Truphena Muthoni, a climate and environmental advocate and mental-health survivor, braves a heavy downpour as she hugs a palm tree in Nyeri town during her 72-hour tree-hugging marathon.
For 72 hours, she neither slept nor ate while hugging a tree at the Governor’s office in Nyeri, attempting to break her own world record.
For 22-year-old environmentalist Truphena Muthoni, the feat was not a test of physical strength but a battle of the mind.
From Monday, December 8, to Thursday, December 11, Truphena attempted to surpass her previous record in the Longest Tree-Hugging Marathon. The attempt followed her 48-hour marathon in February at Michuki Park, Nairobi, which earned her a Guinness World Records title.
From left: President William Ruto, Truphena Muthoni and Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.
Now nicknamed Tree-phena, she describes the challenge as largely psychological.
“Ninety-nine percent of my preparation was mental. I trained my mind to endure 72 hours without food, water, or sleep. I meditated and immersed myself in nature, hugging trees,” she says.
Physical preparation, she adds, was minimal and mainly focused on hydration. In the days leading up to the attempt, she drank plenty of water to prepare her body for the fast.
“During the three days, I did not feel hunger, thirst, or even the urge to use the bathroom. Everything was controlled by the mind,” she explains.
Her last meal was modest: noodles with a fried egg on Sunday morning. She took nothing else until Monday morning, when she drank half a cup of tea just before starting.
“This was it. My body was ready for a three-day fast,” she says.
This was not her first encounter with prolonged fasting. Since March, after the 48-hour record, she had been living on one meal a day, occasionally skipping meals altogether. Her preparation included walking up to 42 kilometers daily, enduring a 35-hour tree hug during Mazingira Day, and a later 60-hour hug at a scouts’ camp.
At the Governor’s office compound, she selected a palm tree, comfortable to hug and free of ants. She wore a knitted sweater over a black sweatshirt, blue sweatpants and crocs.
Truphena Muthoni, a climate and environmental advocate and mental-health survivor, braves a heavy downpour as she hugs a palm tree in Nyeri town during her 72-hour tree-hugging marathon.
“This is a sport. Heavy clothing would have been uncomfortable, especially in the rain. My outfit worked for both hot and cold weather,” she says.
The rules were strict: a continuous HD camera filmed her for all 72 hours, with her hands visible at all times. She was not allowed to sit, even while moving around the tree. Online evaluators from Guinness World Records, along with in-person witnesses, monitored her every move.
“The witnesses didn’t know each other. I submitted their names during my application to ensure objective feedback,” she explains. Family and politicians were deliberately excluded to preserve the integrity of the attempt.
She took no breaks
No one could touch her or her clothing and any physical or emotional support could disqualify her. Although Guinness guidelines allow brief breaks during long marathons, she chose not to take any.
“One can take a five-minute break after every 24 hours, but I decided against it. I wanted a continuous hug,” she says.
Throughout the attempt, her focus remained inward.
“I meditated the entire time. Even in deep meditation, I could not let go of the tree. I concentrated on nature and my purpose, which is to promote the well-being of young people and show how we can coexist with the environment,” she explains.
To stay awake, she listened to acoustic folk music, danced with fans and talked whenever she felt sleepy. By Wednesday at 12.25 pm after 48 hours, she surpassed her own record while blindfolded, honoring people living with disabilities.
The final stretch was chaotic. As the 72-hour mark approached, crowds watching her online surged at the Governor’s office, nearly compromising the live camera evidence.
“After the countdown, I was weak and tired, nearly trampled in a stampede. I had to be carried to a waiting ambulance,” she recalls.
Truphena Muthoni, a climate and environmental advocate and mental-health survivor, braves a heavy downpour as she hugs a palm tree in Nyeri town during her 72-hour tree-hugging marathon.
Despite the chaos, she is grateful to her supporters whom she credits for her Guinness recognition of the 48-hour tree-hugging marathon. On December 12, 2025, Guinness officially recognized Truphena as the record holder, for a marathon achieved in Nairobi from January 31 to February 2, 2025, surpassing the previous record by nearly 24 hours.
Guinness noted that the challenge was undertaken to raise awareness about the mental and emotional benefits of connecting with nature.
For Truphena, the recognition is about more than a title.
“I feel fulfilled that Kenya is embracing the message I share through tree-hugging. People are still talking about it and taking action even days later. It shows the message is reaching the grassroots,” she says. She had expected official recognition on January 9, 2026, after paying Sh83,000 (USD 650) to priorise verification.
Truphena plans to upload evidence of her 72-hour attempt to her Guinness online account this week and pay the USD 650 fee to have it ratified within five days.
She began tree-hugging at 17 as a mental health survivor, finding solace and peace in the embrace. Since then, she has lost count of how many trees she has hugged.
Historically, tree hugging has been a form of activism. In the 1970s, Indian women hugged trees to prevent them from being cut down. Today, it is practiced not only for environmental causes but also for personal wellness, mental health benefits, and Guinness World Records attempts.
This year, Truphena used tree hugging not just as therapy or activism, but to educate and inspire, highlighting the links between mental health and climate change. During her 72-hour attempt, she advocated for the protection of indigenous trees, noting their high risk of extinction.
On Monday, President William Ruto conferred Truphena with the Head of State Commendation (HSC) Medal for her exemplary service to environmental stewardship.
“In further appreciation of her inspiring efforts, the Kenya Wildlife Service and the Kenya Tourism Board have extended to her and her team a fully sponsored holiday experience. In addition, the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry will support the realisation of her dream to visit Brazil, broadening her exposure to global conservation initiatives and environmental leadership,” Dr Ruto announced.
Dr Ruto also appointed her as an Ambassador of the 15 Billion Tree Planting Campaign.
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