Guinness World Records officially approves Truphena’s 72-hour tree-hugging challenge
By Steve Ireri, January 26, 2026Environmental activist Truphena Muthoni has officially been confirmed by Guinness World Records as the holder of the record for the longest marathon tree-hug, after completing an uninterrupted 72-hour embrace of a single tree.
In an official statement shared on Monday, January 26, 2026, the global records body noted that the record was previously held by several challengers, including Faith Patricia Ariokot from Uganda, who hugged a tree for 16 hours and six seconds in 2024, and Abdul Hakim Awal from Ghana, who extended it to 24 hours and 21 minutes the same year.
“The record was first broken in 2024 by Faith Patricia Ariokot (Uganda) with a time of 16 hr 6 sec. Abdul Hakim Awal (Ghana) broke it in 2024 with 24 hr 21 min 4 sec, and Truphena first came along in February 2025 to take the title with a total of 48 hr,” the statement said.
Truphena, they noted, first broke the record in February 2025, hugging a tree for 48 hours, before briefly losing it to Frederick Boakye of Ghana, who completed 50 hours and two minutes, only for Truphena to reclaim it with her 72-hour effort.
“Frederick Boakye (Ghana) very briefly held the record with a time of 50 hr 2 min 28 sec, before Truphena took it back with her record-shattering time,” the GWR statement read in part.
Guinness highlighted that Truphena’s achievement was not only a feat of endurance but also a powerful message for environmental conservation.
They hailed that the 22-year-old, who is the ambassador of the 15 Billion Trees Campaign, approached the challenge with careful preparation, including proper hydration and pacing, to respect her body’s limits while setting the record.
“22-year-old Truphena, who has founded her own initiative called Hug the Earth, told us: “The first attempt was a statement, a way to reintroduce humanity to the Earth through a simple, intimate act,” GWR wrote.
The official Guinness post noted that, as with all marathon record attempts, Truphena was allowed five minutes of rest for every hour of activity, which she managed strategically to sustain her 72-hour performance.
“As with all our marathon record attempts, Truphena earned five minutes of rest for every hour of activity. It was up to her whether to take a break every hour or save them up for a longer rest,” they shared.
The organisation also emphasised that her effort was aimed at spreading a global message that healing the planet does not require violence, conflict, or fear, but can begin with simple acts of care.
“Through her record attempts, Truphena hopes to spread a message throughout the world that healing the planet does not require violence, conflict, or fear,” GWR wrote.
Guinness also highlighted Truphena’s creative approach to advocacy during the challenge.
They revealed that she incorporated a three-hour blindfolded segment to honour people living with disabilities and underscore the connection between environmental conservation and social justice.
The organisation further noted that every detail of her appearance, from the colour of her hair to her outfit, was designed to communicate her message about protecting nature.
“Everything about her, including the colour of her hair and outfit, is designed to send a message about protecting the environment. She also paid tribute to those living with disabilities by being blindfolded after surpassing her previous record of 48 hours,” the GWR statement read.