Mumbai-Based Mountaineer Kavita Chand Completes Kilimanjaro Round Trip Under 23 Hours, Sets New Indian Record
Mumbai,11th November 2026: Mumbai-based Indian endurance athlete and mountaineer Kavita Chand has completed the round trip to Mount Kilimanjaro’s Uhuru Peak in 22 hours and 36 minutes, becoming the first Indian to complete the challenge in under 24 hours. She also reached the 5,895-metre summit in 12 hours and 46 minutes, marking a significant achievement in Indian mountaineering.
Kavita undertook the Mweka Gate–Uhuru Peak–Mweka Gate route, climbing to the highest point in Africa before returning to the starting point. Her performance stands out against conventional Kilimanjaro expeditions, which generally take five to nine days for the ascent and descent to allow climbers to acclimatise to the increasing altitude.
The achievement followed months of preparation and a series of demanding endurance challenges. Kavita trained for three months for the Chicago Marathon, held on October 11, 2026, running approximately 70–90 kilometres every week and undertaking strength training three times a week. She finished as the third-fastest Indian woman at the marathon.
Immediately after the marathon, she travelled to Nepal for an expedition to Himlung Himal (7,126 metres). Although she could not reach the summit, she acclimatised to approximately 6,600 metres, gaining valuable high-altitude experience ahead of her Kilimanjaro attempt.
Explaining her motivation, Kavita said, “Kilimanjaro was already on my list as part of my Seven Summits journey. A few people had suggested that I could attempt a speed climb there, and since I had to climb it anyway, I thought of making the experience more adventurous. Completing the ascent in 12 hours and 46 minutes and the entire round trip in 22 hours and 36 minutes is extremely special. I would also like to thank Bharath and Romil from Boots & Crampons and the entire support team for being part of this journey and helping make it possible.”
Boots & Crampons coordinated the expedition through Bharath and Romil, who worked with the local team in Tanzania on logistics, route planning and safety arrangements. The advance team established a camp at Barafu Camp, located at 4,673 metres, before Kavita’s arrival. Guide 1 accompanied her during the summit push, with support from a summit porter, while Guide 2 assisted during the approach and descent. Emmanuel coordinated the local arrangements in Tanzania. Commenting on the achievement, Bharath from Boots & Crampons said, “Completing the Kilimanjaro round trip in under 24 hours is a remarkable achievement. Kavita’s determination, endurance and preparation made this possible. We are proud to have supported her in setting this milestone for Indian mountaineering.”
Kilimanjaro is the fifth mountain Kavita has climbed as part of her Seven Summits journey, which involves scaling the highest peak on each of the seven continents. She has also completed five of the six World Marathon Majors, with one more to go, and has participated in several other marathons. Her previous mountaineering achievements include climbing Elbrus, Denali, Vinson and Aconcagua.
Her latest achievement adds another milestone to her Seven Summits journey and highlights her endurance across both long-distance running and high-altitude mountaineering.
