Introduction
Asia is home to all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters, known as the "eight-thousanders." These mountains are concentrated in the Himalayas and Karakoram ranges along the borders of Nepal, China, Pakistan, and India.
Climbing all 14 eight-thousanders is the ultimate mountaineering achievement. Only about 45 people have completed the feat without supplemental oxygen.
1. Mount Everest
- Height: 8,849 m (29,032 ft)
- Location: Nepal/China
- First Summit: 1953
Everest is the highest point on Earth. The mountain grows about 4mm per year as the Indian tectonic plate pushes into Asia.
Over 300 climbers have died on Everest. The bodies of many remain on the mountain, some serving as grim waypoints for other climbers.
2. K2
- Height: 8,611 m (28,251 ft)
- Location: Pakistan/China
- Fatality Rate: ~25% of summiteers
K2 is the second highest but widely considered the most difficult and dangerous eight-thousander. It has never been climbed in winter until 2021 by a Nepali team.
The mountain's steep, exposed routes and severe weather make it far more lethal than Everest.
3. Kangchenjunga
- Height: 8,586 m (28,169 ft)
- Location: Nepal/India
- Notable: Third highest peak
Kangchenjunga is sacred to the people of Sikkim, and climbers traditionally stop just below the true summit out of respect. It was the world's highest unclimbed peak until 1955.
The mountain has five peaks, four of which exceed 8,450 meters.
4. Lhotse
- Height: 8,516 m (27,940 ft)
- Location: Nepal/China
- Notable: Connected to Everest
Lhotse is connected to Everest by the South Col and shares its base camp. Its south face is the steepest and most imposing wall in the Himalayas at 3,000 meters of sheer rock and ice.
The Lhotse face is a key section of the standard Everest route.
5. Makalu
- Height: 8,485 m (27,838 ft)
- Location: Nepal/China
- Shape: Distinctive pyramid
Makalu's near-perfect pyramid shape makes it one of the most beautiful eight-thousanders. It is isolated from other major peaks, making its weather particularly unpredictable.
Only about 400 people have summited Makalu, compared to over 6,000 for Everest.
6. Cho Oyu
- Height: 8,188 m (26,864 ft)
- Location: Nepal/China
- Notable: Easiest eight-thousander
Cho Oyu is considered the easiest eight-thousander and is often used as a training peak for Everest attempts. Its relatively gentle slopes and good weather windows attract many climbers.
It was first climbed in 1954 by an Austrian expedition.
7. Dhaulagiri
- Height: 8,167 m (26,795 ft)
- Location: Nepal
- Notable: Deepest gorge nearby
Dhaulagiri and nearby Annapurna are separated by the Kali Gandaki Gorge, one of the deepest gorges in the world. The name means "White Beautiful Mountain" in Sanskrit.
Its north face drops 4,000 meters in one of the most dramatic mountain walls on Earth.
8. Manaslu
- Height: 8,163 m (26,781 ft)
- Location: Nepal
- First Summit: 1956 by Japanese team
Manaslu is called the "Mountain of the Spirit." It has become increasingly popular as an alternative to Everest for climbers seeking an eight-thousander experience.
The Manaslu Circuit trek is one of the best long-distance treks in Nepal.
9. Nanga Parbat
- Height: 8,126 m (26,660 ft)
- Location: Pakistan
- Nickname: Killer Mountain
Nanga Parbat earned its "Killer Mountain" nickname after 31 climbers died on it before the first successful ascent in 1953. Its Rupal Face is the tallest mountain face in the world at 4,600 meters.
Hermann Buhl made the legendary first solo ascent without supplemental oxygen in 1953.
10. Annapurna
- Height: 8,091 m (26,545 ft)
- Location: Nepal
- Fatality Rate: ~32% historically
Annapurna has the highest fatality-to-summit ratio of any eight-thousander. It was the first 8,000m peak to be climbed, by a French expedition in 1950.
The Annapurna Circuit trek around the massif is one of the most popular trekking routes in the world.
Key Facts
- All 14 peaks above 8,000 meters are in Asia, specifically in the Himalayas and Karakoram.
- Only about 45 people have climbed all 14 eight-thousanders without supplemental oxygen.
- The Himalayas are still growing by about 5mm per year due to the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates.
- K2 was first climbed in winter only in January 2021 by a team of 10 Nepali climbers.
- Annapurna has the highest death-to-summit ratio of any eight-thousander at about 32%.
Fun Facts
- Nirmal Purja climbed all 14 eight-thousanders in just 6 months and 6 days in 2019, smashing the previous record of 7 years.
- Mount Everest has a traffic jam problem. In May 2019, over 200 climbers queued in the death zone waiting to summit.
- K2 has never had a successful summit from the east face, the mountain's most difficult side.
- The "death zone" above 8,000m is so named because the human body literally begins to die from oxygen deprivation at that altitude.
Final Thoughts
Asia's mountains represent the ultimate in vertical geography. The 14 eight-thousanders stand as testaments to the incredible forces that built the Himalayas and continue to challenge the most ambitious mountaineers on Earth.
