Discover how Erin Ton broke the women’s ascent and round trip Kilimanjaro records
What is the current Kilimanjaro record? Well, as of September 2026, the fastest woman to climb the highest mountain in Africa is Erin Ton, who achieved the ascent in 5h 47m.
Not only did she set a new record for the speediest ascent, but she also smashed the speediest round trip record, going from Mweka Gate.
So how did she do it? Here’s everything you need to know about the times, the route, and how it compares to a normal climb.
Who is Erin Ton?
Erin Ton is a professional mountain runner from Colorado who specialises in fastest known times (FKTs): the quickest verified time on a set route. As of right now, Ton is responsible for over 200 FKTs across mountains and trails in the US, Nepal, Austria, and Chile.
She first made headlines in 2020 for climbing Colorado's highest peaks in a dress and high heels. Since then, she’s drawn more attention for her speed.
In 2023, she summited 57 of Colorado’s 58 peaks over 14,000ft in just over 14 days, although this caused a bit of a controversy. She skipped a privately owned summit, so the Fastest Known Time organisation placed that record in a new public-lands category.
In 2026, she turned her attention to bigger mountains, setting a new women's speed record on Aconcagua, the highest peak in South America. And now, eight months later, she’s smashed the women’s Kilimanjaro record with an ascent that took 5h 47m.
Erin Ton’s Kilimanjaro record time explained
According to FKT, Erin Ton holds the women’s Kilimanjaro record time for the round trip (to and from Mweka Gate) and the ascent (up Uhuru Peak).
Take a look at how her effort shapes up against the previous women’s records:
Both records are women’s supported records, which means Ton had guides and a support network on the mountain with her.
While Ton hasn’t become the fastest person to make the round trip and ascent, no woman has a faster recorded time on the mountain.
How Erin Ton prepared for her record-breaking Kilimanjaro climb
Ton’s preparation started well before she got to Tanzania. She spent two weeks training in Colorado and Ecuador, set an FKT in Switzerland, and scouted the mountain a few days before.
As far as we can tell, Ton’s training involved the below phases:
- A new FKT in July. She set a women's record on the Hardergrat in Switzerland in July 2026. This was a big day of climbing, the perfect preparation for the climb up Kilimanjaro.
- Training in August. Ton then spent two weeks training at altitude in Colorado and Ecuador. But she still hadn’t been above 18,000ft recently.
- Scout climb in September. Between the 1st and the 3rd of September, Ton went up the Umbwe Route and down Mweka, learning the terrain and helping with acclimatisation.
To enter Kilimanjaro National Park, walkers need a permit and a licensed guide. All Kandoo Kilimanjaro climbs are led by experienced local teams, including expert guides who keep you safe on the mountain.
How Ton reached the Kilimanjaro summit
Ton reached the Uhuru Peak summit (5,895m), following a 42km route out-and-back from Mweka Gate. She climbed roughly 4,271m.
During the ascent, she passed Mweka Camp, Millennium Camp, and Barafu Camp, before reaching the final push to Uhuru Peak. Then, she retraced every step back to the gate.
Running up Kilimanjaro this way is unusual. Most climbers know it better as the route down. On our Machame Route for example, climbers descend from the summit to Barafu, before going on to Mweka Camp and Mweka Gate over the final day and a half.
Here are Ton’s route details in full:
- 5am start: Ton set off from Mweka Gate bright and early, before spending the first hour and a half climbing through the rainforest by headlamp. Local guides suggested the early start to avoid trekker traffic on her way back down.
- Splits: Everything went to plan at first. She hit her splits at Mweka, Millennium, and Barafu camps.
- Altitude sickness at Barafu: It was at Barafu Camp (4,673m) when the altitude hit. Ton felt dizzy and sick, but chose to continue on slowly, rather than stopping to rest.
- Final push: Guide Dao Kapela joined her at Barafu for the push to the summit, where the pair paused just long enough to take a few photos.
- The descent: Kapela stayed with Ton all the way back to Millennium Camp. A second guide, Marcel Sarwatt, joined them at Barafu and kept Ton company on the way back to Mweka Gate.
Recommended reading: Our top 5 routes to climb Kilimanjaro.
What is Erin Ton’s ultimate goal?
Ton’s undertaking of Kilimanjaro is part of her long-term Seven Summits goal. If she succeeds, Erin Ton will hold the women’s speed record on each of the Seven Summits (the highest mountains on each continent).
Is Kilimanjaro one of the 7 summits? Yes, it’s Africa’s highest peak.
Has Ton achieved an FKT on any of the other Seven Summits? In January 2026, she broke the women’s record for the fastest ascent up Aconcagua, the highest peak in South America in a time of 4h 50m.
Next, she sets her sights on the other five summits, although she’s admitted the cost of Mount Vinson and Mount Everest is a serious obstacle.
How high is Kilimanjaro and why is it so difficult?
At 5,895m, Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain in Africa. What makes it so difficult is the Kilimanjaro altitude. At the top, there’s roughly 21% oxygen, but because of the pressure levels, each breath delivers roughly half as much oxygen.
You don’t need any technical skills to climb it. All you need is a reasonable level of fitness and plenty of determination.
Kilimanjaro facts:
- Kilimanjaro height: 5,895m at Uhuru Peak
- Location: Tanzania
- Scale: rises roughly 4,877m above surrounding plains
- Status: UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987
- Volcanic peaks: Kibo, Mawenzi, Shira
Side note: Common signs of altitude sickness are dizziness and nausea. That’s why we build dedicated acclimatisation days into many of our Kilimanjaro itineraries. And remember, a normal climb takes days, not hours.
The fastest ascent and descent of Kilimanjaro
Ton holds both women’s records, but the quickest time to climb Kilimanjaro is 4h 32m up and 6h 38m round trip. Tyler Andrews set the record for the fastest unsupported ascent, gaining special permission to go without a guide.
Karl Egloff’s times of 4h 56m ascent and 6h 42m round trip remain the fastest supported times on record.
Here’s how Erin Ton’s achievement stacks up against Egloff’s and Andrew’s times:
How long does it take to summit Kilimanjaro on a normal climb?
While Ton ran up and down Kilimanjaro in 8h 33m, climbing Kilimanjaro normally takes about a week. It takes this long to summit Kilimanjaro because you need an extra day to adjust to the altitude.
Our Machame Route includes seven days of hiking, with an extra day for acclimatisation. This is how our trip breaks down:
- Arrival. You’ll arrange your own flight to Kilimanjaro International Airport, where you’ll find a private transfer to take you to your hotel.
- Days 2-6. We climb gradually through rainforest, moorland, and alpine desert, before reaching Barafu Camp.
- Summit night. We set off around midnight, reaching Uhuru Peak in 6-8 hours, hopefully arriving just in time for sunrise.
- The descent. We follow Ton’s trail as we make our way down to Mweka Camp that same day. Then, we head down to Mweka Gate the next morning.
How to prepare for climbing Kilimanjaro
Anyone with a decent level of fitness can climb Kilimanjaro (not just top athletes). You’ll need to build up your endurance though, and experience with altitude hiking will help.
Here’s how to best ready yourself for the adventure:
- Build your endurance. If you can manage hill walking for 6-7 hours, you should be fine climbing Kilimanjaro. We recommend practising long walks 2-3 days in a row, especially carrying a daypack.
- Practise at altitude. Ton trained in Colorado and Ecuador before her ascent. If you can't train at height, opt for a longer itinerary that gives your body more time to adjust to the altitude.
- Invest in proper gear. Ton reached the summit in shorts, but most climbers set off on summit night in the cold early morning hours. You need warm layers, insulated gloves, and high-quality walking boots with good ankle support.
- Test your gear and equipment. Besides investing in good stuff, you need to make sure it’s comfortable. Break in new boots beforehand, test your clothing layering system, and use your sleeping bag and trekking poles on a practice hike.
- Drink plenty during the walk. Aim for at least three litres of water a day on the mountain.
For a complete guide, take a look at our Kilimanjaro Training Plan.
Climb Kilimanjaro with Kandoo Adventures
Erin Ton’s record-breaking Kilimanjaro ascent is an incredible achievement, and shows us all what’s possible at the very top of endurance sport. For most people though, the best way up the mountain is slow and steady.
If you’d like to climb Kilimanjaro, we have a range of trips and route options, and a 95% success rate across all tours. Plus, you get the benefit of walking with an experienced local team who keep you healthy and safe along the journey.