A hippopotamus can run at roughly 30–40 km/h (about 19–25 mph) on land over short distances, which is fast enough to outrun most humans at a sprint.

Quick Scoop: How Fast Are Hippos on Land?

  • Typical top speed on flat ground: about 30 km/h (19 mph).
  • Some sources give a broader range of about 30–45 km/h (19–28 mph), depending on conditions and individual animals.
  • They can only keep this speed for a few seconds to roughly half a minute before they tire out.
  • Despite their bulky bodies, this still makes them faster than the average human runner, whose speed is typically around 10–13 km/h when running.

So, while hippos look slow and lumbering, on land they are surprisingly quick over a short burst—definitely not animals you could safely try to outrun.