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Distance + elevation โ walking time (DIN 33466), breaks and total
This calculator estimates your hiking time from distance, ascent, descent and fitness using the DIN 33466 method: 4 km/h for the distance, 300 m/h of ascent and 500 m/h of descent. It shows pure walking time, recommended breaks (15 minutes per started 2 hours) and the total. A 10 km hike with 500 m up and 500 m down takes 3 h 55 min on "Normal", 4 h 25 min with breaks.
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Hiking time is estimated by dividing the horizontal distance by your walking speed and adding extra time for ascent and descent, then combining the two figures. This calculator uses DIN 33466: 4 km/h on the flat, 300 m/h of ascent and 500 m/h of descent; the larger of the horizontal and vertical time counts in full and the smaller one half. Breaks come on top.
That pace is solid for hiking, since it sits at the upper end of typical walking speeds on trails. On steep or rocky terrain with a loaded pack, the same distance will take noticeably longer, and that is normal.
Most day hikes take a few hours, because typical routes are short enough to finish in a morning or afternoon. The actual time depends far more on elevation gain, terrain and break length than on distance alone.
On flat, easy trail a hike of that length covers roughly a mile at a normal walking pace. With steady uphill it can be less than half of that, since climbing eats time quickly.
A hike of that distance is moderate for someone with regular walking fitness and hard if you are untrained or the route has heavy elevation gain. Pack weight, heat and technical footing raise the difficulty more than the mileage itself.
Yes, a beginner can manage that distance on a well-marked trail with moderate elevation gain. Start with a slow pace, take regular breaks, and bring water and broken-in shoes.
Planning a hike and wondering how long it will take? The Hiking Time Calculator estimates your walking time from the route distance, the metres of ascent and descent, and your fitness. It shows three results: pure walking time, recommended breaks and the total with breaks.
This is the German hiking-time method of standard DIN 33466, used by the German Alpine Club and therefore often called the "DAV formula". The fitness factor and the break recommendation are additions of this calculator.
The results appear instantly in hours and minutes. Long photo stops or a meal at a hut come on top.
A hike in the Peak District: 10 km with 350 m of ascent and 350 m of descent, fitness "Normal". Distance time is 2 h 30 min, ascent 1 h 10 min, descent 42 min, so the vertical time is 1 h 52 min. The calculator shows 3 h 26 min of walking, recommends 30 minutes of breaks and arrives at 3 h 56 min in total.
An Alpine hike: 9 km, 1,100 m of ascent, 400 m of descent. The vertical time (3 h 40 min up plus 48 min down = 4 h 28 min) is larger than the distance time (2 h 15 min): 4.47 + 2.25 รท 2 โ 5.59 hours, i.e. 5 h 36 min of walking and 6 h 21 min with 45 minutes of breaks. On "Leisurely" it becomes 6 h 59 min of walking and 7 h 59 min in total.
A gentle walk with 6 km, 120 m up and 120 m down: 1 h 49 min on "Normal", 2 h 44 min on "Family/Kids" and 3 h 14 min including breaks.
Underestimating how long a hike takes can leave you on the trail in the dark, in deteriorating weather, or without enough water and food. An estimate before you set off helps you:
If you are a beginner or hiking with children, choose "Leisurely" or "Family/Kids" instead of "Normal".
It is meant for hiking on trails and mountain paths. For via ferrata routes or glacier travel, add time for belaying and waiting yourself. For trail running the estimates will be too slow.
The pure walking time does not include breaks. Next to it, the calculator shows recommended breaks (15 minutes for every started 2 hours of walking) and the total time with breaks.
It is a rule of thumb for an average hiker on good paths. Terrain, weather and pack weight can change the real time considerably, so check it against the signposted times on your route.
Yes. Break your route into daily stages and calculate each one separately.
Add up all elevation gains to get the total ascent, and all elevation losses to get the total descent. Enter these totals along with the full distance.