Makalu has two high neighbours. Kangchungtse, also called Makalu II, is 7,678 m and lies about 3 km north-north-west of the main summit. Chomo Lonzo is 7,804 m and lies to the north-north-east. Both were first climbed in 1954 by a French reconnaissance party.
Kangchungtse (Makalu II)
Kangchungtse is a 7,678 m peak joined to Makalu by a high saddle, the Makalu La. The 1955 expedition crossed the Makalu La on its way to the summit. The peak is on the Nepal and Tibet border.
Chomo Lonzo
Chomo Lonzo is a 7,804 m peak north-north-east of Makalu, on the Tibet side of the border. It is a steep, pointed mountain rarely seen from Nepal.
The 1954 ascents
In the autumn of 1954 a French party made the first ascents of both peaks. This was a reconnaissance to prepare for the big expedition of 1955, and it gave the team a view of the route.
Where they are
Makalu stands about 19 km south-east of Mount Everest, in the Mahalangur Himal on the border between Nepal and China. The Makalu-Barun valley at its foot lies fully in Makalu Barun National Park. You can see the neighbours from the Barun valley, but the views change a lot with the light.
How to see them
The Makalu Base Camp trek shows the whole group. See Barun valley scenery for what to expect.
Plan it
Go back to the first ascent story or routes and climbing difficulty.
