Though Physical Fitness and Trek Preparation are important parts of any outdoor activity, you do not need to be an athlete or marathon runner to enjoy the trek in Nepal. Most people of good fitness for their age can complete our trek. Trekking in Nepal is a walking holiday at your own pace, enjoying the Himalayan vista and cultural contrast to the fullest.
Most first-time trekkers are concerned that they won't keep up but soon discover that a steady pace will have them to their destination well before they would have expected. These treks are not running competitions but walking holidays for people of all ages. However, the fitter you are, the more you will enjoy it. You will have enough energy for extra activities.
Fitness for Nepal Trip: Aerobic, Walking, Cycling, Jogging, Tai Chi, etc
There are three essential components of Nepal trek preparation - aerobic, strength, and mental. Aerobic conditioning is important primarily because you will be trekking in thinner air, up to 40% less than at sea level. With good aerobic conditioning, you can better metabolize whatever oxygen is available.
You should plan on doing at least one hour of aerobics three or four times per week for one month or more before your arrival in Nepal. Walking, jogging, cycling, and hiking on the valley floor to ridgeline ascents with a day back are some excellent forms of exercise, so long as you are strengthening leg muscles and building stamina. Speed is not the essence; stamina, confidence, and continuity are.
Rather than have long, gradually ascending trails most Himalayan trails point almost directly up, requiring a lot more effort, especially when descending, a lot more concentration. Most people think that the biggest challenge while trekking on High Mountain is going up, but it is while descending that creates the most problems. Tai Chi could be an excellent trek preparation exercise as it focuses on strengthening the leg quads muscles and technique for well-balanced, weightless stepping lightly and safely.
Physical and Mental Preparation is a Must to Enjoy it
Many trekkers who have otherwise prepared well in all other areas often overlook mental preparation. While trekking may require a lot of physical effort, something to endure as the only way to see remote parts of Nepal, it can be a delightful exercise.
Trekking in the Himalayas is relatively safe, and mishaps or problems are usually minor. However, unpleasant things may occur on a long trek, so Physical fitness and Mental preparation are a must. You might have a bout of mild illness, not get proper sleep, find the trekking pace too fast or slow, or experience a number of annoying or stressful things during some part of your trek.
Before you leave for adventure trekking, think about the journey as more than just a quest to reach a destination. Imagine your trip as an opportunity to experience whatever happens as an essential part of the journey. It does not matter so much whether you reach Everest Base Camp or any other destination.
It would help if you were prepared to find joy and fulfillment in all the moments of your trip, including the unpleasant ones you had not expected. Preparing to keep a very positive frame of mind throughout your journey, along with good physical conditioning, will ensure you are ready to experience all the wonders of the Nepal Himalayas at your best. Thus, physical fitness is necessary for the Nepal trek to enjoy the thrill of the adventure of being alive.