What usually takes mountaineers five to nine days, Indian endurance athlete and mountaineer Kavita Chand has accomplished in less than a day! In an extraordinary display of stamina, determination and mental strength, she has become the first Indian to complete the Mount Kilimanjaro round trip in under 24 hours.

Kavita conquered Africa's highest mountain and returned to the starting point in an impressive 22 hours and 36 minutes, setting a remarkable milestone for Indian mountaineering.

A Race Against Time on Africa's Highest Peak

Kavita undertook the challenging Mweka Gate–Uhuru Peak–Mweka Gate route, covering the ascent and descent in one continuous expedition. She reached Uhuru Peak, standing tall at 5,895 metres, in just 12 hours and 46 minutes before making her way back down.

The achievement is particularly remarkable given the physical demands of climbing Kilimanjaro. Most expeditions take five to nine days to complete the journey, allowing climbers sufficient time to adjust to the progressively thinning air at higher altitudes. Kavita, however, pushed the boundaries of endurance with her exceptional speed-climbing performance.

Months of Preparation Behind the Record

Such an extraordinary feat was backed by months of disciplined training and high-altitude experience.

Her preparation included three months of intensive training for the Chicago Marathon, held on October 11. She covered approximately 70–90 kilometres every week and incorporated strength training three times a week into her routine. She also finished as the third-fastest Indian woman at the marathon.

Soon afterwards, she travelled to Nepal for an expedition to Himlung Himal (7,126 metres). Although she did not reach its summit, she successfully acclimatised to approximately 6,600 metres, gaining valuable high-altitude experience ahead of her Kilimanjaro challenge.

Speaking about the achievement, Kavita said that Kilimanjaro was already part of her Seven Summits journey. The suggestion of attempting a speed climb made the expedition even more exciting, turning an already planned ascent into a unique endurance challenge.

She also acknowledged the contribution of Bharath and Romil from Boots & Crampons and the entire support team in making the attempt possible.

Another Step Towards the Seven Summits Dream

Kilimanjaro is the fifth mountain Kavita has climbed as part of her ambitious Seven Summits journey, which involves scaling the highest mountain on each of the seven continents. Her previous climbs include Elbrus, Denali, Vinson and Aconcagua. Beyond mountaineering, she has also made her mark in long-distance running, completing five of the six World Marathon Majors.

The expedition was coordinated by Boots & Crampons in collaboration with a local Tanzanian team, which managed route planning, logistics and safety arrangements. Kavita's remarkable performance is more than a personal triumph. It demonstrates what focused preparation, resilience and the courage to push beyond perceived limits can achieve.