Nepal is the land of mountains. Among the seventeen highest mountains in the world, the top 10 Highest mountains in Nepal represent the country. This is also the reason Nepal is the ideal place for adventure lovers. Several treks in Nepal, like Everest Base Camp Trek, Annapurna Base Camp Trek, etc., take you closer to the mountains. Nepal has the highest peak in the world, Mount Everest.
With eight mountains more than 8,000 meters above sea level, many mountain climbers love to visit Nepal to experience the rugged and challenging adventure. When they arrive here, they learn about some of the tallest mountains and how difficult it is to climb and reach the summit. So, let’s look at the top 10 highest mountains in Nepal.
Mount Everest is the highest peak in the world. It lies at an elevation of 8848.86 or 8849m from the sea level. It was first recognized in 1955 by the Indian Survey and after a few years by the Chinese Survey. Mount Everest is locally known as Sagarmatha. which means “Forehead of the Sky and the Goddess of the Sky”.
Over the years, Mount Everest has become the symbol of Nepal’s pride and the way for people of other countries to know about Nepal. In 1865, Peak XV was renamed Mount Everest after Sir George Everest. He was the British surveyor general of India from 1830 to 1843.
Kangchenjunga is the third-highest mountain in the world, standing at 8,586 meters (28,169 feet). It is part of the Himalayas, specifically the Kangchenjunga Himal, which borders the Tamur River to the west and the Teesta River to the east. This mountain range is located in eastern Nepal and Sikkim, India. Kangchenjunga is the highest peak in India, with eastern peaks over 8,000 meters (26,247 feet) high.
The nickname of Kanchenjunga is “Five Treasures of Snow”. Due to the five religious peaks, the people of Sikkim and Darjeeling still pay respect to the mightiest Kanchenjunga. The central peak of Kangchenjunga is the second-highest in Nepal, following Mount Everest. Three of the five peaks Main, Central, and South—lie on the border between North Sikkim and Nepal. Kanchenjunga is not only the third-highest mountain but also a prime spot for trekkers looking for a remote adventure, such as the Kanchenjunga Trek.
$USD 3,100 per person
Reach 6,189m/20,305ft in 18 Days
$3125 $3,100
per person
Reach 6,119 m/ 20,075 ft. (Lobuche Peak) in 19 Days
$3200 $2,560
per person
Reach 6,461 M/ 21,190ft in 17 Days
Lhotse is the world’s fourth-highest mountain and Nepal’s highest mountain. It stands at an elevation of 8516m. Its main summit is in the Khumbu region of Nepal and the autonomous region of Tibet. Lhotse forms a huge horseshoe shape with Everest in the north and Nuptse to the west.
Despite its steep walls on its South and Northeast Faces, Lhotse is considered the least important of the eight-thousanders. This is mainly because there is a significant height difference between Lhotse and Everest at the South Col. The Western Face of Lhotse, located at the head of the Khumbu Glacier in the Western Cwm, is necessary for the main climbing routes for both peaks. In Tibetan, Lhotse means “South Peak,” which shows its close relationship with Everest.
Makalu is the world’s fifth-highest mountain and Nepal’s fourth-highest mountain. It lies at an elevation of 8,485m and is considered among the most dangerous mountains in Nepal and Makalu Base Camp trek is also regarded as a challenging trek. Mount Makalu is located in the Mahalangur range, 12 miles southeast of Sagarmatha, on the border between China and Nepal. It is one of the eight-thousand-meter peaks shaped like a four-sided pyramid.
Makalu is divided into two notable subsidiary peaks Kangchungtse. The subsidiary peaks are two miles northwest of the main summit. The first Makalu climb was made in 1954 by the American mountain climbing team led by Riley Keegan. The mountain climbers were from the Sierra Club members, including Allen Steck and Bill Long. The whole expedition was named the California Himalayan Expedition to Makalu.
Cho-Oyu is another mountain in Nepal above the height of 8000m. It is the world’s six-highest mountain among Nepal’s top ten highest mountains. According to the Tibetian literature, Cho Oyu means Turquoise Goddess. The Cho-Oyu mountain is located at the westernmost point of the Khumbu sub-section of the Himalayas range. It is also located 20 km west of Mount Everest, which means the trekkers trekking Mount Cho-Oyu can also get a glimpse of Mount Everest.
Cho Oyu is located in Khumjung Village Development Committees under the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu rural municipality in the Solukhumbu District of Eastern Nepal. It stands at 8,201 meters (26,906 feet) high. The peak’s latitude is 28.0936° N, and the longitude is 86.6634° E. Expeditions to Cho Oyu are allowed, and it takes about 56 days to reach the summit successfully.
The climbing route starts from Lukla and goes through Nurning, Jorsalle, Namche, Khumjung, Machherma, Gokyo, and finally to the Base Camp. The total distance of this route via Gokyo is 39.2 kilometers, and the climbing route itself is 17.5 kilometers long. Gokyo is the closest settlement to Mount Cho Oyu. The nearest army, police, and health posts are in Namche, 22.0 kilometers away. The closest tourist post is in Lukla, 39.2 kilometers from the peak
Dhaulagiri is also among the highest mountains in the world, as it comes in seventh place among the top ten highest mountains. It lies at an elevation of over 8,167m. It is also the highest mountain within the borders of one country, which means this mountain doesn’t share boundaries with either India or Tibet.
Dhaulagiri comes from the Sanskrit word Dhaula, which means Dazzling white, whereas Giri means Mountain. This mountain is also the highest point of the Gandaki River Basin. Dhaulagiri I stands on the east of the Dhaulagiri range. The sudden rise of Dhaulagiri from the low level to its highest point is quite significant compared to other mountain ranges.
Mount Manaslu is one of Nepal’s most dangerous mountains and the eighth-highest mountain in the world. Many climbers believe Manalsu to be among the most challenging due to its reputation, which is why it has the name of Killer Mountain. The Manaslu mountain is also derived from the Sanskrit word “Manasa”, which means Intellect or Soul.
Manaslu Peak is located in the Thoche, Dharapani, and Samagaun Village Development Committees of the Manang and Gorkha Districts in Nepal’s Western Development Region. It is open for climbing expeditions and takes about 65 days to reach the summit. You can enter the area by driving to either Dhadingbesi or Gorkha. Toshio Imanishi and Gyaltsen Norbu Sherpa made the first successful ascent of Manaslu Peak on May 9, 1956. There are two main caravan routes to reach Manaslu Peak. The first route starts from Gorkha and goes through Khanchok, Deurali, Gumda, Jagat, Philim, Bihi, Namrung, and finally to Samagaun, leading to the Base Camp. Besides peak climbing, people prefer the adventure offered by the Manaslu Region trek, which provides a complete adventure experience
Another dangerous mountain in Nepal is Annapurna I. This mountain has the highest fatality rate at 20%, which means among the 100 people climbing Annapurna, 20 people have lost their lives. In a broad sense, the fatality rate is still lower than in some other dangerous mountains like Mount K2 and Kilimanjaro.
Mount Annapurna is the tenth-highest mountain in the world, with an elevation of 8091m. The Annapurna massif is located in the Nepal Himalayas and has many peaks over 7,000 meters high. The Kali Gandaki Gorge borders it to the west, the Marshyangdi River to the north and east, and the Pokhara Valley to the south. The massif contains a high area called the Annapurna Sanctuary at its western end. In 1950, Maurice Herzog led a French team to the summit of Annapurna, making it the first of the world’s eight thousanders to be successfully climbed.
Gyachung Kang is the fifteen highest mountain in the world, located at an elevation of 7952m. This mountain is in the Mahalangur Himal Section. It is the highest peak between Mount Everest and Cho-Oyu. It lies on the border of Nepal and Tibet. It is also among the two highest mountains, not above 8000m. The mountain was first climbed on April 10, 1964, by Y. Kato, K. Sakaizawa, Pasang Phutar, K. Machida, and K. Yasuhisa. In 1999, a Slovene expedition climbed the north face for the first time, and Yasushi Yamanoi did it again in 2002.
Annapurna II is the second-highest mountain located in the Annapurna peaks in Nepal. It is also the eastern anchor of the Annapurna range. It is slightly lower than the central Annapurna peak at 7937m. Like the significant Annapurna trek, the Annapurna II is also very challenging for climbers, especially those trying to climb for the first time. The expedition team of Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal from France was the first to find Mount Annapurna, including the part of Annapurna II.
Mountain or Peak climbing is one of the most stunning adventures for trekkers and climbers worldwide. In Nepal, trekkers will find about eight of the fourteen highest mountains in the world, including the highest peak, Mount Everest, from where they will get some stunning mountain views. Here are some tips to consider when climbing the highest mountains in Nepal.
Physical Training is essential for climbers planning to reach the summit of some of the tallest mountains in the world. Mountain climbing is challenging and demanding, so climbers must be in their best shape, and most have high stamina. Mountain climbers must focus their cardio training and become more muscular. The climbers must also concentrate on altitude training, which means the trekkers must know the proper ways of acclimatization.
Acclimatization is essential for trekkers to know during their mountain expeditions. The trekkers must acclimatize regularly during the expedition of over 8000m mountains in Nepal. Proper acclimatization helps the body to get accustomed adequately to the decreased oxygen level, which reduces the risk of altitude sickness.
Throughout the climb through the Annapurna Base Camp Trek towards the summit, the climbers will see different kinds of terrains like lush jungles, rocky ridges, glacial moraines, and snowy mountains.
Hence, these are the ten highest mountains of Nepal. These mountains are the ultimate goals of mountain climbers whose dream is to climb Mount Everest, the tallest peak in the world. Several impressive mountains include Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Cho-Oyu, Luptse, Nuptse, and others.
When planning to climb these mountains, ensure you are physically fit. Climbers must also know how to acclimate and stay hydrated all the time. So next time you think about the ten highest mountains in Nepal, we hope our guide will help you throughout.
