Nepal is known as land of Himalayas world over. There
are 1,310 peaks above 6000 meters of which 238 are already
opened for climbing. Likewise, out of fourteen 8000
meters above peaks eight of them, including the highest
peak in the world, Mount Everest lie in Nepal. Other
seven are namely Kanchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu,
Dhaulagiri, Manaslu and Annapurna.
Mt. Everest
Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world
measuring 8,848m (29,028 feet) in height. It was first
climbed on May 29, 1953 by a New Zealander Sir Edmund
Hillary and Tenzing Norgay of Nepal. Mount Everest is
also known by the Tibetan name Chomolangma (goddess
mother of the snows), and by the Nepali name Sagarmatha
(Mother of the Universe).
Everest had been attempted many times before the important
expeditions being that of 1922, 1923 and 1924.The body
of George H.L. Mallory who died in an earlier attempt
(1924), was discovered on the mountain in 1999. More
than 600 climbers from 20 countries have climbed the
summit by various routes from both north and south.
Climbers' ages have ranged from nineteen years to sixty.
Climbing on Everest is very strictly regulated by both
the Nepalese and Chinese governments. Climbing Everest
and Treks to Everest Base Camp are becoming increasingly
popular on both the north and south sides of the mountain.
On the north side, a Buddhist monastery is one of two
whose locations were selected specifically to allow
religious contemplation of the great peak. The other
side is the Thyangboche Monastery in Nepal. The once
active Rongbuk monastery in Tibet has required much
rejuvenation from the destruction it experienced following
China's invasion of Tibet.
Kanchenjunga
Kanchenjunga (8,586) is the third highest mountain
in the world. From 1838 until 1839 was believed to be
the highest. It is an enormous mountain-mass and many
satellite peaks rise from its narrow icy ridges. It
is located on the border of Nepal and Sikkim, just 46
miles northwest of Darjeeling. It is the most easterly
of the great 8,000-meter peaks of the Himalaya. 
Though not successfully climbed until 1955, it was
first attempted in 1905, but four members of that international
party were killed in an avalanche. As inspiring as Kanchenjunga's
beauty is at least the first three parties to ascend
the mountain never attempted the final few feet to the
summit out of voluntary respect or those who considered
the summit sacred. The successful British expedition
of 1955 set the standard by stopping a few feet short
of the actual summit, in honor of the local religion.
Lhotse
Lhotse (8,516) is the fourth highest mountain in the
world. Its long east-west crest is located immediately
south of Mount Everest and the summits of the two mountains
are connected by the South Col, a vertical ridge that
never drops below 8,000 meters. Lhotse is sometimes
mistakenly identified as the south peak of the Everest
massif. No serious attention was turned to climbing
Lhotse until after Everest had finally been ascended.
Lhotse was first climbed in 1956 by two Swiss, fritz
Luchsinger and Ernest Reiss.
In addition to the main summit, there are two subsidiary
peaks, Lhotse Shar, which is immediately east of the
main summit, and Nuptse, a high peak on the mountain's
west ridge.
Makalu
Makalu (8,463) is the fifth highest mountain in the
world. It is an isolated peak, located just 14 miles
east of Mount Everest. Its size alone is impressive,
but its structure, that of a perfect pyramid with four
sharp ridges, make this mountain all the more spectacular.
It has proved to be a challenging climb, as only five
of its first sixteen attempts were successful. Previously,
it had been admired and studied by several Everest parties,
but like so many other giants in Khumbu region, it was
not attempted until the summit of Everest had been attained
in 1954. A French group first climbed Makalu in year
1955. 
Chomo Lonzo (25,650 ft.) is a subsidiary peak of Makalu,
rising just north of the higher summit, separated by
a narrow saddle.
Cho oyu
Cho Oyu (8,201) is the sixth highest mountain in the
world, located a short distance to the west from Everest
and Lhotse (the fourth highest) in the Khumbu region
of Eastern Nepal along the Tibetan border. Its towering
peak stands with Everest well above the surrounding
mountains. It became a familiar landmark to climbers
ascending Everest's north face. Just west of Cho Oyu
is the Nangpa La, a 19,000-foot glacier pass, and the
main trade route between the khumbu Sherpas and Tibet.
Cho Oyu's proximity to the Nangpa la has earned it the
distinction among some climbers as being the easiest
8,000 meter peak. It was the third such peak climbed,
and the first climbed in autumn by two Australian.
Dhaulagiri
Dhaulagiri (8,167), whose name means White Mountain,
is the seventh highest mountain in the world. It is
an enormous Himalayan massif, located in north central
Nepal. After its discovery by the western world in 1808,
it replaced Ecuador's Chimborazo (20,561 ft.) as the
postulated highest mountain in the world. It maintained
this standing for nearly 30 years, until the discovery
of Kanchenjunga, which was then falsely believed to
be the world's highest mountain.
Dhaulagiri's crest stretches for thirty miles, lending
structure to an otherwise tangled topography of twisting
ridges, glaciers, and ice falls. Along the main crest,
several pyramid-shaped peaks rise. Four of these summits,
numbered form east to west, rise above 25,000 feet.
In 1960, the Swiss/Australian expedition who first
reached the summit did so despite their airplane having
crashed during the approach. This was the first Himalayan
climb supported by an airplane, although the plane was
subsequently abandoned on the mountain.
Manaslu
Manaslu (8, 163) is the high peak of the Gorkha massif,
and is the eight highest mountains in the world. It
is located about 40 miles east of Annapurna, the tenth
highest mountain. The mountains long ridges and valley
glaciers offer feasible approaches from all directions,
and it culminates in a peak that towers steeply above
its surroundings landscape, and is dominant features
when seen from afar. The name Manaslu is derived from
the Sanskrit word Manasa and can be roughly translated
as mountain of the spirit. An all-female Japanese expedition
successfully ascended to the summit, thereby becoming
the first women to climb an 8,000-meter peak. 
Annapurna
Annapurna (8,091) is an enormous Himalayan massif,
the tenth highest mountain in the world. In 1950, it
became the first 8,000 meter mountain to be successfully
climbed. It is located east of great gorge cut through
the Himalaya by the Kali Gandaki River. The mountain
has the glaciers on its western and north western slopes,
which drain into this gorge.
Annapurna is a Sanskrit name that can be translated
as goddess of harvests or more simply the provider.
Of Annapurna's many highs peaks, five are labeled using
some variations of the name Annapurna. Of these, the
two highest (Annapurna I and II), stand like bookends
at the western and eastern ends of the massif.
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With eight of the highest peaks in the world, Nepal has
been the focus of some of the most outstanding achievements
in the world of mountaineering. For many decades the dauntless
icy peaks have posed as challenge to those who dare. There
are some 326 peaks in Nepal open for mountaineering today.
Government of Nepal opened around 175 peaks in the last
two years to mark the Mount Everest Golden Jubilee Celebrations.
