EverTrek's Difficulty Ratings: Which trek is right for you?

Although our trips are adventure 'holidays', all of them are active adventures so we tend to remove the 'holiday' part. These active adventures are designed for those who want to explore the world on their own two feet whether that’s trekking through the Himalayas, visiting some epic Incan ruins, or summiting epic peaks.

Our trips take place in small guided groups, venturing through diverse environments with a mix of terrain, altitude, and daily trekking hours. That’s where our difficulty ratings come in, which are there to help you choose the adventure that’s right for you.

We use four levels of difficulty: Gentle, Moderate, Challenging, and Hardcore—based on key external factors like:

Trekking duration (how many hours you’ll be on your feet each day)

Altitude & acclimatisation (how high you’ll go and how your body will adapt)

Terrain (from well-trodden paths to steep, icey climbs)

Weather & conditions (because Mother Nature has a say too!)

What’s “hard” for one person might be a walk in the park for another. That’s why personal factors like age, experience, or fitness aren’t included in our rating system. Instead, we focus on the adventure itself so that you can assess whether it’s the right fit.

Your fitness level, trekking experience, and personal goals all play a role in how challenging a trek will feel. Choosing the right level matters not just for your safety and the smooth running of the group, but also to ensure you have the best possible journey out there in the mountains.

Here’s everything you need to know about EverTrek’s trek difficulty ratings and what to expect on each level.

Who’s It For?

These trips are designed for anyone and everyone. Whether you're a first timer or fancy a bit of a less challenging experience these trips strike the perfect balance for anyone wanting to get outdoors, have some fun trekking and awesome time.

What to Expect

• Daily Trekking: 3-5 hours

• Terrain: Well-defined trails, gentle inclines, minimal altitude gain

• Fitness Required: Basic fitness - if you enjoy long walks, you’ll be fine

• Altitude: Generally stays low, avoiding altitude sickness risks

Example Treks

UK training weekends – The classic training weekends we run in the UK are normally a 2 day trekking adventure in either Brecon Beacons or Snowdonia national park and although challenging in their own right, compared to our other treks, we class these as gentle.

Who’s It For?

This is ideal for people who want to take it to the next level and go from their regular hiking spots to somewhere more challenging. These trips are tough in their own right, especially as most of them are at altitude but they are ideal for people up for their first altitude experience or multi day trekking experience overseas.

What to Expect

• Daily Trekking: An average day is 5-7 hours but can be longer days depending on location.

• Terrain: Some steeper ascents/descents, rougher trails, and altitude

• Fitness Required: Good level of fitness – you should be comfortable walking for several hours a day

• Altitude: Usually between 2,500m – 4,000m but can also be our higher trails on moderately challenging terrain.

Example Treks

• Machu Picchu via Inca Trail – The iconic trek with solid hiking days and altitude to contend with.

• Annapurna Base Camp – A beautiful Himalayan adventure with lots of steps and altitude.

Who’s It For?

These treks are a step outside of your comfort zone, especially if you've not been to altitude before but are perfect if you want to push your limits and tick something epic off your bucket list.

What to Expect

• Daily Trekking: 6-9 hours on the longer days but average 5-7 per day

• Terrain: Steep ascents, rocky trails, potential snow and ice

• Fitness Required: Good level of fitness

• Altitude: 4,000m – 5,500m, where altitude sickness can be a factor

Example Treks

• Everest Base Camp – Although lots of first timers come on this trip, it’s a challenging multi day trek overall, especially when you get to over 5,000m.

• Annapurna Circuit – This awesome, long, high-altitude adventure is a step up in difficulty compared with the Annapurna Base Camp trip with varied landscapes and terrain.

Who’s It For?

This ones perfect for those who want a hardcore, high altitude experience that pushes you to to the edge of your comfort zone both physically and mentally. For anyone who dreams of simmiting peaks and who thrives on training and testing your limits and finding what you're really made of.

What to Expect

• Daily Trekking: 7-12 hours PLUS at times, especially on summit night!

• Terrain: Extremely steep ascents, glaciers, snow crossings, rock scrambles

• Fitness Required: Peak physical condition – serious training required

• Altitude: 5,500m+ in extremem environments

Example Treks

• Island Peak– Although popular, not to be underestimated due to it’s physicality and altitude of over 6,000m

• Mera Peak – The highest trekking peak in Nepal, with long hard days and the summit night being a true test of endurance.

Choosing the right trek isn’t just about fitness levels or how long it is, it’s about what YOU want to experience and what experience you are looking for and ltimately everyones difficulty gauge is different to someone else.

At the end of the day, it’s about finding a trek that gets the juices flowing, that feels right for where you are right now and maybe stretches you a little. (Because let’s be honest, the best adventures usually start with "I wasn’t sure I could do it, but...")

Whether it’s your first multi-day adventure or you're ready to take on some serious altitude, there’s an epic journey with your name on it so Get in touch with one of our friendly Yeti team to answer any further questions you have.