How many calories does a day hike burn?

Five hours with a daypack in hilly terrain are about 2,500 kcal total energy at 70 kg – roughly twice five hours of normal walking.

Does hiking burn more than walking?

Yes. Cross-country hiking is 6.0 MET in the Compendium, normal walking 3.8 MET. That is about 60 % more per hour.

Why does hiking matter so much for the 10K Challenge?

Because it burns a lot and lasts long: the planner allows up to 10 hours. Ten hours in hilly terrain would be about 5,100 kcal at 70 kg – more than ten hours of walking at any pace (at most about 3,600 kcal).

Calories burned by sportCalories burned

Calories burned hiking

By Thomas Freimoser · Updated: October 26, 2026

Hiking is walking with terrain, inclines and a pack – and that is what makes the difference: clearly more per hour, yet still doable for many hours.

Short answer

At 70 kg you burn about 390 kcal per hour hiking cross-country and about 510 kcal with a daypack in hilly terrain.

kcal per hour by pace and body weight

Pace / variant	55 kg	70 kg	85 kg	100 kg
cross-country6 MET · Code 17080	350	390	435	480
with daypack, hilly7.8 MET · Code 17012	450	510	565	625

Example person: 35 years, 172 cm · total energy including resting metabolism · rounded to 5 kcal · MET values: Compendium 2024.

Calculate for your bodyHeight, age and sex shift the values by up to 20 %.

What raises the burn

Terrain and pack count: with a pack in hilly terrain the burn is about 30 % above a cross-country hike.
Hiking burns about 60 % more per hour than normal walking (6.0 instead of 3.8 MET) – inclines and uneven ground work more muscles.
Downhill puts heavy load on the knees. Short steps and poles can help; with knee problems the planner can leave hiking out.

Frequently asked questions

How many calories does a day hike burn?: Five hours with a daypack in hilly terrain are about 2,500 kcal total energy at 70 kg – roughly twice five hours of normal walking.
Does hiking burn more than walking?: Yes. Cross-country hiking is 6.0 MET in the Compendium, normal walking 3.8 MET. That is about 60 % more per hour.
Why does hiking matter so much for the 10K Challenge?: Because it burns a lot and lasts long: the planner allows up to 10 hours. Ten hours in hilly terrain would be about 5,100 kcal at 70 kg – more than ten hours of walking at any pace (at most about 3,600 kcal).

In comparison

Similar burn at 70 kg, from the calmest to the most intense variant:

Elliptical325–585 kcal/h
Tennis390–520 kcal/h
Hiking390–510 kcal/h
Stair climbing445 kcal/h

And for the 10K Burn Challenge?

With hiking alone it would take 2.6 hours to burn 1,000 kcal. The planner shows how a whole day of 5,000 to 10,000 kcal comes together.

Build a day in the planner

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For healthy, trained adults only. Burning 10,000 kcal in a day is extreme. Drink, eat, rest – and stop immediately at any warning sign. Safety & methodology