Machapuchare (also spelled Machhapuchhre) is a 6,993 m peak whose twin summit looks like a fish tail. It is considered sacred to Shiva, and climbing it has not been allowed since a British expedition in 1957 stopped just short of the top.
The mountain nobody is allowed to climb
Machapuchare rises to about 6,993 m above the Pokhara valley, a sharp twin-summit pyramid whose shape gave it the name Fishtail. It looks close enough to touch from the lakeside, yet it is one of the very few big Himalayan peaks that has never had an official summit. In 1957 a small British expedition led by Jimmy Roberts reached a point a short distance below the top and turned back, honouring a promise to keep the summit untouched. Soon afterwards the government closed the mountain to climbers, and it has stayed closed.
Why it is protected
Local people regard the peak as the home of Shiva, and the sanctity of the mountain is a major reason for the ban. Climbing permits are not issued, which makes it a rare example of a famous Himalayan peak that remains a wild, reverent landscape. Anyone selling a Machapuchare summit attempt should be treated with suspicion.
The shape and the name
The name comes from the Nepali words for fish and tail, because from some angles the twin summit looks like a forked tail. From Pokhara it looks like a single steep spire, which is why photographers prize the early morning reflections in Phewa Lake.
Where to see it
The mountain dominates the skyline from Sarangkot, Pokhara lakeside, Dhampus, Ghandruk, Ghorepani and the Mardi Himal ridge, and it is the backdrop to the Annapurna Sanctuary. You can reach Machapuchare Base Camp on foot without a climbing permit, because the trek stops well short of the closed upper mountain.
A timeline in brief
The first serious attempt was in 1957 by a British team. They climbed to within about 50 m of the summit and stopped, honouring an agreement with local authorities. Soon afterwards the government banned climbing on the mountain, and the ban remains in place. As a result the mountain is often described as virgin.
How to respect it
Do not buy any trip that promises a summit. If you see a company advertising Machapuchare climbs, it is either misleading you or breaking the law. Enjoy the mountain from the many legal viewpoints.
Plan it
Read the viewpoint guide and the base camp guide.
