Kanchenjunga has five summits. The main summit is 8,586 m, then Yalung Kang (West) at 8,505 m, South at 8,494 m, Central at 8,482 m and Kangbachen at 7,903 m. The name is usually explained as "the five treasures of the snows".
The five summits
- Main: 8,586 m
- West, known as Yalung Kang: 8,505 m
- South: 8,494 m
- Central: 8,482 m
- Kangbachen: 7,903 m
Four of these stand above 8,000 m. A published height can differ by a few metres from source to source, so use these as a guide, and expect small differences in other books.
What the name means
The name comes from Tibetan words usually translated as "five treasures of the great snow" or "five treasures of the snows". The five treasures are often explained as gold, silver, gems, grain and holy books, stored by the gods in the five peaks. Local people in Sikkim and Nepal revere the mountain as a deity.
Why Yalung Kang is listed separately
Yalung Kang is the west summit, and some lists count it as a separate 8,000 m peak. It was climbed in 1973. See the Yalung Kang guide for its height, history and how to see it from the south base camp.
Spellings you will meet
- Kangchenjunga (international maps, most books)
- Kanchenjunga (Indian usage, Wikipedia title)
- Kanchanjunga and Kanchanjanga
- Kumbhakarna is a different mountain, an outlier to the west, see the Jannu guide
Satellite peaks nearby
Kanchenjunga is surrounded by high peaks such as Jannu, Kabru, Talung and Pandim. Several are seen from the same trek. See Jannu, Kumbhakarna and Kabru for the nearest of them.
Plan it
Read height, rank and facts for the basics or how to see it from Nepal if you plan a trek.
