9-year-old boy from Pune climbs Mount Kilimanjaro in just 7 days!

If you thought climbing high mountains is meant only for adults, it is time to think again as 9-year-old Advait Bhartia climbed the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro to set a new record. Mt Kilimanjaro is the highest free standing mountain (19341 ft) on the Earth, located in Africa. Advait hails from Pune and also made it to Mount Everest Base Camp at 6 before undertaking the arduous Kilimanjaro expedition.
Reportedly, it took only seven days for Advait to finish his Kilimanjaro journey on July 31, 2019, under the guidance of Samir Patham, the expedition leader. Payal Bhartia, Advait’s mother, followed him during the trip but could not make it to the mountain top due to her body’s inability to adapt to the climatic conditions.


Advait, too, like any other climber, had his share of obstacles as he battled thin air, less atmospheric oxygen and varying temperatures. The boy was, however, equipped with the right training to mentally and physically deal with the challenges. According to the news reports, he was trained for about two months, training in cardiovascular exercises, swimming for an hour, climbing 100 floors and engaging in parkour.

The ecstatic Advait has now set the bar higher–he plans to climb Mt Elbrus, Europe’s highest mountain! It is a dormant volcano in the Caucasus Mountains located in Southern Russia, close to the border with Georgia.