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How many calories do we burn hiking?
All you need to know about hiking
Do you know how many calories you can burn when hiking for 30 minutes or 1 hour? By entering your overall activity time and your weight in kilos, you can get an idea of how many calories you burn hiking.
Trekking: A few examples of energy expenditure depending on weight and activity time.
Use the table below to see how many calories you can burn when hiking on the hills or in the mountains, with or without a pack!
Hiking
with a backpack
Expenditure in Kilocalories
| Weight | 15 minutes | 30 minutes | 1 hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 kg | 74 | 147 | 294 |
| 50 kg | 92 | 184 | 368 |
| 60 kg | 110 | 221 | 441 |
| 70 kg | 129 | 257 | 515 |
| 80 kg | 147 | 294 | 588 |
| 90 kg | 165 | 331 | 662 |
Hiking
without backpack
Expenditure in Kilocalories
| Weight | 15 minutes | 30 minutes | 1 hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 kg | 63 | 126 | 252 |
| 50 kg | 79 | 158 | 315 |
| 60 kg | 95 | 189 | 378 |
| 70 kg | 110 | 221 | 441 |
| 80 kg | 126 | 252 | 504 |
| 90 kg | 142 | 284 | 567 |
See detailed calculations and metabolic equivalent for hiking
All you need to know about hiking
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT TREKKING
Hiking is a sport in its own right. The proof is in the pudding: a 70 kg person who goes hiking for 5 hours without a backpack will burn 2940 kcal, giving you a real reason to go hiking.
Just look at the difference in weight achieved by hikers on the paths of Santiago de Compostela or the various GR (Grande Randonnée) trails in France.
Whether in mountains, forests, along coastlines or through valleys, hiking offers an enriching and revitalizing experience, allowing walkers to connect with nature and discover new horizons.
Some benefits of hiking:
- Muscle strengthening: Hiking calls on many of the body’s muscles, particularly those of the legs, buttocks and back. When climbing, the calf and thigh muscles are particularly hard at work, helping to strengthen and tone the muscles.
- Improved cardiovascular endurance: Hiking is an aerobic activity that stimulates the cardiovascular system and improves endurance. Sustained walking and continuous effort during the hike help to develop good cardiorespiratory capacity.
- Burn calories: Hiking is an excellent way to burn calories. Energy expenditure depends on a number of factors, including the intensity of the walk, the terrain and the duration of the hike. This makes it an ideal activity for maintaining a healthy weight and promoting weight loss.
- Stimulating mental health: Hiking in the great outdoors offers a soothing, relaxing experience. It allows you to get away from everyday stress, recharge your batteries and reconnect with nature. Outdoor walking also promotes the release of endorphins, the feel-good hormones that give you a sense of happiness and satisfaction.
- Improved bone health: Regular hiking helps strengthen bones and prevent osteoporosis. The pressure exerted on bones during walking stimulates bone formation and promotes bone density.
- Interaction with the environment: Hiking allows you to discover varied landscapes, breathtaking panoramas, waterways and diverse flora and fauna. It’s a chance to disconnect from city life, connect with nature and appreciate the wonders of the environment.
In conclusion, hiking is an activity accessible to all, beneficial to both body and mind. Whether for the pleasure of discovery, the quest for a personal challenge, the desire to recharge your batteries or simply to enjoy nature, hiking is an excellent way to stay active, look after your health and experience unforgettable moments in the great outdoors.
How to calculate the number of calories burned hiking
The result displayed is expressed in Kcal and is calculated from the MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task). The MET for each activity is the result of statistical data and cannot therefore be interpreted as an exact calculation, but rather as an estimate taking into account the MET value and the ratio between the time spent on an activity and the weight of the individual.
For example: the MET value for hiking is 6. This means that a person hiking without a pack consumes 6 times more energy than when at rest during a nature outing.
MET values for different levels of hiking intensity
- Hiking without a pack: MET = 6
- Hiking with backpack: MET = 7
Discover the detailed formula to calculate your daily energy expenditure while trekking
Consumption in Kcal per minute = (MET*3.5*Weight in kilos)/200
This gives for a 70-kilo person hiking for 5 hours or 300 minutes:
Consumption in Kcal per minute = (6*3.5*70)/200 = 9.8 Kcal/mn
So for 30 minutes = 9.8*300 = 2940 kcal for 300 minutes or 5 hours
See also: Caloric expenditure 10,000 steps
