The Complete Mountain — Done. 23:58:01
On 7 July 2026, John Rees-Evans set a world record as the fastest person on earth to climb and descend the world's largest freestanding mountain from true base to summit and back — completing the full circumnavigation from 777m to Uhuru Peak (5,895m) and back in 23 hours 58 minutes and 1 second. Age 48. By bicycle and on foot.
Interactive Map & Elevation Profile
Explore the full route with live GPS tracking. Switch between the complete circumnavigation, actual ascent line, and individual segments. Hover over the elevation profile to see real-time heart rate, pace, and altitude at each point.
A Mountain Defined by Politics, Not by Geology
Every serious climber knows that a mountain's character begins at its base — not at whatever boundary a government has drawn across its slopes. Kilimanjaro is no different, yet for decades every speed ascent record has been measured from the park gate: a fence at the forest line that exists for land-tenure reasons, not topographic ones.
The cultivated lower slopes — where coffee, banana, and maize grow — are privately owned because they have been farmed for generations. The Tanzanian government could not include them within a national park. The park boundary therefore fell where agriculture ended and forest began. That line has since become, by convention, the starting point for every speed attempt.
A continuous road circumnavigates the entire massif. Roads follow human settlement, and people don't settle on mountains. That perimeter road is where Kilimanjaro ends and the lowland begins. Geologically, hydrologically, and visually, everything inside it is the mountain.
"Political circumstances shouldn't define a mountain. Kilimanjaro extends to its perimeter road — and a genuine ascent must begin there."
What the Records Are Actually Missing
The lowest point on the perimeter road — the true base — sits at 777 metres. Uhuru Peak reaches 5,895 metres. That is 5,118 metres of vertical gain from base to summit.
| Starting point | Elevation | Vertical to Uhuru | Omitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marangu Gate (conventional) | 1,858 m | 4,037 m | −1,081 m |
| Machame Gate (conventional) | 1,800 m | 4,095 m | −1,023 m |
| Umbwe Gate (conventional) | 1,640 m | 4,255 m | −863 m |
| 777 Start — this route | 777 m | 5,118 m | Complete |
The conventional record omits 1,081 metres of real mountain — lower forest, cultivated slope, and the full botanical transition zone of a tropical volcano.
Eight Legs from Base to Summit and Home
The route divided the mountain into its natural sections, combining bicycle and foot. The return leg via Maua Gate followed the route John reconnoitred on 4 July 2026 to establish the fastest line off the mountain.
The opening leg was ridden from the 777m perimeter base northward along the lower slopes through farmland and coffee estates to Marangu Village.
From the village, the route continued on foot up through the forest belt to the park gate, where the bicycle was stored and the mountain proper begins.
Through the rainforest zone past Maundi Crater to Mandara Hut. Fresh guide at Mandara. Cook stationed at Mandara.
Through the heath and moorland zone to Horombo Hut. Solo. Cook stationed at Horombo.
Across the alpine desert saddle to Kibo Hut. Fresh guide at Horombo. Cook at Kibo. Second bicycle pre-staged here for the descent.
The summit push via Gilman's Point and Stella Point to Uhuru Peak. Guide 3 to Gilman's, Guide 4 to the summit.
The summit descent back to Kibo Hut where the second bicycle was waiting. Solo descent.
From Kibo Hut, the mountain service road to the junction above Horombo, then right — 15 kilometres to Maua Gate — and the perimeter road south and west back to 777. Route confirmed by John's reconnoitre of 4 July 2026.
Support Team: Five Guides, Three Cooks, Second Bike at Kibo
Fresh guides rotated at key points, cooks were staged at Mandara, Horombo, and Kibo, and a second bicycle was pre-positioned at Kibo Hut to enable immediate transition to the descent without delay at altitude.
| # | Section | Mode | Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| ① | 777 → Marangu Gate (777m → 1,858m · ~22.4 km · 00:00 → 01:40 EAT) | Bicycle + Run | Cycled to Marangu Village, ran to gate |
| ② | Marangu Gate → Mandara Hut (1,858m → 2,700m · 7.95 km · arr. 03:28 EAT) | Run | Guide 1 · Cook at Mandara |
| ③ | Mandara → Horombo Hut (2,700m → 3,720m · 11.78 km · arr. 06:50 EAT) | Run | Solo · Cook at Horombo |
| ④ | Horombo → Kibo Hut (3,720m → 4,700m · 9.41 km · arr. 10:37 EAT) | Hike | Guide 2 · Cook at Kibo · 2nd bicycle staged |
| ⑤ | Kibo → Gilman's → Uhuru Peak (4,700m → 5,895m · 4.90 km · summit 17:54 EAT) | Hike | Guide 3 to Gilman's · Guide 4 to summit |
| ⑥ | Uhuru Peak → Kibo Hut (5,895m → 4,700m · ~4.9 km · arr. 19:10 EAT) | Run | Solo descent |
| ⑦ | Kibo Hut → Maua Gate (4,700m → 2,300m · ~54 km · arr. 23:50 EAT) | Bicycle | Solo bike descent |
| ⑧ | Maua Gate → 777 (2,300m → 777m · perimeter road · finish 23:58 EAT) | Bicycle | Finish |
Total elapsed time: 23 hours 58 minutes 1 second
Record: First documented complete base-to-summit-and-back ascent of Kilimanjaro from true geographic base (777m) to Uhuru Peak (5,895m), 7 July 2026. Age 48. 117 km. 5,118 m vertical gain.
Media contact: moc.snaveseernhoj@777