Our Maasai guide Sunya allowed us to sleep in his boma about 12 km from the trailhead. We woke up at 1 am and started walking at 1:30 am. We got to the trailhead a little after 4 am and then were really running at 4:26am. I had a false start as I had to stop and fix a blister within 30 seconds of starting the run. Consequently, you can shave 10 minutes off our time by not stopping to cover a blister.
There’s only one trail to the top. It’s very easy to follow. We had no problem navigating in headlamps. One important note: over half of the climb will be done on steep sand. Hence, you will shave about 30 minutes off our time by using trekking poles.
We came over the rim just after sunrise at about 6:40am. The volcano actively spews lava. I recommend timing your climb so you arrive at the rim a few minutes before sunrise so you can see the lava glowing bright red. This FKT is for the ascent from the trailhead to the signpost at the rim of the crater. Note: There is a summit you can access, which I recommend visiting. We spent about an hour on top. The views in the crater and out over the Great Rift Valley are mind melting.
Emmanuel and I carried our own water. I brought some bread. We had light jackets for the top, which was enough in the sunlight. Cheers and feel free to reach out for more advice on crushing this record.
Full Trip Report: https://bigdumbadventure.substack.com/p/magadini