Top 14 Highest Mountains of the World

The 14 highest mountains of the world consist of mountains on Earth, which are more than 8,000 meters (26,000 ft) high altitude above sea level. All 14 highest peaks of the world (8,000m) are located in the Himalayan and the Karakoram mountain ranges in Asia. These submit points are located in Nepal, Tibet-China, Pakistan, and India. All the submit points are in the death zone i.e. a place where there isn’t enough oxygen to sustain human life. The altitude is generally above 8,000 meters where the human body cannot acclimatize. The human body may deteriorate, leading to unconsciousness and ultimately death too in this higher elevation altitude.

According to Everestnews.com, only seventeen climbers have reached the summits of all 14 mountains. Mr. Reinhold Messner an Italian becomes the first person to climb all fourteen eight-thousanders on 16 October 1986. Then followed by Jerzy Kukuczka (Poland), Ehardt Loretan (Switzerland), Carlos Carsolio (Mexico), Krzysztof Wielicki (Poland), Juan Oiarzabal (Spain), Sergio Martini (Italy), Park Young Seok (Korea), Hang-Gil Um (Korea), Alberto Inurrategui (Spain), Han Wang Yong (Korea), Ed Viesturs (U.S.), Alan Hinkes (British), and Silvio Mondinelli (Italy), Ivan Vallejo (Ecuador), Denis Urubko (Kazakhstan), Andrew Lock (Australia).

World Record to Climb all The 14 highest mountains of the world

Recently, Nirmal Purja and his team were the fastest to climb all the 14 highest peaks above 8000m in just 07 months. Smashing the last record which was a little short than 08 years.  A Netflix documentary ’14 peaks: Nothing is impossible’ shows all the dedication to his experience and the thrilling experience during the time of the expedition. They started from Mt. Annapurna and ended on Mt Shishapangma in China

Nirmal Purja and their team  became the first team to climb K2 in the winter season (The second highest peak in the world)

Due to the expedition, many people all around the world are excited to perform expeditions or just trek to the base camp of these highest mountains. Everest base camp trek, Annapurna Base Camp trek are some of the most popular on the top of the list.

The first recorded ascent of above eight thousand meters was by French team Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal. They reached the summit of Annapurna I on June 3, 1950. Mt. Everest, the world’s highest peak, was submitted for the first time on  May 29, 1953, by Sir Edmund Hillary from New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa from Nepal. Whereas the last ascent of above eight thousand meters; Shisha Pangma was submitted on May 2, 1964, by a Chinese and Tibetan team. However, many climbers’ attempt was unsuccessful as well as many have died while climbing the highest peak in the world.

The 14 highest mountains of the world are:

1. Mt. Everest

Other Names: Sagarmatha, Chomolungma.

Altitude: 8,848m/29,029 ft (above the sea level)

Prominence: 8,848m/29,029 ft

Location: Nepal/ Tibet border

Expedition: New Zealander/ Nepalese

Range: Mahalangur Range

Best Season: March to May and September to December

First ascent: May 29, 1953, by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa

Difficulty: Non-technical climb, Normal Routes

2. Mt. K2

Other Names: Mount Godwin-Austen, Chhogori, second-highest mountain

Altitude: 8,611m/ 28,251ft (above the sea level)

Prominence: 4,020 m/13,190 ft

Location: Pakistan/China border

Expedition: Italian

Range: Karakoram Range

Best Season: March to May and September to December

First ascent: July31, 1954 by Achille Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli

Difficulty: Most difficult among fourteen8,000-meter peaks, offering technical climbing, severe weather conditions, and high avalanche danger

3. Mt. Kanchenjunga

Other Names: Kanchenjunga, third-highest mountain

Altitude: 8,586m/ 28,169 ft (above the sea level)

Prominence: 3,922 m/12,867 ft

Location: Nepal/India border

Expedition: Italian

Range: Karakoram Range

Best Season: March to May and September to December

First ascent: May 25, 1955, by George Band and Joe Brown

Difficulty: Difficult among fourteen 8,000-meter peaks, offering technical climbing, severe weather conditions, and high avalanche danger

4. Mt. Lhotse

Other Names: Lhoste, Part of Everest massif, fourth-highest mountain

Altitude: 8,516m/ 27,940 ft (above the sea level)

Prominence: 610 m/2,000 ft

Location: Nepal/Tibet border

Expedition: Swiss

Range: Mahalangur Himalayas

Best Season: March to May and September to December

First ascent: May 18, 1956 Fritz Luchsinger and Ernst Reiss

Difficulty: Moderate trek, Easiest route through glacier, snow, and ice climb

5. Mt. Makalu

Other Names: Maha Kala(Sanskrit), Makaru, Dramatic four-sided pyramid-shaped mountain, fifth-highest mountain

Altitude: 8,485m/ 27,838 ft (above the sea level)

Prominence: 2,386 m/7,828 ft

Location: Nepal/Tibet border

Expedition: French

Range: Mahalangur Himalayas

Best Season: March to May and September to December

First ascent: May 15, 1955, by Jean Couzy and Lionel Terray

Difficulty: Moderate trek, Easiest route through glacier, snow and ice climb

6. Mt. Cho Oyu

Other Names: Cho Oyu means “Turquoise Goddess” in Tibet, the sixth-highest mountain

Altitude: 8,188 m/ 26,846 ft (above the sea level)

Prominence: 2,340 m/7,680 ft

Location: Nepal/Tibet border

Expedition: Austrian, Nepalese

Range: Mahalangur Himalayas

Best Season: March to May and September to December

First ascent: October 19, 1954, by Herbert Tichy, S. Joseph Jochler, Pasang Dawa Lama

Difficulty: Moderate trek, Easiest route through glacier, snow and ice climb

7. Mt. Dhaulagiri I

Other Names: Dhaulagiri I, seventh-highest mountain

Altitude: 8,167 m/ 26,795 ft (above the sea level)

Prominence: 3,357 m/11,014 ft

Location: Nepal

Expedition: Austrian, Nepalese

Range: Dhaulagiri Himalayas

Best Season: March to May and September to December

First ascent: May 13, 1960 by Kurt Diemberger, Peter Diener, Albin Schelbert, Nawang Dorje, Nima Dorje

Difficulty: Difficult trek, Easiest route through northeast ridge, snow and ice climb

8. Mt. Manaslu

Other Names: Kutang, eighth-highest mountain

Altitude: 8,163m/ 26,781 ft (above the sea level)

Prominence: 3,092m/10,144 ft

Location: Nepal

Expedition: Japanese, Nepalese

Range: Mansiri Himalayas

Best Season: March to May and September to December

First ascent: May 9, 1956 by T. Imamishi, K.Kato, M. Higeta and Gyalzen  Norbu

Difficulty: Moderate trek, Easiest route through snow and ice climb

9. Mt. Nanga Parbat

Other Names: Killer Mountain, Naked Mountain, ninth-highest mountain

Altitude: 8,126 m/ 26,660 ft (above the sea level)

Prominence: 4,608 m/15,118 ft

Location: Diamir district, Pakistan

Expedition: Austrian

Range: Karakoram Range

Best Season: March to May and September to December

First ascent: July 3, 1953 by Hermann Buhi (Solo Ascent)

Difficulty: Difficult trek Route through Diamir district (West face)

10. Mt. Annapurna I

Other Names: Known as Goddess of the Harvests for Nepalese, tenth-highest mountain

Altitude: 8,091m/ 26,545 ft (above the sea level)

Prominence: 2,984 m/9,790 ft

Location: Nepal

Expedition: French

Range: Annapurna Himalayas

Best Season: March to May and September to December

First ascent: June 3, 1950, by Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal

Difficulty: Very easy and moderate trek, Easiest route through snow and ice climb

11. Mt. Gasherbrum I

Other Names: K5, Hidden peak, eleventh-highest mountain

Altitude: 8,080m/ 26,510 ft (above the sea level)

Prominence: 2,155 m/7,070 ft

Location: Pakistan/China border

Expedition: American

Range: Karakoram range

Best Season: March to May and September to December

First ascent: July 5, 1958, by y Pete Schoening and Andy J. Kauffman of an eight-man American expedition led by Nicholas B. Clinch. Richard K. Irvin, Tom Nevison, Tom McCormack, Bob Swift and Gil Roberts

Difficulty: Difficult trek, Easiest route through snow and ice climb

12. Mt. Broad Peak

Other Names: Falchan Kangri, part of the Gasherbrum massif, twelfth-highest mountain

Altitude: 8,051m/ 26,414 ft (above the sea level)

Prominence: 1,701 m/5,581 ft

Location: Pakistan/China border

Expedition: Austrian

Range: Karakoram mountain range

Best Season: March to May and September to December

First ascent: June 9, 1957 by an Austrian team:  M. Schmuck, F. Wintersteller, K. Diemberger, H. Buhl

Difficulty: Difficult trek, Easiest route through snow and ice climb

13. Mt. Gasherbrum II

Other Names: Also known as K4, Hidden peak, thirteenth-highest mountain

Altitude: 8,035 m/ 26,362 ft (above the sea level)

Prominence: 1,524 m/5,000 ft

Location: Pakistan/China border

Expedition: Austrian

Range: Karakoram mountain range

Best Season: March to May and September to December

First ascent: July 7, 1956 by an Austrian expedition this included Fritz Moravec, Josef Larch, and Hans Willenpart.

Difficulty: Very easy and moderate trek, Easiest route through snow and ice climb

14. Mt. Shisha Pangma

Other Names: Gosainthan, last 8,000-meter mountain, fourteenth-highest mountain

Altitude: 8,027 m/ 26,335 ft (above the sea level)

Prominence: 2,897 m/9,505 ft

Location: Tibet, China

Expedition: Chinese

Range: Jugal/Langtang Himalayas ranges

Best Season: March to May and September to December

First ascent: May 2, 1964, by 9 Chinese team on behalf of Xǔ Jìng et al

Difficulty: Difficult, Easiest route through snow and ice climb. Nowadays it is restricted to climb this mountain.