Everest is an inspiring place. The highest mountain in the world has a magnetic lure, drawing the eyes and attention of the world.
But setting foot on the perilous, crowded, snowy 8,848m summit of Sagarmatha (loosely translated from Nepalese to The Head in the Heavens) is not for everyone. Is there a better alternative? The answer is yes.
If you’re inspired by the thought of summiting Everest and are looking for an exciting personal challenge, then get involved in Everesting – a craze that’s grown hugely in popularity over the past 10 years. The concept is wonderfully simple, despite being labelled “brutally hard” and “a legendary benchmark of human determination”.
This is how it works. Pick any hill or mountain, anywhere in the world, and repeatedly cycle, hike, run or even ski up and down it in one activity with no sleep until you reach your elevation. This unique style of challenge, which has become a global movement, provides an opportunity to “step outside your comfort zone, push your limits and redefine what you’re capable of – all in the pursuit of personal transformation”.
And, if you make it to the glorious finish line, you’ll have successfully climbed the height of the world’s highest peak in a single, continuous, non-stop effort – what an achievement!
So, in theory, you could choose any hill in the UK and take on a do-it-yourself Everesting mission. It’d take nearly seven ascents of Ben Nevis from the visitor centre, for example, to hit the magical mark, or 11.5 ascents of Snowdon via the Miners’ Track from Pen y Pass car park. But such an approach would be rather solitary, logistical to organise and exhausting when you add in the downhill hiking. That's where the Everesting 48hr challenge steps in – a perfect solution to these problems.
Everesting are the original creators and custodians of the Everesting movement that began over a decade ago in Australia. Since these humble beginnings, Everesting has grown to become a vibrant global community of hikers, runners, cyclists and skiers, organising Tours in the Alps, Pyrenees, Dolomites, Colombia and even on Mount Everest itself (!) every year.
But the standout event in the 2025 calendar is the unique Everesting 48hr event in Andorra from May 29th to June 1st – and, despite high demand, there’s still time to sign up.
Based at the breathtaking Ordino-Arcalis ski resort in Andorra, participants will face a big challenge: climbing the Mirador de Tristaina 19 times and equalling the monumental height of Mount Everest in the process. Each leg will be 3km long with 480m of elevation gain, which will add up to a tough 50km journey in total.
The good news? You’ll save energy for the next climb by using the chairlift to descend the mountain after each uphill stage and, ultimately, you have complete freedom to pace yourself.
It’s not a race and, with 48 hours at your disposal (Friday 6pm to Sunday 6pm), you can choose when to climb, when to rest and when to eat, whether day or night. What sets the Everesting 48h Challenge apart from 'typical' Everestings is the opportunity for participants to sleep when they need to – in a luxurious glamping setup in the mountains – ensuring they can complete this extraordinary challenge at their own pace. There are many more reasons to sign up too. Here are three of the best:
3 reasons to join the Everesting 48hr Challenge
1. Personal transformation
This is not just a physical challenge, it’s a mental one too – and Everesting promise a big feature of the weekend will be on personal transformation, networking with like-minded individuals and achieving goals as part of a unique challenge in an incredible setting in the great outdoors. The organisers are so confident about the transformative powers of Everesting, they confidently state: “you’ll conquer not only the mountain but also your own boundaries: this is your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rise above, transform, discover your strength and achieve greatness”. A common theme is that participants often build a strong rapport and friendship with each other, based on their common life values and adventure goals.
2. Incredible location
Based in the majestic Pyrenees mountains of Andorra, nestled between Spain and France, the surroundings of this challenge are sure to inspire your best performance, with beautiful views and a sense of escapism, nature and adventure. Indeed, at 2,700m above sea level, the Tristaina trail that you’ll hike 19 times winds through pristine mountains and lakes, untouched by construction or human impact. Everesting have exclusive use of the Ordino-Arcalís ski resort for the entire weekend and, importantly, accessibility to the region is hassle-free. Barcelona, Toulouse and Girona airports are the entry points, with Everesting taking care of your airport transfers too. You’ll also get a full glamping set-up for a comfortable stay in the mountains, alongside nutrition and gourmet food from 3 Michelin starred Basque chef Eneko Atxa – including a joyous celebration dinner on the Sunday evening.
3. Comprehensive support, coaching and services
In the lead up to the event, Everesting will provide full coaching and guidance to ensure all participants are ready for the physical, mental and nutritional challenges ahead. Regular webinars and sessions are held by Everesting’s professional coaches and athletes, as well as networking events for participants to get to know each other. On top of this, all of the in-country logistics and services provided by Everesting are described as “premium” and “high-end”. You’ll get exclusive tented camp accommodation with full beds, Michelin-star chef-designed meals tailored to the challenge, technical gear, airport transfers, medical assistance, physiotherapy, advanced recovery, real-time tracking and much more.
To book your place visit www.everesting.com
