KATHMANDU: American endurance athlete Tyler Andrews has set a new fastest known time (FKT) for the route from Everest Base Camp (EBC) to Lukla, completing the 54.4-kilometre journey in 7 hours and 43 minutes on Tuesday.

Andrews left EBC at 7:45am and completed the run in a time recorded on his watch, according to his update. He had travelled by helicopter from Namche Bazaar to Gorakshep earlier in the morning before trekking to EBC to start the attempt. 

His reported time puts him more than two hours ahead of the previous men’s self-supported record of 9 hours, 47 minutes, and 59 seconds—set by David Byrne and Majell Backhausen on December 11, 2023, according to Fastest Known Time.

According to his Garmin-recorded progress, Andrews was near Lobuche at 8:50am, reached Pheriche at 9:40am and Tengboche at 11am. He arrived at Kyangjuma at noon and Namche Bazaar at 12:41pm. He reached Chumoa at 1:41pm and Phakding at 2:21pm.

Andrews broke the previous listed men’s self-supported record of 9 hours, 47 minutes and 59 seconds, set by David Byrne and Majell Backhausen on December 11, 2023, according to the time recorded in his Garmin track.

Fastest Known Time also lists separate records for the other route categories. For the Lukla-to-EBC route, Andrews holds the men’s self-supported record of 11 hours, 1 minute and 49 seconds, set on March 16, 2020. His listed time for the round trip is 23 hours, 42 minutes and 13 seconds, recorded on the same date.

The route between EBC and Lukla covers approximately 54 kilometres, with around 3,000 metres of elevation gain or loss, depending on the direction of travel.

Andrews previously set an oxygen-assisted speed record for climbing Mount Everest in May 2026, reaching the summit from base camp in nine hours and 55 minutes. He broke the previous record of 10 hours and 56 minutes set by Lakpa Gelu Sherpa in 2003.

Updated.