Nepal is the land of the Himalayas. The landlocked country contains 8 of the world’s tallest mountains among the 14 mountains. These mountains are above 8000 meters lying in the Himalayan belt of the country.

Not only that but also the world’s highest mountain Mt. Everest also lies in Nepal. Besides these eight mountains, Nepal possesses other 1,310 peaks that are above 6000 meters. Nepal also contains the largest Himalayan range in the world.

The list of the World’s 8 highest mountains in Nepal are:

Mt. Everest (8848 m)

Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world with a height of 8848 meters above sea level. The Nepali name for Mt. Everest is ‘Sagarmatha’. It lies in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas in Solukhumbu district. 

You will find very few native plants and animals in the Everest. The highest growing plant is a moss at 6,480 meters. Birds, such as the bar-headed goose, chough, Yellow-billed choughs can be seen flying higher at the Everest summit. Yaks are widely found in the Everest region. They act as a means of transportation, carrier to the people living in the Everest region. Their milk is also famous for its beneficial and for dairy products. 

Many climbers had previously attempted to climb Everest but they had not succeeded. Later in the year 1953, Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary made the first official successful climb, using the southeast ridge route. 

The world’s tallest mountain in this region makes the Everest region the most popular trekking in Nepal as well as in the world. It attracts many climbers among which some are highly experienced mountaineers. Everest consists of two main climbing routes. One is through the southeast side in Nepal and the other from the north in Tibet.

Everest trekking/climbing has the probability of presenting dangers. The climbers may suffer from altitude sickness, weather, and wind.  And also, the significant hazards from avalanches and the Khumbu Icefall.

Mt. Kanchenjunga

Kanchenjunga (8586m) is the third highest mountain in the world and the second-highest in Nepal. It is an enormous mountain mass, with many satellite passes rising from its narrow icy ridges. Mt. Kanchenjunga lies just 46 miles towards the northwest of Darjeeling on the border of Nepal and Sikkim. It is also the most east sided mountain of the great 8,000-metre peaks of the Himalaya.

Kanchenjunga climbing was first attempted in 1905 in which four members of the international parties were killed in an avalanche. Later in the year 1955, it was successfully ascended by Joe Brown and George Band, who were part of a British expedition. 

The first three parties to ascend the mountain, in order to let the mountain remain intact, never attempted the top of the summit. This was also out of voluntary respect for the Sikkimese, who consider the summit sacred. Therefore, in honor of the local religion, after the successful British expedition of 1955, the climbers set the standard by stopping a few feet short to the actual summit.

Kanchenjunga still has retained its pristine beauty as it is not much explored by the climbers. Due to its location in the remote area and difficulty in climbing, it is comparatively less undertaken by the trekkers. In total, there are four climbing routes to reach the summit of Kangchenjunga. Among them, three are in Nepal from the southwest, northwest, and northeast, whereas one from northeastern Sikkim in India. 

Mt Lhotse

Mt. Lhotse is the fourth highest mountain in the world with a height of 8516 m. Lhotse means ‘South Peak’ in the Tibetan language. Sometimes it is mistakenly identified as the south peak of the Everest massif. The long east-west crest of the mountain is located in the south of Mt. Everest. Whereas the summits of the two mountains are connected by the South Col.

The first attempt to Climb Lhotse was made in the year 1955 which was also the first expedition in the Everest area. This attempt was not successful due to the unexpected strong winds and low temperatures. Later in the year 1956 May 18, a swiss team successfully ascended from the Lhotse Expedition. 

The route to Lhotse standard climbing follows the same path as Everest’s South Col route up to the Yellow Band beyond Camp 3. The route then diverges to take a right further up to the Lhotse face. The final section of the summit leads through the narrow “Reiss couloir” until you reach the main Lhotse peak.

Makalu

Makalu is the fifth highest mountain in the world with a height of 8,463 m. It is an isolated peak, located just 14 miles east of Mount Everest. It is isolated but an impressive peak just by its size. The structure of the mountain is of a perfect pyramid with four sharp ridges making it all the more spectacular.

The records of expeditions and trekkings have proved Mt. Makalu to be a challenging climb. Until now, only five of its first sixteen attempts have been successful. It had always been admired and studied by several Everest parties. The first attempt to climb Makalu was made in 1554 but was a failure as the climbers were not able to reach the summit. Later in the year 1955, a French group successfully climbed Makalu for the first time.

Cho Oyu

Cho Oyu means “Turquoise Goddess” in Tibetan. It is the sixth highest mountain in the world with a height of 8,201 m. It is located in the Khumbu region at a short distance to the west from Everest and Lhotse along the Tibetan border.  Cho Oyu is the westernmost major peak of the Khumbu sub-section of the Mahalangur Himalaya.

The mountain stands on the China–Nepal border with its towering peak sanding with Everest and the surrounding mountains. Due to this reason, Cho Oyu has become a familiar landmark to climbers ascending Everest’s north face.

The first summit to Cho Oyu was made on October 19, 1954, through the north-west ridge. The climbers were Herbert Tichy, Joseph Jöchler and Sherpa Pasang Dawa Lama of an Austrian expedition. Cho Oyu was also the fifth 8000-meter peak to be climbed, after Annapurna, Mount Everest, Nanga Parbat, and K2. Cho Oyu was the highest peak climbed without supplemental oxygen until in 1978 when Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler summitted Mt. Everest.

Dhaulagiri

Dhaulagiri meaning White Mountain is the seventh highest mountain in the world with a height of 8,167 meters. It is a gigantic Himalaya massif located in north-central Nepal. It is extended 120 km (70 mi) from the Kaligandaki River west to the Bheri. It is also the highest point of the Gandaki river basin.

Dhaulagiri was considered as the postulated highest mountain in the world for nearly 30 years. Later, Kanchenjunga replaced it as it was falsely believed to be the world’s highest mountain. 

Dhaulagiri I has a sudden rise from the lower terrain from 7,000 m from the Kali Gandaki River 30 km to the southeast, which is almost unequaled. The south and west faces rise headily over 4,000 m. Gurja Himal which is the south face in the same massif is also notably massive.

Manaslu

Manaslu is the eighth highest peak of the world that lies in the east of the Annapurna massif. Manaslu is derived from a Sanskrit word which means the Mountain of the Spirit. It is the high peak of Gorkha massif and the first mountain over 8,000m to be climbed by an all-female expedition team from Japan. Manaslu is a steep mountain, clearly visible from a great distance in the surrounding of the region.

Manaslu is located about forty miles away to the east of Annapurna. The mountain is feasibly approachable from all directions due to its long ridges and valley glaciers. The mountain forms a dominant feature when seen from afar.

Mt. Manaslu also offers a variety of trekking options including Manaslu Circuit Trek for trekking enthusiasts. The trekking in this circuit was permitted by the Nepalese Government only in 1991. The trekking trail follows an ancient route along the bank of the Budhi Gandak River. The highest point you will reach along the trek route is the Larkya La at an elevation of 5,106 meters. 

The survey of May 2008 shows that the mountain has been climbed 297 times with 53 fatalities.

Trekking in the Manaslu region is also famous for Manaslu Conservation Area. It has been established with the goal of achieving conservation and sustainable management of the demarcated area including Manaslu. 

Annapurna

Annapurna (8091 m) is the tenth highest mountain in the world and the most popular destination of trekkers from all around the world. The Annapurna massif lies at the east of the Kali Gandaki gorge. The Kali Gandaki gorge is also known as Goddess of the Harvest as it provides water and fertile soil for the valleys below.

Mt. Annapurna is an enormous massif which was first summited in the year 1950. It is also the first mountain over 8,000m to be climbed successfully. The mountain consists of glaciers on its western and northwestern slopes that drain into the Kali Gandaki gorge. 

Annapurna has many high peaks among which five are labeled using few variations of the name Annapurna. Annapurna Base Camp Trek is one of the most popular Base Camp Trek in Nepal. Annapurna Conservation Area also plays a major role in attracting the trekking enthusiasts as it falls under one of the preferred trekking destinations. Annapurna region is rich in cultures, ecosystems, and scenic beauties.