The Youngest Indian to Scale the Mt. Everest and Mt. Kilimanjaro is Not Even 10 Years Old

Advait Bhartia, a 9 year old boy hailing from Pune, Maharashtra reached the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania on July 31st 2019 under the guidance of his instructor Samir Patham. Most adults would find it impossible to do it themselves, but this 9 year old makes it look so breezy, having scaled the highest free-standing mountain in the world.

At the age of 6, Advait also conquered the Everest base camp trek in under 7 days of time. 

The Route

He undertook the Machame route that begins at the southern base of the mountain which is the most recommended route. 

Advait said- “This trek was really difficult but fun at the same time. When I was summiting (sic) Everest Base Camp, we were living in wooden houses but during the Kilimanjaro trek, we stayed in tents and it was a good experience being exposed to snow and the surroundings”.

He recalls,"I could have completed the trek faster but the mountains were very beautiful and I took a lot of breaks to take in the beauty," 

He also mentioned that he has Europe’s Mount Elbrus on his bucket list for the coming year.

The Challenges

He braved the environmental threat like reduced atmospheric oxygen by approximately 50 per cent, thin air, and sub-zero temperatures ranging between minus 21 and 25 degrees celsius at higher altitudes. 

His mother Payal Bhartia, who accompanied her son during the hike, shared that Advitya had to undergo rigorous training for about two months, so as to prepare for his climb. 

She said- “ His routine included swimming for an hour, cardiovascular training like playing football, cricket and tennis in the second hour and climbing 100 floors and practising Parkour (military obstacle training) was a regular part of the training during the third hour”.

She further added- “I am very proud of Advait and his dedication towards completing this trek. On the last day, Advait got emotional and he individually thanked the porters, the tent pitchers and the catering team for all their efforts."

Payal had to cut down her journey by 1000ft during the journey as she was unable to cope with the climatic conditions of the increasing altitude. 

The Pune-based adventure and trekking company called Adventure Pulse had organized his trek. 

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