The world's highest mountains have long been a source of fascination and awe. For climbers, these natural wonders represent the ultimate challenge. History is filled with epic stories of humans pushing the physical and mental limits. Perhaps the greatest challenge of all is climbing the top 10 highest mountains in the world. For as long as these giants have existed, mountaineers have been planning expeditions to their summits. For others, they provide a glimpse into the harshest environments on Earth. The top 10 highest mountains in the world mentioned below are of the most awe-inspiring natural wonders on the planet. They have been a source of inspiration for centuries and continue to amaze us with their scale and majesty.
In this article, we list the top 10 highest mountains in the world, counting down from highest to lowest. These are all members of the 8000ers club (mountains taller than 8000m). They deserve some serious respect, as do the climbers who make it to their peaks.
1. Mt. Everest (29,029 ft/8,848 m.), Nepal
Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world. Mt Everest is located in Nepal standing on the Nepal-China border with a height of 8,848 meters (29,029 ft) above sea level. Everest is known as “Sagarmatha” in Nepal and “Chhomolongma” in Tibet. Mt. Everest was first summated by Nepali Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and New Zealand climber Mr. Edmond Hillary with a British expedition in 1953 from the South Col route. Climbing Mt Everest is the aim of many people in their lives.
Despite the risks, over 500 people attempt to summit Everest’s peak each spring. For some, it’s a test of their physical strength and endurance. For others, it’s a way to prove to themselves and others that they have what it takes to conquer the world’s highest mountain. And for some, it’s simply an opportunity to see the world from a unique perspective.
Whatever their motivation, climbers face treacherous conditions in attempting to summit the top spot on the ten highest mountains in the world. Altitude sickness, extreme cold, and high winds are just some of the factors that make it a dangerous undertaking. Nevertheless, around two-thirds of climbers succeed.
2. Mt. K2 (8,611 m /28,251 feet), Pakistan
Merely 778 feet shorter than Everest, Mount K2 is the second of the top 10 highest mountains in the world, but also one of the deadliest. Mt K2 lies in Pakistan in the Karakoram Range of the Himalayas. There are many peaks in the Karakoram range, the second peak, K2 is the highest point of the Karakoram Range and the highest peak in Pakistan. K2 is known as the “Savage Mountain” due to the difficulty of ascent and the second-highest fatality rate among the “eight-thousanders” for those who climb it. For every four people who have reached the summit, one has died trying. Despite this, K2 continues to attract climbers from all over the world who are looking for a challenge.
The first ascent of K2 was completed by an Italian expedition team which was led by Mr. Ardito Desiofinally. His team Mr. Lino Lacedelli and Mr. Achille Compagnoni successfully ascended to the summit of K2 (8611m/28,251ft) via the Abruzzi Spur climbing route on July 31, 1954.
As for its succinct name, this dates back to the 19th century Great Trigonometrical Survey that cataloged some of the world’s great peaks. The ‘K’ stood for its home Karakoram range. And the 2? It was the second mountain the surveyors saw.
3. Mt. Kangchenjunga (28,169 ft /8,586 m)
Mount Kangchenjunga is the third-highest mountain in the world with a height of 8,586 m (28,169 ft). It is located in Nepal standing on the Nepal-India border. Kangchenjunga is the highest peak in India, and also the name of the surrounding section of the Himalayas and means “The Five Treasures of Snows”, as it contains five peaks. The treasures represent the five repositories of God, which are gold, silver, gems, grain, and holy books. Kanchenjunga is the easternmost highest mountain on the earth. Mr. Joe Brown and George Band of British Expedition team on 25 May 1955 climbed this peak for the first time, interestingly, they stopped just short of the uppermost peak. Joe Brown and George Band did so in deference to the beliefs of the local Sikkam people, who considered Kangchenjunga holy.
4. Mt. Lhotse (27,940 ft/8,516 m), Nepal
Mount Lhotse is the fourth-highest mountain in the world. It is connected to Everest via the South Col. Lhotse means “South Peak” in Tibetan. In addition to the main summit at 8,516 meters (27,940 ft) above sea level, Lhotse Middle (East) is 8,414 meters (27,605 ft) and Lhotse Shar is 8,383 meters (27,503 ft). It is located at the border between Tibet (China) and the Khumbu region of Nepal. Mount Lhotse was first climbed on 18 May 1956 by Mr. Fritz Luchsinger and Ernst Reiss from Switzerland. The first ascent of the south face was made in 1970 by a Polish expedition led by Andrzej Zawada. Mt. Lhotse is becoming famous for its tremendous and dramatic South face. The South face raises 3.2 km and is 2.25 km wide making it the steepest face of this size in the world. Lhotse is registered as one of the most extremely difficult climbs and is rarely attempted.
5. Mt. Makalu (27,825 ft/8,481 m), Nepal
Mount Makalu is the fifth-highest mountain in the world with a height of 8,481 meters (27,825 ft). It is located 19 km (12 miles) southeast of Mount Everest, on the border between Nepal and China. Mt Makalu was first climbed by an American team led by William Siri in the spring of 1954. The South East Ridge and the Northwest Ridge are the main climbing routes on Mt. Makalu. It is located at the coordinates of 27°53’21” N and 87°05’27” E in the eastern part of Nepal.
Makalu has a unique pyramid-shaped peak and is considered one of the most beautiful mountains in the world. However, due to its remoteness and difficult terrain, Makalu is still considered one of the most challenging mountains to climb.
6. Mt. Cho Oyu (26,906 ft/8,201 m.)
Mount Cho Oyu is the sixth-highest mountain in the world. It is located on the Nepal-China border in Nepal. Cho Oyu means “Turquoise Goddess” in Tibetan. The mountain is the westernmost major peak of the Khumbu sub-section of the Mahalangur Himalaya 20 km west of Mount Everest. Cho Oyu is known as being one of the easiest of the 8,000-meter peaks due to its straightforward approach and lack of objective dangers. Mount Cho-Oyu was first climbed on October 19, 1954, by Australian Joseph Joechler, Herbert Tichy (Italy), and Pasang Dawa Lama (Nepal).
The mountain is popular with mountaineers and is often considered a good training ground for climbing Everest, thanks to its similar altitude and conditions. It’s also a popular destination for ski mountaineering and has been the scene of some notable first descents, such as the first descent of the south face by Slovenian skier Tomaž Humar in 2000.
7. Mt Dhaulagiri (26,795 ft/8,167 m.), Nepal
Mount Dhaulagiri is the seventh-highest mountain in the world with a height of 26,795 feet /8,167 meters. It is located just north of central Nepal. The name Dhaulagiri comes from the Sanskrit word where Dhawala means “Dazzling, White Beautiful” and Giri means “Mountain”. The normal climbing route for Dhaulagiri is the Northeast ridge. The exact coordinates are 28°41’48” N, Latitude and 83°29’42” E Longitude. Dhaulagiri was first summated by an Austrian, Swiss, and Nepali expedition on May 13, 1960. Since then, it has become a popular destination for mountaineers from all over the world.
Like Everest and unlike most other mountains on this list, the peak of Dhaulagiri is made up of layers of limestone and dolomite rock that formed on the ocean floor.
8. Mt. Manaslu (26,763ft/8,163m), Nepal
Mount Manaslu is the eighth-highest mountain in the world. It is located in the Mansiri Himal in the west-central part of Nepal. Its name, which means “Mountain of the Spirit”, comes from the Sanskrit word Manasa, meaning “intellect” or “soul”. Manaslu was first climbed on May 9, 1956, by Toshio Imanishi and Gyalzen Norbu, members of a Japanese expedition. It is usually a first choice for adventure climbers looking to climb an 8000m peak. The exact coordinates are Latitude 28°33’01” N and longitude 84°33’42” E.
It’s considered a difficult climb, due to the high altitude and the technical skills required. However, the rewards are great, as the views from the summit are some of the most breathtaking in the world.
9. Nanga Parbat (26,660 ft/8,126m.), Pakistan
Nanga Parbat, the ninth-highest mountain in the world lies in Pakistan. Nanga Parbat with a height of 26,660 feet (8,126 meters) was known as “Killer Mountain” due to the high number of climber fatalities. Over 30 climbers have lost their lives on the mountain since 2000. The risks of climbing Nanga Parbat include avalanches, falls, and extreme altitude sickness. Now, however, it is less dangerous to climb, but still very difficult. This mountain is an immense and dramatic peak that rises above its surrounding area in Pakistan. It is located on the southern side of the Indus River in Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan.
The first successful ascent was made in 1953 by German-Austrian climber Hermann Buhl. Before this, 31 people had already died attempting to climb Nanga Parbat. A rich mountaineering history includes one of very few successful high-altitude rescues. In 2005, a Pakistani military helicopter saved a Slovenian climber who had been stranded under an ice ledge for 6 days.
10. Mt. Annapurna (26,545 ft /8,091 m.), Nepal
Last but not least is Annapurna. Despite being last on the list of the 10 highest mountains in the world, Annapurna is considered the second most difficult and dangerous mountain to climb (after K2). Its slopes are steep and avalanche-prone.
Surprisingly, Annapurna was the first of the eight thousanders to be climbed. French mountaineer Maurice Herzog and his team made the first successful ascent of Annapurna in 1950.
For a long time, Annapurna held the highest fatality-to-summit rate of all the world’s highest mountains, a whopping 32%. Luckily, this has decreased. Between 2012-2022 the fatality rate was somewhat lower at 20%. This is still more than enough to make you think twice before attempting to summit!
Annapurna's south face is a particularly hazardous climb. This 3,000m (9,800ft) face is famous as one of the most difficult ascents in the world.
The Annapurna region is renowned as a premier trekking destination, home to the celebrated Annapurna Circuit and the Annapurna Sanctuary hikes—arguably some of the finest long-distance treks on the globe.
Nepal boasts ownership of many of the planet's tallest peaks, including eight of the top ten highest mountains in the world. A significant portion of these towering giants either rise entirely within or straddle the borders of Nepal. Notably, this country lays claim to Mount Everest, the "roof of the world."
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