Highest Peak in the world

Nepal occupies the central part of the Himalayan arc (2,400 km), the highest mountain range in the world that lies in south-East-Asia. The Himalaya ‘the Abode of snow’ in Sanskrit, is a vivid record of the most dramatic and visible creations of tectonic forces in modern times. As the strong Indian continental self-sub ducts beneath the relatively weak Tibetan highest peaks in the world. Eight of the fourteen eight thousanders are located in Nepal.

Mount Everest

Mt. Everest (8,848 m), the highest mountain peak in the world stands as a natural ‘boundary pillar’ on the border between the Sagarmatha Zone, Nepal and Tibet in China. The surroundings extended into the Sagarmatha National Park of Nepal to the South and the Qomolungma Nature Preserve of Tibet (China) to the world.

Mt. Everest (8,848 m) 

The Peak is popularly known by its three names. The official Nepali name Sagarmatha (meaning a forehead reaching to the sky), was given by the Nepalese government in the early 1960s. The Tibetan name, chomolongma or Qomolungma (mother goddess), has been widely known as the local community for centuries. The English name Everest was dedicated by the Royal Geographical Society of London in in 1913 in honor of the former surveyor General of India, George Everest (1887-1900).

In March 1856, the peak was declared as the highest on the earth following several years of field surveys and calculations. It has been a source of adventures, mountaineers, explorers, trekkers and nature lovers ever since it has been identified as the highest peak.

The first successful ascent of the peak was made by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa on May 29, 1953. By 2007, there had been 3,679 ascents to summit by 2,436 individuals with 210 casualties.

Mt. Everest Peak 

The Khumbu region where Everest lie is considered to be the most rugged landscape on earth. It is said that the peak along with the entire Himalayan range is raising 4mm. per year due to the plate tectonics. It surroundings includes glacier, ice falls, lakes, rivers, cliffs and gorges.

For its stunning topography including the other eight thousanders, the Sagarmatha National Park has been inscribed in UNESCO’s list of the world heritage.

Mountain flights operating from Kathmandu are very popular among visitors for aerial views of the world’s highest peaks. A continent means of reaching the Khumbu region is to take a 25 minutes flight from Kathmandu to Lukla airport.

Kanchenjunga

Kanchenjunga (8,586 m.), the third highest mountain peak in the world lie on the border between Nepal’s Taplejung district and the Indian state of Sikkim. Kanchenjunga means a snowy land containing mines of five precious materials namely Kang (Snow), Chen (Big), Ju ( Store), Nga (five) materials such as salt , gold / coral, religious book/ property, weapons / bones and cereals/ medicinal herbs (Tibetan).

The five peaks of the Kanchenjunga range are Knachenjunga main (8,586 m.), Kanchenjunga West (8,505 m.), Kanchenjunga Central (8,482 m.), Kanchenjunga South (8,494 m.), and Kanbachen (7,903 m.).

Kanchenjunga

The huge Kanchenjunga massif is buttressed by great ridge running roughly east to west and north to south, forming a giant ‘X’. it surroundings are extended in the Kanchenjunga Conservatioon Area of Nepal to the West and the Kanchendzonga Biosphere extended Qomolunga Nature Preserve of Tibet (China) in the north with its geographical position at the junction of the three countries, the protected areas have been proposed as tri-national peace parl.

In 1854, Joseph Dalton Hooker, the famous British botanist, explored the surrounding of Kanchenjunga region. The first ascent to the peak was made by Joe Brown and George Bond on May 25, followed by Norman Hardoe and Tony Streather on May 26.

Kanchenjunga is accessible form the Suketar airstrip and the road head at Phungling Bazar in Taplejung District. Because of its remote location in the three countries, the Kanchenjunga region has remained largely unexplored by conventional trekkers and thus, has retained much of its pristine beauty.

Lhotse

Lhotse (8,516 m.), the fourth highest mountain peak in the world, is connected to Mount Everest at the south col. lying at the border between Tibet (China) and Nepal. Its range also includes Lhotse middle (8,414 m.), and Lhotse Shar (8,383 m.). Best known for its proximity to Mount Everest, it is a dramatic peak having the steepest south face that rises 3.2 km in only 2.25 km of Lhotse, also known as the Lhotse Face, is a 1125 m high wall of glacial blue ice. This face rises at 40 and 50 degree pitches with the occasional 80 degree bulges.

Makalu

Makalu

Makalu (8,463 m), the fifth highest mountain peak in the world lies on the border between Nepal and Tibet (China). It is a isolated peak that has a four-sided pyramid shape. It has two notable subsidiary peaks Makalu II also known as Kangchungtse (7,678 m), lying about 3km north-north west, and Chomolonzo (7,804 m) connected by a narrow, 7,300 m saddle.

Among the eight thousanders, Makalu is one of the tougher ones to climb, and is considered one of the most difficult climbs in the world. Its first ascent was made by Lionel Terray and Jean couzy of a French expedition on May 15, 1955 led by Jean Franco.

The mountain peak is a major landmark of the Makalu Barun National Park. It’s accessible from Tumlingtar airport.

Cho Oyu

Cho Oyu

Cho Oyu (8,201 m), (Turqurise Goddess” in Tibetan) is the sixth highest mountain peak in the world and lies 20 km west of Mount Everest at the border between China and Nepal. It is hust a few km east of Nagla la (5,716 m, a glaciated pass that serves as the main trading route between the Tibetans and Sherpa’s. Due to its proximity to the pass and the generally moderate slopes of the standard north-west ridge route, some climbers, considers Cho Oyu to be the easiest 8,000 meter peaks to be climb, and it is a popular objective for professionally guided expeditions. The first ascent was made by Austrians Joseph Jochler and Herbert Tichy along with Passang Dawa Lama (Nepal) on October 19, 1954.

Dhaulagiri

Dhaulagiri (8,167 m) (meaning ‘white mountain’ in Nepali) is the seventh highest mountain in the world. It is located north-west of Pokhara.

Dhaulagiri

The peak of Dhaulagiri and Annaurna rise 7000 m.  Over the Kali Gandaki river gorge in about 30 km of horizontal distance, The Dhaulagiri mountain system consists of sixpromine peaks ranging from Dhaulagiri VI (7,268 m) to Dhaulagiri I (8,167 m). Three peaks of Churen Himal – Main (7,385 m) East (7,246 m) and the Gurja Himal (7,193 m)

Manaslu

Manaslu

Manslu (8,163 m) (meaning ‘Mountain of spirit’ in Sanskrit) is the eighth highest mountain peak in the work and is located in the Gorkha district of Nepal. It is linked to the long ridges and valley glaciers offering feasible approaches from all directions. It towers steeply above the surrounding landscape. And is a dominant feature when viewed from afar.

Manaslu was first climbed on May9, 1956 by Toshio Imanishi and Gyalzen Norbu, members of a Japanese expedition.

Annapurna

Annapurna (8,091 m) is the tenth highest mountain peak in the world. The Annapurna range is a 55 km long massif with its highest peak, the Annapurna I (8,091 m). the five other prominent peaks are Annapurna II (7,937 m), Annapurna III (7,555 m), Annapurna IV (7,525 m), Gangapurna (7,455 m), and Annapurna south (7,219 m). The word ‘Anna’ means paddy or grains and ‘Purna’ means mound in Sanskrit.

Annapurna

Annapurna I was the first eight-thousander to be climbed. Maurice Herzong and Louis Lachenal of a French expedition reached the summit on June 3, 1950. It was the highest summit attained on earth for three years, until the first successful ascent of Mount Everest.

Machhapurchhare (6,993 m), also popularly known as the ‘Fishtail Mountain’ for its unique shape, is an important peak of the Annapurna range, though it is just below 7,000 m. 

List of more than 8000m highest Peaks in the world Mountain peak Range Location Height ft. m Everest Himalayas Nepal/Tibet 29,035 8,850 K2 (Godwin Austen) Karakoram Pakistan/China 28,250 8,611 Kanchenjunga Himalayas India/Nepal 28,169 8,586 Lhotse I Himalayas Nepal/Tibet 27,940 8,516 Makalu I Himalayas Nepal/Tibet 27,766 8,463 Cho Oyu Himalayas Nepal/Tibet 26,906 8,201 Dhaulagiri Himalayas Nepal 26,795 8,167 Manaslu I Himalayas Nepal 26,781 8,163 Nanga Parbat Himalayas Pakistan 26,660 8,125 Annapurna Himalayas Nepal 26,545 8,091 Gasherbrum I Karakoram Pakistan/China 26,470 8,068 Broad Peak Karakoram Pakistan/China 26,400 8,047 Gasherbrum II Karakoram Pakistan/China 26,360 8,035 Shishma Pangma (Gosainthan) Himalayas Tibet 26,289 8,013 List of 7000m to 8000m peaks in the world Mountain peak Range Location Height ft. m Annapurna II Himalayas Nepal 26,041 7,937 Gyachung Kang Himalayas Nepal 25,910 7,897 Disteghil Sar Karakoram Pakistan 25,858 7,882 Himalchuli Himalayas Nepal 25,801 7,864 Nuptse Himalayas Nepal 25,726 7,841 Nanda Devi Himalayas India 25,663 7,824 Masherbrum Karakoram Kashmir2 25,660 7,821 Rakaposhi Karakoram Pakistan 25,551 7,788 Kanjut Sar Karakoram Pakistan 25,461 7,761 Kamet Himalayas India/Tibet 25,446 7,756 Namcha Barwa Himalayas Tibet 25,445 7,756 Gurla Mandhata Himalayas Tibet 25,355 7,728 Ulugh Muztagh Kunlun Tibet 25,340 7,723 Kungur Muztagh Ata China 25,325 7,719 Tirich Mir Hindu Kush Pakistan 25,230 7,690 Saser Kangri Karakoram India 25,172 7,672 Makalu II Himalayas Nepal 25,120 7,657 Minya Konka  Daxue Shan China 24,900 7,590 Kula Kangri Himalayas Bhutan 24,783 7,554 Chang-tzu Himalayas Tibet 24,780 7,553 Muztagh Ata Muztagh Ata China 24,757 7,546 Skyang Kangri Himalayas Kashmir 24,750 7,544 Ismail Samani Peak  Pamirs Tajikistan 24,590 7,495 Jongsong Peak Himalayas Nepal 24,472 7,459 Pobeda Peak Tien Shan Kyrgyzstan 24,406 7,439 Sia Kangri Himalayas Kashmir 24,350 7,422 Haramosh Peak Karakoram Pakistan 24,270 7,397 Istoro Nal Hindu Kush Pakistan 24,240 7,388 Tent Peak Himalayas Nepal 24,165 7,365 Chomo Lhari Himalayas Tibet/Bhutan 24,040 7,327 Chamlang Himalayas Nepal 24,012 7,319 Kabru Himalayas Nepal 24,002 7,316 Alung Gangri Himalayas Tibet 24,000 7,315 Baltoro Kangri Himalayas Kashmir 23,990 7,312 Muztagh Ata (K-5) Kunlun China 23,890 7,282 Mana Himalayas India 23,860 7,273 Baruntse Himalayas Nepal 23,688 7,220 Nepal Peak Himalayas Nepal 23,500 7,163 Amne Machin Kunlun China 23,490 7,160 Gauri Sankar Himalayas Nepal/Tibet 23,440 7,145 Badrinath Himalayas India 23,420 7,138 Nunkun Himalayas Kashmir 23,410 7,135 Lenin Peak Pamirs Tajikistan/Kyrgyzstan 23,405 7,134 Pyramid Himalayas Nepal 23,400 7,132 Api Himalayas Nepal 23,399 7,132 Pauhunri Himalayas India/China 23,385 7,128 Trisul Himalayas India 23,360 7,120 Korzhenevski Peak Pamirs Tajikistan 23,310 7,105 Kangto Himalayas Tibet 23,260 7,090 Nyainqentanglha Nyainqentanglha Shan China 23,255 7,088 Trisuli Himalayas India 23,210 7,074 Dunagiri Himalayas India 23,184 7,066 List of 6100m to 7000m peaks in the world Mountain peak Range Location Height ft. m Revolution Peak Pamirs Tajikistan 22,880 6,974 Aconcagua Andes Argentina 22,834 6,960 Ojos del Salado Andes Argentina/Chile 22,664 6,908 Bonete Andes Argentina/Chile 22,546 6,872 Ama Dablam Himalayas Nepal 22,494 6,856 Tupungato Andes Argentina/Chile 22,310 6,800 Moscow Peak Pamirs Tajikistan 22,260 6,785 Pissis Andes Argentina 22,241 6,779 Mercedario Andes Argentina/Chile 22,211 6,770 Huascarán Andes Peru 22,205 6,768 Llullaillaco Andes Argentina/Chile 22,057 6,723 El Libertador Andes Argentina 22,047 6,720 Cachi Andes Argentina 22,047 6,720 Kailas Himalayas Tibet 22,027 6,714 Incahuasi Andes Argentina/Chile 21,720 6,620 Yerupaja Andes Peru 21,709 6,617 Kurumda Pamirs Tajikistan 21,686 6,610 Galan Andes Argentina 21,654 6,600 El Muerto Andes Argentina/Chile 21,463 6,542 Sajama Andes Bolivia 21,391 6,520 Nacimiento Andes Argentina 21,302 6,493 Illampu Andes Bolivia 21,276 6,485 Illimani Andes Bolivia 21,201 6,462 Coropuna Andes Peru 21,083 6,426 Laudo Andes Argentina 20,997 6,400 Ancohuma Andes Bolivia 20,958 6,388 Cuzco Andes Peru 20,945 6,384 Toro Andes Argentina/Chile 20,932 6,380 Tres Cruces Andes Argentina/Chile 20,853 6,356 Huandoy Andes Peru 20,852 6,356 Parinacota Andes Bolivia/Chile 20,768 6,330 Tortolas Andes Argentina/Chile 20,745 6,323 Chimborazo Andes Ecuador 20,702 6,310 Ampato Andes Peru 20,702 6,310

Ref: NTB, Infoplease.com