Can you guess the top 10 highest mountains in Nepal? Even if you cannot, no need to worry! In this article, we are presenting you a list of ten of the highest mountains in Nepal, including the world’s tallest mountain, Mount Everest. So make sure you read until the end.
Nepal is home to mesmerizing Himalayas and is blessed with rich natural beauty. It is a small landlocked country between the two giants, India and China. Eight of the highest mountains in the world lie in the country, so do not be surprised to see their names on our list of the top 10 highest mountains of Nepal. Now, without further delay, let us dive right into it and explore more about these mountains!
Table of Contents
Top 10 Highest Mountains In Nepal
Everest
- Height: 8848.86 meters
- Region: Khumbu Mahalangur Himalayan Range
Mount Everest, or Sagarmatha (in Nepali language), is the highest peak in the world. There may be only a few people who have not heard about Mount Everest. It is the ultimate dream destination of mountaineers worldwide despite the dangers and risks that climbing to the summit poses.
The mountain lies in the Everest region of Nepal and between the border of Nepal and Tibet. The region is famous for the Everest Base Camp Trek. It was named after the British surveyor Sir George Everest. In 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa successfully reached the summit of Everest as part of the ninth British expedition led by John Hunt. There are two main climbing routes to the summit. One is the standard route from the southeast of Nepal, and the other is from the north of Tibet.
Climbers have to face many hazards while climbing to the summit of the world’s highest mountain. They must tackle unpredictable weather, winds, altitude sickness, avalanches, and snow. As of May 2024, 340 climbers have lost their lives during Everest expeditions, and there are over 200 bodies remain on the mountain.
Kanchenjunga
- Height: 8586 meters
- Region: Northern Kanchenjunga Himalayan Range
Kanchenjunga is the second highest mountain in Nepal and the third-highest mountain in the world. The name Kanchenjunga translates into “five treasures of the high snow.” It lies in the Taplejung district of Province 1 in Nepal. It was believed to be the world’s highest mountain but was later found to be the third-highest in 1856.
Mount Kanchenjunga is considered a sacred mountain by the locals. Joe Brown and George Band were the first to conquer its peak on May 25, 1955. Norman Hardie and Tony Streather climbed to the top the next day. Since then, numerous climbers from different countries have successfully climbed Kanchenjunga.
There are four climbing routes to the summit of Kanchenjunga. The southwest, northwest, and northwest routes are in Nepal, while the northeastern route is in Sikkim, India. The Indian government has banned the Kanchenjunga expedition since 2000, so only the three routes from Nepal are accessible. The fatality rate of Kanchenjunga is 15 deaths per 100 successful climbs.
Lhotse
- Height: 8516 meters
- Region: Mahalangur Himalayan Range
The third highest mountain in Nepal is Mount Lhotse, which lies on the border between Tibet and Nepal. The mountain has four distinct summits, the highest of which is Lhotse Main. The other three summits are Lhotse Middle (Lhotse Central I or Lhotse East), Lhotse Central II, and Lhotse Shar. Lhotse Middle was the highest unclimbed mountain until May 2001.
A Swiss team of Ernst Reiss and Fritz Luchsinger of the Swiss Mount Everest/ Lhotse Expedition was the first to reach the top of Lhotse Main on 18 May 1956. Sepp Mayerl and Rolf Walter of Austria were the first to conquer Lhotse Shar on 12 May 1970.
The standard Reiss Couloir route to the summit of Lhotse Main is regarded as moderately difficult. However, its South Face route is extremely steep and regarded as one of the world’s most grueling and dangerous climbs. The Lhotse expedition trail shares the same path as Mount Everest’s, making it a popular alternative to the Everest expedition.
Makalu
- Height: 8485 meters
- Region: Makalu Mahalangur Himalayan Range
Makalu is Nepal’s fourth highest mountain and the world’s fifth highest mountain. It lies on the Nepal-China border and is 19 km southeast of Mount Everest. The beautiful Makalu-Barun Valley sits at the base of this isolated mountain. Mount Makalu is famous for its four-sided pyramid shape.
The mountain has two summits: the main summit, 8485 meters, and Makalu II or Kangchungtse, 7678 meters. Lionel Terray and Jean Couszy were the first to climb to the peak on May 15, 1955, as part of the French expedition team led by Jean Franco. The rest of their expedition team also climbed the peak successfully within the next two days.
The main climbing routes of Mount Manaslu are the Southeast ridge and the Northwest ridge. Its steep terrains with knife-edged ridges make it one of the most challenging eight-thousanders and one of the world’s most technically demanding climbs. As of 2022, there have been 22 deaths in the Manaslu Expedition. The summit’s success rate is 34%.
Cho Oyu
- Height: 8188 meters
- Region: Khumbu Mahalangur Himalayan Range
The “Turquoise Goddess” Mount Cho Oyu is the fifth highest mountain in Nepal. It lies on the Nepal-China border and is 20 km west of Mount Everest. Nangpa La Pass, a glaciated pass that is the main trading route of Tibetans and Sherpas, is close to Cho Oyu.
The Austrian expedition team members, namely Herbert Tichy, Joseph Jochler, and Pasang Dawa Lama Sherpa, were the first to climb Cho Oyu on 19 October 1954. They reached the peak of the mountain via the north-west ridge. It was also the fifth eighth-thousander that was successfully summitted at that time.
Cho Oyu is regarded as one of the easiest eighth-thousanders to climb. So, many first-time eighth-thousander climbers choose Cho Oyu to enter the world of 8000 meters expedition. It also has the lowest death rate of 1%, 1/25th of Mount Annapurna. Hence, the mountain is also popular as a trekking peak that requires no technical climbing skills.
Dhaulagiri I
- Height: 8167 meters
- Region: Dhaulagiri Himalaya Range
Dhaulagiri I is the sixth highest mountain and the Gandaki River basin’s highest point. The name Dhaulagiri comes from Sanskrit, where Dhawala means dazzling or beautiful or white, and Giri means mountain. It lies in the western region of Nepal and is one of the highest mountains within a single country’s borders.
Kurt Diemberger, Ernst Forrer, Peter Diener, Albin Schelbert, Nawang Dorje Sherpa, and Nyima Dorje Sherpa were the first people to climb to the peak of the Dhaulagiri I on May 13, 1960. They were part of the Swiss-Austrian expedition team led by Max Eiselin. After the first ascent, it took until 1969 to make a second successful ascent.
There are four routes to Dhaulagiri I: northeast ridge, southwest face, southeast ridge, and north face. The other routes are West Face Direct, North Face Direct, and South Face Direct. Nobody has successfully climbed from the south face to date. The fatality rate of Dhaulagiri I is 16.2%. There have been 358 successful ascents and 58 fatalities as of 2007.
Manaslu
- Height: 8163 meters
- Region: Mansiri Himalaya Range
Mount Manaslu is the seventh highest mountain in Nepal and the eighth-highest mountain in the world. It lies in the Gorkha district and is 64 km east of Mount Annapurna. Manaslu is derived from the Sanskrit word, which translates into “Mountain of the Spirit.” Due to its structure, the mountain is also famous as a “wall of snow and ice hanging in the sky.”
The earliest expedition to Manaslu was in 1950, but the mountain was not successfully ascended until 1956. Toshio Imanishi and Gyaltesen Norbu Sherpa were the first to achieve the feat. They were part of the Japanese expedition team Aritsune Maki, led by Maki Yuko.
Manaslu is one of the most dangerous eighth-thousander to climb as the mountain is prone to avalanches. It is the fourth most dangerous 8000-meter mountain. The fatality rate is 10%, i.e., 9 out of 100 people lose their lives while ascending the mountain. As of May 2008, 297 climbers have ascended the mountain, with 53 deaths.
Annapurna I
- Height: 8091 meters
- Region: Annapurna Himalaya Range
Infamous as one of the deadliest eighth-thousander, Annapurna I is the eighth highest mountain in Nepal. Located in Gandaki Province, it is the tenth-highest mountain in the world. The mountain is named after the Hindu goddess of food and nourishment. In Sanskrit, the term Anna means food, and Purna means filled.
Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal summited Annapurna I’s Peak on June 3, 1950. They were part of the French Annapurna Expedition team led by Herzog. It was the first eight-thousanders to be summited and was the highest summit attained at that time.
Annapurna I has one of the highest fatality rates. The unpredictable weather, extremely steep climbing routes, and the risk of avalanches make it an extremely dangerous climb. Its fatality rate was 32%, which reduced to 20% from 2012 to 2022. However, it is still among the highest; as of 2022, 365 climbers had reached the top, with 72 deaths.
Gyachung Kang
- Height: 7952 meters
- Region: Khumbu Mahalangur Himalayan Range
Gyachung Kang is the ninth highest mountain in Nepal. It lies between Mount Everest and Cho Oyu on the border between Nepal and China. Although it is one of the lesser-known peaks, it is the fifteenth-highest mountain in the world. Gyachung Kang is the highest mountain that is not an eighth-thousander.
Y Kato, K Sakaizawa, Pasang Phutar, K Machida, and K Yasuhisa from Japan were the first to ascend to the summit of Gyachung Kang. The route to the peak’s top presents some technical challenges, and there are risks of avalanches. However, it is comparatively easier to climb than the eighth-thousanders.
Annapurna II
- Height: 7937 meters
- Region: Annapurna Himalaya Range
While Annapurna I is the tenth highest mountain in Nepal, Annapurna II is the tenth highest peak in the country and the sixteenth-highest peak in the world. The mountain is isolated from the Annapurna range or Annapurna massif’s main ridge. It also lies in the Annapurna region, which is popular for Annapurna Base Camp Trek.
Richard Grant, Chris Bonington, and Ang Nyima Sherpa were the first climbers to ascend Annapurna II in 1960. They were part of the British/ Indian/ Nepalese team led by J.O.M. Roberts. Annapurna II is also one of the most dangerous mountains to summit. There is a massive risk of large avalanches, rockfall, storms, and large ice overhangs.
Conclusion
These were the top 10 highest mountains in Nepal. Thousands of mountaineers visit Nepal yearly to attempt climbing one of the mountain ranges. While most succeed, some succumb to the treacherous challenges of reaching the summit. These mountains may look remarkably stunning, but they are also harsh and cruel.
If you want to conquer any of these mountains, do not do so half-heartedly. These mountains of Nepal can turn deadly at any time. You need extreme determination, meticulous preparation, and a little bit of luck to conquer the peaks and climbing in Nepal. We hope you enjoyed our article and found it informative. Thank you for reading!
