderate, 100 to 150 moderately strenuous, 150 to 200 strenuous, 200 and over very strenuous.
This list: band strenuous (150 to 200) or very strenuous (200 and over), 3 to 30 miles, at least 1,500 ft of gain, ordered by rating desc, gain per mile desc, capped at 25. The rating column is computed from the miles and gain printed in the same row, the numbers each trail page uses, so every row can be checked from the row itself. The rating says nothing about exposure, scrambling, altitude or conditions.
Only trails with a full page count, so "Nepal" here means the 42 trails in Nepal in our dataset, not every trail in Nepal.
Each trail page shows the full elevation profile behind these numbers and the same data drawn as a topographic print, made to order. Start with Makalu base camp trek with Arun valley.
Hardest hikes elsewhere.
The same ranking for other countries in our dataset.