Kavita Chand Sets Kilimanjaro Round-Trip Speed Record
Chand completed the Mount Kilimanjaro round trip in 22 hours and 36 minutes, becoming the first Indian to do so in under 24 hours.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Running
Indian runner Kavita Chand completed a Mount Kilimanjaro round trip in 22 hours and 36 minutes. The effort included an ascent in 12 hours and 46 minutes to a summit of 5,895 metres.
Why it matters
The record adds a fifth peak to Chand's Seven Summits journey and combines endurance running with high-altitude mountaineering. It also follows her third-fastest Indian woman finish at the Chicago Marathon.
Chand's round trip took 22 hours and 36 minutes, with the ascent completed in 12 hours and 46 minutes to 5,895 metres. Conventional Kilimanjaro expeditions typically take five to nine days, and the source does not indicate whether the time has been independently verified.
The players
Kavita Chand
Indian endurance runner and mountaineer pursuing the Seven Summits, who has completed five of the six World Marathon Majors.
The details
Chand took the Mweka Gate-Uhuru Peak-Mweka Gate route, supported by a summit porter and two guides. Boots & Crampons coordinated logistics, route planning and safety with a local team in Tanzania, and an advance team established a camp at Barafu Camp at 4,673 metres.
Timeline
October 11: Chand finishes the Chicago Marathon as the third-fastest Indian woman.
Immediately afterward: Chand travels to Nepal for an expedition to Himlung Himal.
November 6, 2026: Article reporting the Kilimanjaro record is published.
Season Trajectory
The Kilimanjaro record is the fifth peak Chand has climbed in pursuit of the Seven Summits, a challenge that pairs one ascent per continent's highest mountain. It also extends her run of marathon results that includes completing five of the six World Marathon Majors.
The record shows that a sub-24-hour Kilimanjaro round trip is possible for an experienced endurance athlete, which may shape how other runners think about combining marathon training with high-altitude climbs. Readers planning similar challenges can note that the ascent and descent were supported by guides, a summit porter and a coordinated local team.
The takeaway
Chand's result shows how endurance running and high-altitude mountaineering can be combined in a single expedition. Athletes considering similar goals can plan around guided support, route logistics and the acclimatisation that high-altitude work requires.
Further reading
For more on endurance training and race results, explore the Running section.
