Trekking Calorie Needs Calculator

Work out trekking calorie needs instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Trekking Calorie Needs Calculator

Trekking energy demand is resting metabolism plus activity, where activity uses MET values weighted by total carried mass — body plus pack. Mountain walking at 8 METs with a loaded pack easily reaches 4,000-5,000 kcal a day, which is why long treks cause weight loss.

Formula

Trekking calories

kcal = BMR + MET x (body + pack weight) x hours; food weight at roughly 4000 kcal per kg

Worked example

With the default values below, Trekking Calorie Needs Calculator returns Daily calorie requirement of 5,237. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Body weight: 72 kg
Pack weight: 14 kg
Hours walking per day: 6 h
Terrainone of Flat trail, Rolling hills, Mountain: Mountain

Results

Daily calorie requirement: 5,237 kcal
Calories from walking: 3,509 kcal
Resting requirement: 1,728 kcal
Food weight per day: 1.31 kg

Step by step

1Values used
2Trekking calories
3Daily calorie requirement= 5,237 kcal
4Calories from walking= 3,509 kcal
5Resting requirement= 1,728 kcal
6Food weight per day= 1.31 kg

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
Figures are rounded for display to 2 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why plan food by calorie density?

Because weight is the constraint. Aim for 4,000-5,000 kcal per kilogram of food: nuts, oils and dried fats rather than bulky low-density foods.

Can I eat enough on a long trek?

Rarely. Most trekkers run a deficit of 500-1,500 kcal a day, which is sustainable for a few weeks but requires planning on longer expeditions.