Eight of the world's fourteen peaks above 8,000 m are in Nepal or on its border. They are Everest, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Dhaulagiri I, Manaslu and Annapurna I. Dhaulagiri I, Manaslu and Annapurna I lie wholly in Nepal, and the others sit on the border.
The list by height
Everest, 8,848.86 m. Kanchenjunga, 8,586 m. Lhotse, 8,516 m. Makalu, 8,485 m. Cho Oyu, 8,188 m. Dhaulagiri I, 8,167 m. Manaslu, 8,163 m. Annapurna I, 8,091 m. Heights are the commonly accepted figures, and small differences between sources are normal.
Which are on the border
Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu stand on the border with Tibet, in China. Kanchenjunga stands on the border with India. Dhaulagiri I, Manaslu and Annapurna I lie inside Nepal.
Which regions they belong to
Everest, Lhotse and Cho Oyu belong to the Khumbu. Makalu stands in the Makalu Barun area to the east. Kanchenjunga is in the far east. Annapurna and Dhaulagiri lie in the central west, and Manaslu is in the Gorkha and Manang area.
First ascents in brief
Annapurna I was the first of all 14 eight-thousanders to be climbed, in 1950. Everest followed in 1953, Cho Oyu in 1954, Makalu in 1955, Manaslu in 1956 and Dhaulagiri I in 1960. See the pages for each peak for more.
Climbing versus trekking
Climbing an eight-thousander is a serious expedition that takes two months or more and needs experience. Trekking to base camps and viewpoints is open to most fit walkers, and lets you see these mountains up close.
What to read next
Start with Makalu, Annapurna I, Dhaulagiri I and Manaslu, or see the treks that show them.
Why 8,000 m matters
Above about 8,000 m the air holds roughly a third of the oxygen found at sea level. Climbers call the zone the death zone, because the body cannot adapt and deteriorates, so teams spend as little time there as they can. The 8,000 m line is why these fourteen peaks form a special group.
The other six
The other six eight-thousanders are K2, Nanga Parbat, Gasherbrum I, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum II and Shishapangma. They are in Pakistan and China, not in Nepal. Shishapangma lies wholly in Tibet.
Common questions
Which is the hardest? Annapurna I and K2 are often named. Which is the easiest? Cho Oyu and Manaslu are usually seen as the more approachable ones, though none is easy. Can trekkers visit base camps? Yes, for Everest, Annapurna, Makalu, Kanchenjunga and others.
Plan it
Tell us which mountain you want to see and we will suggest a route that fits your time and fitness.
