Nothing beats the glory of the most majestic peak in the world, Everest located at 8,848 meters right here in Nepal. Home to the tallest and several other peaks, it is well-known to the world- Nepal is a synonym of Himalayas.

Although constrained by area but not the beauty, Nepal actually harbors eight out of fourteen tallest mountain in the world. More to that, there are 1,310 peaks above 6,000 meters of which 238 are open for scaling. Well, the list quite long, so here is the sneak-peek to those eight glorious wonders.

Everest

First summited in 1953 by Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Edmund Hillary, Everest still is the craving of adrenaline junkies, and why it shouldn’t be, after all, it is the tallest mountain in the world. As the peak lies in between the border of Nepal and Tibet, Everest can be summited from two different routes: south and north. However, south side from Nepal is the easy and often used one.

With its mighty height, Everest is the epitome of pride and glory, and people of both Nepal and Tibet has given local name to the peak out of reverence. Sagarmatha, meaning goddess of the sky is the Nepali name, while Chomolunga meaning Holy mother peak is the Tibetan title.

Except for the thirst of reaching the peak, the route to Everest has many charming and distinctive settlements which will entice you even more. Lukla, Namche Bazaar, Tengboche, Dingboche are some of the Himalayan villages en route with quaint lifestyle, traditional and cultural intactness and the innocent smile and heartwarming hospitality.

Kanchenjunga

Kanchenjunga is the third tallest peak in the world at 8,568 meters between Nepal and Sikkim. Just like Everest, this peak is also entitled with several names like Senjelungma and Kanchinjinga. The whole mountain is the giant massif with five peaks of which four are above 8,000 meters.

What’s more interesting is until 1852, Kanchenjunga was assumed to the tallest mountain in the world. After verifications of all calculation, it was announced to be the third in 1856. The first ascent was made in 1955 by Geo Brown and George Band; it is very least explored by trekkers.

Although Kanchenjunga is one of the highest peaks in the world, due to its remote location and level of difficulty, it is also cited as one of the dangerous peaks in the world. However, these very reasons have caused to retain its pristine beauty.

Lhotse

Located at an elevation of 8,516 meters Lhotse is the fourth tallest mountain in the world. The name of peak is a derivation from Tibetan dialect meaning South Peak. Along with the main summit, the mountain also comprises two peaks above 8,000 meters; Lhotse Middle at 8,414 meters and Lhotse Shar at 8,383 meters.

Lhotse’s main peak was scaled by a Swiss team of Ernst Reiss and Fritz Luchsinger in 1956. It is also sometimes mistakenly identified as the south peak of Everest massif. Lhotse wasn’t in highlight until the time Everest was successfully ascended. Now, the peak witnesses a large number of admirers who dares to and scale the peak.

Makalu

Makalu is located in the southeast of Mount Everest on border between Nepal and Tibet at 8,485 meters making it the fifth tallest mountain in the world. In addition to the main peak, Makalu has two subsidiary peaks; Makalu II or Kangchungtse at 7,678 meters and Chomo Lonzo at 7,804 meters.

Makalu is also one of the most isolated peaks whose shape is a four-sided pyramid. It is a very difficult mountain in the world and one of the toughest eight-thousander to scale. The mountain is known for its notorious steep pitches and knife-edged ridges that are completely open to elements. To overcome the final ascent of summit pyramid, one needs technical rock/ice climbing.

Cho Oyu

Cho Oyu meaning “Turquoise Goddess” in Tibetan language is the sixth tallest mountain in the world at 8,188 meters above sea level. First scaled in 1954, Cho Oyu is considered as the easiest eight-thousander to climb with lowest death-summit ratio. The mountain is marketed as “trekking peak” which can be conquered by climbers with high fitness level but low mountaineering experience.

Like Kanchenjunga, Cho Oyu was mistakenly taken to be the seventh tallest mountain, however, the new measurement in 1996 derived the height of 8,188 meters.

Dhaulagiri I

Dhaulagiri I is the main peak of Dhaulagiri massif at 8,167 meters above sea level. The name of the peak is a Sanskrit word where dhawala means dazzling, white, beautiful and giri means mountain. It is the seventh highest mountain in the world and the highest one within the borders of a single nation (Nepal).

Manaslu

Manalsu is the eighth highest mountain in the world at 8,163 meters above sea level. The name which means ‘mountain of the spirit’ is derived from Sanskrit word manasa meaning intellect or soul.

Along with the excellent adventure of ascending the peak, an expedition to Manalsu also provides an opportunity for exploring rare flora and fauna. Himalayan musk deer, blue sheep, Himalayan goral, Asian black bear are some wildlife in the region with over 110 species of bird, 33 mammals, 11 butterflies, and three reptiles.

Annapurna I

Annapurna is a female Sanskrit name meaning ‘(she who is) replete with food’ often translated as Goddess of the Harvests. Annapurna massif is the giant massif with one peak over 8,000 meters, thirteen peaks over 7,000 meters and sixteen plus above 6,000 meters and amongst them Annapurna, I is the tallest one at an elevation of 8,091 meters making it the tenth tallest mountain in the world.

It also has the highest fatality rate among all the eight-thousander with 52 death during ascents, 191 successful ascents and nine death upon descent as of March 2012.

Annapurna region dominates the trekking destination in Nepal with several world-class treks like Annapurna Circuit and Annapurna Sanctuary.