Art Ulene isn’t slowing down. The retired physician told NPR he plans to summit Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania next month — to celebrate turning 90.
Ulene spoke with NPR’s Elissa Nadworny about the climb, which would take him to the top of Africa’s highest peak. He didn’t describe it as a casual hike. Kilimanjaro sits at roughly 19,341 feet above sea level, and even experienced trekkers routinely turn back before the summit.
NPR published the interview on Friday, June 13, 2026. Ulene’s exact birthday date wasn’t specified in the report, but he described the ascent as a direct celebration of hitting the milestone.
Whether he’ll make the summit is still an open question. The mountain’s altitude causes acute mountain sickness in a significant share of climbers, regardless of physical condition. Ulene didn’t address that risk publicly in the NPR interview, at least not in the published excerpt.
NPR reported this story on June 13, 2026. Read the original report.
