What would be the first thing we searched when we heard about a famous mountain? Height right. We all love high peaks. As you know, mountains are landform that rises at least 1,000 feet or more above its surrounding terrain in a limited area. The mountain range is a series of mountains that are close together. Most of the highest peaks, situated within the Himalayan range. Look at these top ten highest mountains in the world.
10 Annapurna I, Himalaya
Annapurna I mountains within the Himalayan range situated in Northern Nepal have a height of 8091 meters. Technically speaking, the other 30 peaks within its mountain range also have altitudes above 6000 meters. It is one of the dangerous mountains to climb in the world. Avalanches have become a common thing in the Annapurna mountain region.
Additionally, people defined Annapurna as a massif in the Himalayas. But it has a genuinely alarming 32% fatality rate than any other mountain on this list, which means 32% of attempts to reach the mountain top resulting in a fatality. A French mountaineer did the first successful climb in 1950.
The Annapurna circuit also became one of the most popular treks in the world. Additionally, the Annapurna Circuit trek is far more popular than the summit attempt. Circuit trek circumnavigates Annapurna I and takes in views from the Dhaulagiri to the Annapurna Massif’s mountain passes.
- Elevation: 26545 feet
- Location: Nepal
- Meaning: Everlasting food
9 Nanga Parbat
Nanga Parbat, also generally known as the killer mountain, is situated at the Himalayan Range’s western end in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of northern Pakistan. It is the world’s ninth highest mountain, with a height of 8126 meters. It is locally known as Diamer. Additionally, it is entitled as a killer mountain because it becomes too difficult to climb.
It has mainly three significant faces, Diamir, Rakhiot, and Rupal. Nanga Parbat is also the world’s fourteenth most prominent peak. In 1895, Albert F. Mummery, the British Alpine climber, led the first attempt to ascend the glacier and snow-covered mountain. At least 30 more climbers also perished here due to the severe weather conditions and frequent avalanches.
Most of the attempts of climbing faced failure and marked a successful effort by Herman Buhl in 1953. Many people lost their lives on mountaineering in Nanga Parbat. Moreover, we can find the ridges of mountains covered with huge blocks of ice and rock. Many mountaineers climbed this mountain in winter.
- Elevation: 26660 feet
- Location: Pakistan
- Meaning: Naked Mountain
8 Manaslu
Manaslu is generally known as the mountain of spirit situated in the North-Central part of the Nepalese Himalayas. It has a height of 8163 meters, became the eighth highest mountain in the world. The dangerous avalanches within this mountain area took away many lives. The first-ever successful expedition recorded here was Gyalzen Norbu, a Japanese mountaineer in 1956.
A popular trekking destination is Manaslu Region Trek in recent years, a unique natural and cultural heritage. The region also offers countless trekking routes like the Tsum valley, the Manaslu circuit, and more. The Manaslu region trekking trails that have been untouched and less trodden are isolated and diverse, making the trekking experience more adventurous.
Like other regions, here also have many highly endangered animals such as snow leopards and red pandas. Monks of monasteries and the hunting ban in this area help us to achieve wildlife conservation. Additionally, it is home to nineteen different forest types, including Rhododendron and Himalaya Blue Pine forest and 1500 to 2000 plant species.
- Elevation: 26,781 feet
- Location: Nepal
- Meaning: Mountain of the spirit
7 Dhaulagiri I
Dhaulagiri I in Nepal lies between the Kaligandaki river and Bheri river and forms part of the Dhaulagiri mountain range. It holds the record of the seventh highest mountain in the world with a height of 8167 meters. Many peaks of this mountain range covered with snow and glaciers gift a stunning white appearance.
The avalanches are also happening here, moderately dangerous. Swiss-Austrian-Napali group recorded the first successful expedition in 1960. There had been 358 successful ascents and 58 fatalities as of 2007, a summit to a fatality rate of 16.2%. Most of Dhaulagiri’s snow- and glacier-covered peaks run over 7,620 meters.
The steep sides and bitterly cold climate of the mountain prevented an ascent to the top. In 1808, researchers marked down Dhaulagiri in the record books as the world’s highest mountain of those yet surveyed. Moreover, the world’s deepest gorge, the Kaligandaki Gorge, separated the mountains.
- Elevation: 26,795 feet
- Location: Nepal
- Meaning: Dazzling, white, beautiful mountain
6 Cho Oyu
Cho Oyu mountain is the fourth and final member of the Everest region’s 8000m club, situated on the border between Tibet and Nepal, the western part of the Himalayas. Additionally, it is the sixth highest mountain in the world, with a height of 8188 meters. People considered Cho Oyu mountain as the most comfortable mountain to climb that above 8000 meters.
There are only moderate slopes within the Cho Oyu mountain range. This area is also safe from avalanches and awful weather conditions. Herbert Tichy, Joseph Jochler, and Sherpa Pasang Dawa Lama of an Austrian expedition climbed it first in 1954. The Northwest, the Northeast, and the Southwest are the three prominent ridges of Cho Oyu.
Due to its ease of access, people often crowded in Advanced Base Camp with many expeditions. We can see well over 1000 ascents so far here. Additionally, this mountain has recently become popular with snowboarders and ski-mountaineers. Moreover, people considered Cho Oyu the easiest eight-thousander with the lowest death-summit ratio, 1⁄25th of Annapurna’s.
- Elevation: 26,864 feet
- Location: Border of Nepal and Tibet (China)
- Meaning: Turquoise Goddess
5 Makalu
Makalu is officially the world’s fifth highest mountain, situated in the Mahalangur Himalayas. Makalu lies on the Nepal-China border, 19km southeast of Mount Everest. Additionally, Makalu is better known for its summit’s iconic pyramid shape. It has a height of 8485 meters. Unlike other mountains, Makalu’s pyramidal structure makes it more attractive.
Makalu is also one of the eight-thousanders. The Makalu Barun valley is a famous glacier valley at the base of Makalu mountain, protected by Makalu Barun national park. Additionally, the park has an extraordinary diversity of plants. Moreover, Barun Valley is a sanctuary for wild animals such as foxes, wolves, lynx, and the elusive snow leopard.
The valley also offers stunning contrasts, where we can see craggy rocks rise from lush green forests, high waterfalls cascade into deep gorges, and colorful flowers bloom beneath white snow peaks. In 1954, Riley Keegan led an American team that was the first to climb the Makalu mountain. Lionel Terray and Jean Couzy of a French expedition summited it first on May 15, 1955.
- Elevation: 27,838 feet
- Location: Border of Nepal and Tibet (China)
- Meaning: Big Black
4 Lhotse
Lhotse is the fourth highest mountain globally after Mount Everest, K2, and Kangchenjunga, situated about 3 kilometers south of the mighty Mount Everest region. The South Col connected the summits of these two mountains, a ridge at an elevation of about 7,600 meters. Upon appearance, it shows a resemblance with mount Everest.
Fritz Luchsinger and Ernst Reiss from Switzerland first climbed Mount Lhotse on May 18, 1956. Additionally, Lhotse is a mountain massif in the Himalayas, which lies on the border between the Tibet Autonomous Region of China and Nepal. It also consists of three summits. Experts unanimously declared the Khumbu Icefall was the most dangerous section during the climb.
After various unsuccessful attempts, the South Face was also successfully climbed only as recently in 1984. For a long time, Lhotse Middle remained the highest unclimbed named point on earth until Eugeny Vinogradsky climbed it on May 23, 2001. Lhotse Face is generally known as the western flank of Lhotse. Moreover, the two rocky sections, Yellow Band and the Geneva Spur interrupt the icy ascent on the face’s upper part.
- Elevation: 27,940 feet
- Location: Border of Nepal and Tibet (China)
- Meaning: South Peak
3 Kangchenjunga
Kangchenjunga is the world’s third-highest mountain. Before 1852, everyone believed Mt. Kanchenjunga was the world’s highest mountain. Along with the Nepal Government, the World Wildlife Fund runs the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Project. Therefore, this project serves as the home of mainly Red Panda and other montage animals, plants, birds.
It is known as the five treasures of snow because of its mighty high five peaks. Among these five peaks, three of which, along with Kanchenjunga Main, lie on the border between North Sikkim, India, and Taplejung District, Nepal. The remaining two peaks lie solely in the Taplejung District, Nepal. Kanchenjunga, also infamously known as Killer Mountain due to its high fatality rate.
Kanchenjunga mountain is the second least climbed mountain among the mountains higher than 8,000 meters, right after Mount Annapurna. Mountaineers Joe Brown and George Band were the first to climb Kanchenjunga successfully on May 25, 1955, as part of a British expedition. Many areas of this mountain region become dangerous through avalanches.
- Elevation: 28,169 feet
- Location: Border of Nepal and India
- Meaning: The Five Treasures of Snows
2 K2
K2 is the second-highest mountain globally. An Anglo-Swiss expedition to K2 in 1909 was the first attempt to reach the summit. Ardito Desio led the first successful expedition in 1954, and Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni were the two climbers who reached the summit. Additionally, K2 is sometimes known as Mount Godwin-Austen, honoring an early explorer of Henry Godwin-Austen.
K2 is the highest mountain, also known as a savage mountain among mountaineers due to its hazardous environment. It is the world’s second most fatalities reported mountain area. Additionally, the avalanches, storms, and unpleasant weather itself make K2 too dangerous for mountaineers. The valley of mount K2 enriches glaciers and a rich source of fresh water.
An ice avalanche occurring at its area known as “The Bottleneck” destroyed most of the climbers’ rope lines. The excellent time to climb this mountain is during the spring and autumn months. Moreover, the summer months bring the monsoonal rains, while the winter months bring heavy snow and strong winds.
- Elevation: 28,251 feet
- Location: Border of Pakistan and China
- Meaning: Second peak measured in the Karakoram Range
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1 Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the world’s highest mountain, with an elevation of 8848 meters, situated in the Himalayas’ Mahalangur Himal sub-range and the China-Nepal border. The British Surveyor General of India, Andrew Waugh, originally proposed the name Everest in 1865. He chose this name from his predecessor, Sir George Everest, in the post, despite Everest’s objections.
Two Sherpas, Apa Sherpa and Phurba Tashi Sherpa, hold the record of having reached Everest 21 times. The height of Everest is still growing at a rate of 16 inches per century. Additionally, the first successful climbers to stand on top of Mount Everest were Edmund Hillary from New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay, a Nepali Sherpa climber on May 29, 1953, from the South Col route.
People once seemed it impossible to climb. The unpleasant temperature variations, high wind, and altitude problems also show the dangerous face of Everest. Moreover, climbers make summit attempts primarily in May and September to avoid the harsh winter snows and summer monsoon rains.
- Elevation: 29,029
- Location: Border of Nepal and Tibet (China)
- Meaning: Mother Goddess of the World
