Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa, located in Tanzania. Standing at 19,341 feet (5,895 meters), it is one of the most sought-after mountaineering destinations in the world. Attempts to summit Kilimanjaro have been recorded since 1848 and since then, climbers have made a variety of records. In this article, we will look at some of the most notable records on Mount Kilimanjaro.
Overview of Kilimanjaro Records
Mount Kilimanjaro has a long history of records of different kinds. Several records have been set by age, gender, and other specific criteria. Some of the records involve how long it takes to climb the mountain, while others are related to the number of times the mountain has been climbed.
The youngest climber to summit Kilimanjaro was 7-year-old Tyler Armstrong from California, who summited in June 2012. This record was previously held by a 9-year-old from the UK, who summited in 2002.
The oldest known climber to summit Kilimanjaro was a 93-year-old woman from the UK, who summited in 2018. This broke the previous record of a 90-year-old from the US.
The fastest one-way ascent record is held by Joseph Kones, who summited Kilimanjaro in just 6 hours and 42 minutes in 2018. This beat the previous record of 8 hours and 6 minutes, set by a professional Kenyan runner.
Notable Records on Kilimanjaro
In addition to individual records, several teams have set records on Kilimanjaro. In 2015, a team of eight climbers from the US and UK set a record for the fastest group ascent of Kilimanjaro in just 19 hours and 48 minutes.
In 2018, a team of five climbers from the UK broke the world record for the fastest continuous descent of Kilimanjaro, completing the descent in just 5 hours and 8 minutes. The previous record had been set by a team of three climbers in 2017.
The largest group to summit Kilimanjaro is a team of 137 climbers, who summited in 2011. This record was broken in 2018, when a team of 168 climbers summited.
Mount Kilimanjaro is an awe-inspiring mountain that has witnessed some remarkable records over the years. From the youngest climbers to the oldest, from the fastest ascents to the largest groups, Kilimanjaro continues to inspire climbers to push the boundaries of what is possible.
