Everest Trail Race

Event Overview

Course & Terrain

Six high-altitude mountain stages through the Solukhumbu region, with the wider organizer program running November 9–21.

Key course features to know before comparing this race:

• Sherpa villages
• Maximum altitude of 4,104 m
• Pikey Peak (4,046 m), with views of Everest and the high Himalaya
• Hillary Bridge and Namche Bazaar on the way up to Tengboche
• Final stage from Tengboche down to Lukla

Mostly local footpaths between about 2,000 and 4,100 m: stone staircases, dirt tracks, forest, villages and open highland, with very few flat sections. In 2025 Stage 1 packed about 800 m of climbing into its last 5 km, and Stage 2 climbed to Pikey Peak (4,046 m) before a long, technical descent through dense forest. Stage 3 dropped over loose, unstable ground from about km 7 to km 15, then crossed the Dudh Kosi and climbed 500 m to the finish. On Stage 4 a landslide on the Kari La descent left about 2 km of deep mud. The route is marked with biodegradable paint, and runners also carry a map, a compulsory compass and the road book issued in Kathmandu. The organizer recommends poles.

November is the start of the dry season, and the organizer chose the dates for clear skies and the year’s lowest rainfall. Its FAQ gives daytime highs of about 15 to 18 °C and lows of −5 to −6 °C at the higher camps, with −10 °C possible at night and dawn, so the compulsory sleeping bag must be rated to −10 °C. During the 2025 race, daytime temperatures reached 20 °C and nights fell to near freezing, according to the organizer’s Stage 4 report. Rain and cold spells are rare but possible, which is why a hooded waterproof jacket and pants are on the mandatory list.

Entry & Logistics

Why This Race Matters

The Everest Trail Race was first held in 2011. Race director Jordi Abad and the Spanish organizer Grup Adeaventura run it with Nepali partner Annapurna Treks. It is small by design: 31 runners started the second edition in 2012 and 46 the sixth in 2016. Early editions started in Jiri and followed the 1953 approach route of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay toward the Khumbu. After a pandemic break, the race returned in 2022 with Stages 1 to 4 moved onto quieter trails from Dhap. Nepali mountain runners dominate, and the organizer says only two foreign men, Jordi Gamito (2018) and Miguel Heras (2022), have beaten them. In 2025, the 13th edition, Dal B. Kunwar won all six stages.

Preparing for a Race Like Everest Trail Race

The stage race guide covers the format as a whole. These guides go deeper:

• Stage race packing list: Mandatory kit, daily carry, camp bags, food and foot care.
• Walking strategy for ultramarathons: When and how to walk by terrain, effort and cutoffs.
• Hydration and sodium for ultramarathons: Fluid, sodium, thirst, sweat rate and hyponatremia risk.
• Blister prevention: Socks, taping, lubrication, shoe fit and hot spots.

Best Fit

• Trail runners who want a Himalayan stage race with meals, tents and medical cover provided
• Strong mountain hikers who can spend 9 to 11 hours a day on steep stone trails
• Runners who want to race Nepal’s best mountain runners in a small field
• Runners traveling with a non-running partner, who can follow on the companion trek

Planning Notes

• Study the mandatory gear list early and rehearse carrying the exact pack weight you expect to use on race day.
• Train for terrain-specific fatigue. Technical trails and mountain courses demand downhill durability, hiking efficiency, and reliable night lighting.
• The directory does not mark this as having simpler logistics. Confirm qualification, terrain, support, registration, medical, and withdrawal requirements before planning around it.
• Kit checks: a missing sleeping bag, warm layers or waterproof shell means disqualification, and a pack outside the 3 to 6 kg range costs two hours
• Daylight cutoffs: runners who miss a checkpoint or finish cutoff may start the next day with medical approval but drop out of the general ranking, and a second miss ends the race
• Altitude from the first day: Stage 1 finishes near 3,490 m, and the medical team can withdraw any runner for medical reasons
• Evacuation costs: rescue insurance is compulsory, and a helicopter evacuation forfeits the €500 deposit

Event FAQs

Related Preparation

• Compare this race in the full 2026 calendar
• Browse the multiday stage-race calendar
• Open the Stage Race format guide
• Compare all race formats
• Use the timed-race pace calculator
• Plan checkpoint arrivals and cutoff buffers
• Estimate race calories and plan fueling
• Build a crew and drop-bag plan
• Build a race-specific gear checklist