Karl Egloff, a Swiss-Ecuadorian, holds the current world record climb for the fastest combined ascent and descent time, clocking in at 6 hours 56 minutes and 24 seconds in August 2014, beating Kilian Jornet’s combined speed record run of 7 hours 14 minutes. Simon Mtuy ran nearly 53 kilometers (roughly 32 miles), up and down the Umbwe Route, for 9 hours, 21 minutes and 47 seconds and sits in third place on the fastest climbers’ list.
Every year, thousands of people attempt to scale Mount Kilimanjaro. However up to 70% of trekkers on the mountain suffer from AMS, and as a result, many do not reach the summit. This is not the case for the record-breakers on our list though. Egloff, Jornet, and other high-altitude runners are likely to have these symptoms suppressed because of their conditioning, speed, and unique anatomical make-up. This post will highlight the fastest climbers on Mount Kilimanjaro as well as the routes they took. If you’re short on time and want to skim through the post, there are snippets in between paragraphs that summarize and emphasize key points. That said, let’s start with our very own record-breaker – Asad Ali Memon.
Asad Ali Memon’s Kilimanjaro Speed Record Run With XPATS International
23 year old, Asad Ali Memon, completed his 20-hour trek on the morning of February 15th, 2021 to become the fastest Pakistani hiker on the mountain. The young mountaineer had set to complete his trek in 24 hours but pulled through early despite harsh weather conditions. This resulted in widespread acclaim in Pakistani communities and global media attention.
Wim Hof’s Kilimanjaro Record
“Iceman” Wim Hof, a Dutch daredevil, led a group of 26 people to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in 31 hours and 25 minutes. Eleven team members climbed the mountain in only shorts and no tops, arriving at the peak (-20°C/-4°F) without succumbing to hypothermia or altitude sickness. Many experts, including the Dutch Mountaineering and Climbing Federation, considered this feat to be impossible. Clearly, they were wrong.
Fastest Ascent And Descent Up Kilimanjaro Mountain
In August 2014, Swiss climber Karl Egloff completed the Umbwe route in 6 hours, 42 minutes, and 24 seconds. He went on to break more records on Aconcagua, Cotopaxi, and other peaks. In addition to being the current record holder, Karl is an inspiration to many young boys in Tanzania. He is also regarded as a hero by many Kilimanjaro tour guides and the region’s natives.
Kristina Schoo Madsen, the fastest woman on Kilimanjaro, is a close second. The Danish woman completed the Mweka route in 6 hours, 52 minutes and 54 seconds. Her event has encouraged many women around the world to also attempt and break records on the mountain.
Mount Kilimanjaro Record Of Kilian Jornet & Simon Mtuy
Kilian Jornet, a Spanish mountain runner, set the previous record in 2010 by running to the top of Uhuru Peak and back in 7 hours, 14 minutes. Prior to Jornet’s Kilimanjaro fastest ascent, the record was held by Simon Mtuy, a local Tanzanian guide and mountain runner who completed a round trip to Uhuru Peak in 9 hours, 21 minutes, and 47 seconds in 2006.
