
8000m+ Expeditions

Mount Everest
- Altitude: 8,848m / 29,029 ft
- Location: Himalaya main ridge (border Nepal-China),
- First ascent: 29 May 1953 (Norgay Tenzing, Sir Edmund Hillary)
Mount Everest, at 8,848 meters above sea level, is the highest mountain on Earth. It is one of the 14 eight-thousand-meter peaks and, as the highest peak in Asia, one of the Seven Summits. The mountain, along with the rest of the Himalayas, was formed by the collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. It is named after the British surveyor Sir George Everest. In Nepali, it is called Sagarmatha, and in Tibetan, Qomolangma (with the German pronunciation “Tschomolangma” and the English transcription “Chomolungma”). Mount Everest is located in the Mahalangur Himal in Nepal’s Khumbu region, on the border with Tibet, with its western and southeastern summit ridges forming the boundary. On the Nepalese side, it is part of Sagarmatha National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, while on the northern side it lies within the Qomolangma National Nature Reserve, corresponding to the UNESCO-designated Qomolangma Biosphere Reserve. Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay successfully made the first ascent of this “third pole” on 29 May 1953.

K2
- Altitude: 8,611 m / 28,251 ft
- Location: Baltoro Muztagh, Karakorum (Pakistan-China border)
- First ascent: 31.July 1954 (Achille Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli)
K2, also known as Lambha Pahar, Qogir (in China), Chogori, Mount Godwin-Austen, or Dapsang, is the highest mountain in the Karakoram, straddling the border between Pakistan and China. As the second-highest mountain in Asia, K2 is recognized as one of the “Seven Second Summits.” The choice of climbing style and technique is crucial here. Renowned for its technical challenges, K2 is widely considered far more demanding than Mount Everest and is often regarded as the most difficult of all fourteen eight-thousanders. SummitClimb expedition leader Daniel Mazur, along with John Pratt, has successfully ascended the West Ridge for the second time, cementing its reputation as one of K2’s most difficult routes. Many expeditions follow the standard Abruzzi Spur route, which typically relies on fixed ropes and supplemental oxygen. However, a pure alpine-style ascent is generally only feasible on alternative routes—and even some challenging 7,000-meter peaks in alpine style can present greater technical difficulties. Regardless of the route chosen, K2 remains considerably more challenging than Mount Everest and is notorious for its high fatality rate. An ascent of K2 must be undertaken with the utmost seriousness; robust technical skills and many years of high-altitude mountaineering experience are absolutely essential.

Kangchenjunga
- Altitude: 8,586m / 28,169 ft
- Location: Himalaya (border Nepal-Sikkim/India)
- First ascent: 25 May 1955 (George Ban and Joe Brown)
Kangchenjunga is the third highest mountain in the world and the easternmost eight-thousander. Its summit straddles the border between Nepal and the Indian state of Sikkim. Until 1852, it was believed to be the highest mountain on Earth. However, the British trigonometric survey of India in 1849 proved that Mount Everest and K2 are even higher, establishing Kangchenjunga as the third highest peak. The mountain was first ascended on 25 May 1955 by George Band and Joe Brown. In respect for the Sikkimese inhabitants who revere the summit as a sacred site, the British climbers stopped just short of the actual peak - a tradition that has been followed by many subsequent expeditions. The final meters of the ascent pose little mountaineering challenge. Since the former Kingdom of Sikkim joined the Indian Union in 1975, Kangchenjunga - often referred to in mountaineering circles as "Kantsch" - has been recognized as the highest mountain in India. Many climbers, including Reinhold Messner, have described Kangchenjunga as the most dangerous and one of the most difficult of all 8,000-meter peaks. Its Tibetan name, "Gangs chen mdsod Inga," translates to "the five treasure chambers of the great snow," hinting at the inherent perils: the five peaks, each over 8,000 meters high, lie at the eastern edge of the Himalayas, receiving the full force of the monsoon and resulting in massive new snowfalls. The normal route along the southeast side—a vast 3,000-meter face—is dominated by snow and ice avalanches, while the alternative routes are even more technically demanding. SummitClimb has so far conducted two expeditions to the north side of Kangchenjunga.

Lhotse
- Altitude: 8,516 m / 27,939 ft
- Location: Himalaya (border Nepal-China),
- First ascent: May 18, 1956 (Fritz Luchsinger and Ernst Reiß)
Lhotse is located in the Himalayas on the border between Nepal and China, right next to Mount Everest. The two peaks are connected by the South Saddle, which sits at 7,986 meters. With an elevation of 8,516 meters, Lhotse is the fourth-highest mountain in the world. Its Tibetan name, meaning "southern peak," highlights its connection to the Everest massif. On the southern side of Lhotse and its subsidiary peak, Lhotse Shar, sheer rock walls drop over 3,000 meters, creating some of the most challenging and dangerous climbing faces on Earth. Although Lhotse is considered "moderately difficult" among 8,000-meter peaks, its standard route - identical to the south ascent of Mount Everest up to about 7,300 meters - is technically very similar to that on Everest.

Makalu
- Altitude: 8486m / 27,838 ft
- Location: Himalaya (border Nepal-China)
- Erstbegehung: 15.Mai 1955 (Lionel Terray und Jean Couzy)
Makalu, at an elevation of 8,485 meters, is the fifth-highest mountain in the world. It is located east of Mount Everest on the border between Nepal and the Tibetan Autonomous Region in the Mahalangur Himal, and its Nepali side is part of the Makalu-Barun National Park. The first ascent was made in May 1955 by a nine-member French expedition led by Jean Franco. For the first time on an eight-thousander, every member of the expedition reached the summit. However, the first ascenders are typically considered to be climbers Lionel Terray and Jean Couzy, who reached the top on May 15. A day later, Jean Franco, Guido Magnone, and Sherpa Gyalzen Norbu also stood on the summit, and on May 17, Jean Bouvier, Serge Coupé, Pierre Leroux, and André Vialatte reached the peak. The route, which crosses the Makalu La, is now known as the “French Route.” In 1975, Makalu was climbed for the first time without supplemental oxygen by Marjan Manfreda. For many years, Makalu was the only eight-thousander in Nepal that had never been climbed in the official winter season. Numerous renowned climbers, including Jean-Christophe Lafaille, who has been missing since his winter attempt in 2005/2006. It wasn’t until around midday on February 9, 2009, that Simone Moro and Denis Urubko became the first to reach Makalu’s summit in winter. With its elegant, pyramidal shape, Makalu—located 22 km southeast of Mount Everest—is considered one of the more challenging 8,000-meter peaks. The standard ascent requires technical climbing at altitudes well above 8,000 meters. We have already led expeditions to Makalu from both Tibet and Nepal. The mountain’s West Ridge (first climbed in 1971 by a French team during the fifth ascent of Makalu) offers one of the most beautiful and impressive lines in the Himalayas.

Cho Oyu
- Altitude: 8,201 m / 26,906 ft
- Location: Himalaya (border Nepal-China)
- First ascent: October 19, 1954 (Tichy Expedition)
Cho Oyu, also known as Qowowuyag (Goddess of Turquoise), is located in the central Himalayas just 20 km west of Mount Everest and Lhotse. It forms the western cornerstone of the Mahalangur Himal on the main Himalayan ridge, with the border between China and Nepal crossing its summit. Because the altitude difference to the next higher mountain is more than 250 meters and the final camp for the summit ascent can be set at a significantly lower altitude, Cho Oyu marks the transition to the "low" 8000m peaks. The ascent is widely regarded as the easiest among all 8000m peaks, a classification justified by its relatively straightforward journey and minimal technical challenges. At SummitClimb, we offer two expeditions to Cho Oyu every year: one post-monsoon and one pre-monsoon.

Dhaulagiri
- Altitude: 8,167m / 26,794 ft
- Location: Himalaya (Nepal),
- First ascent: May 13, 1960 (Kurt Diemberger, Peter Diener, Ernest Forrer, Albin Schelbert, Nawang Dorje Sherpa and Nyama Dorje Sherpa)
Dhaulagiri I, known as the "White Mountain," is the highest peak of the Dhaulagiri Himal and ranks as the seventh-highest mountain in the world at 8,167 meters. It is located approximately 35 km west of Annapurna, separated from it by the Kali-Gandaki Valley. The mountain’s height was first measured in 1809 by Lieutenant William Spencer Webb and Captain John Hodgson at 8,190 meters, making it the first discovered eight-thousander. Until Kangchenjunga was measured in 1838, Dhaulagiri was considered the highest mountain on Earth. Although classified as a medium-heavy 8,000-meter peak, Dhaulagiri is notoriously dangerous; heavy snowfall can trigger massive avalanches in a short time. SummitClimb member and seasoned expedition professional Ivan Vellejo conquered his 14th eight-thousander on Dhaulagiri—a testament to the mountain's formidable challenge. The normal route ascends via the northeast ridge.

Manaslu
- Altitude: 8,163m 26,781 ft
- Location: Himalaya (Nepal)
- First ascent: 9 May 1956 (Yuko Maki Expedition)
Manaslu at 8,163 metres is the world’s eighth highest mountain. The Manaslu group—also known as the Mansiri Himal or Gurkha Himal—includes Ngadi Chuli (7,871 m) and Himal Chuli (7,893 m) and is located in the Gorkha district. To the northwest lies the Annapurna massif, while to the southeast stands the Ganesh Himal. The first ascent was made via the northwest wall, a route that remains the most popular today. Although the climb is classified as "moderately difficult," there is a significant risk of avalanches. Due to a mere 5-metre difference in the official survey, some debate whether Manaslu should be ranked 7th and Dhaulagiri 8th. Additionally, the nearly 8,000-metre east summit was first climbed in 1986 by Jerry Kukuczka.

Nanga Parbat
- Altitude: 8,123 m / 26,650 ft
- Location: Himalaya (Pakistan)
- First ascent: July 3, 1953 (Herman Buhl)
Nanga Parbat (Urdu for "Naked Mountain"), also known as Diamir ("King of the Mountains"), is located in Baltistan, in what was formerly known as the Northern Areas of Pakistan within the disputed Kashmir region. With a height of 8,125 meters, it is the ninth-highest mountain in the world. Known to the Germans as the "Mountain of fate," Nanga Parbat had already attracted several German expeditions before the spectacular first ascent by the exceptional alpinist Hermann Buhl. In 1934, a catastrophe struck during one such expedition, and subsequently the NSDAP began referring to the peak by this ominous name. In 1937, another German expedition met with disaster, claiming 16 lives. Nanga Parbat is regarded as one of the most challenging 8,000-meter peaks—there is no easy standard route. The original route pioneered by Hermann Buhl is now seldom used; most climbers now opt for the Kinshofer route on the Diamir flank. With his first solo ascent of 6,900 meters in 41 hours without supplemental oxygen, capped by an emergency bivouac on the descent back to camp, Hermann Buhl was far ahead of his time—a feat that wasn’t replicated for sporting reasons until the 1970s.

Annapurna
- Altitude: 8,078m / 26,503 ft
- Location: Himalaya (Nepal)
- First ascent: June 3, 1950 (Maurice Duke, Louis Lachenal)
Annapurna I, at 8,078 metres, is the tenth highest mountain in the world. Its name derives from the Sanskrit words "anna" (food) and "purna" (full), symbolizing the food-giving goddess or the goddess of abundance. Annapurna I is the main summit of the Annapurna Himal, a massif that stretches from west to east and comprises several distinct peaks. It is located at the western end of the range, where the massif curves southward and concludes with Annapurna South. To the east of the main summit, a secondary ridge extends to the south and ultimately rises to Machapucharé, which stands at 6,993 metres. Although Annapurna was the first of all 8,000-meter peaks to be climbed, its standard route is by no means among the easiest and is extremely dangerous due to the high risk of avalanches and icefall. Other routes to the summit of Annapurna I are even more demanding. Many renowned mountaineers, including Anatoli Boukreev, Christian Kuntner, and Ian Clough, have lost their lives on Annapurna. On average, there is one fatality for every four successful summits—the worst statistic of all the 8,000-meter peaks.

Gasherbrum I
- Altitude: 8,068 m 26,469 ft
- Location: Karakorum (Pakistan-China border)
- First ascent: July 5, 1958. (N. Clinch, Pete Schoening, Andy Kauffman)
Gasherbrum I, also known as Hidden Peak, is the highest peak in the Gasherbrum group and stands at 8,080 meters, making it the eleventh highest of all the eight-thousanders. Originally, Gasherbrum IV was referred to as Gasherbrum, which translates to "beautiful mountain" in German, and is visible from a distance. As the highest peak in the massif, Hidden Peak was named Gasherbrum I, with the other peaks numbered according to their height.
The name "Hidden Peak" was given by the British explorer William Martin Conway during his 1892 expedition to the Baltoro region. It was chosen because the mountain is not visible from the Baltoro Glacier, distinguishing it from its neighbor, Gasherbrum II. Prior to this, the mountain was known as K5, a designation given by T. G. Montgomerie. The ascent of Gasherbrum I is considered "moderately difficult" and is more technically and physically demanding than the climb to Gasherbrum II.

Broad Peak
- Altitude: 8048m / 26,404 ft
- Location: Karakorum (Pakistan-China border)
- First ascent: June 9, 1957 (Hermann Buhl, Kurt Diemberger, Fritz Wintersteller and Marcus Schmuck)
Broad Peak, also known as Falchan Kangri, stands at 8,048 meters and is the twelfth highest mountain in the world. Located in the Karakoram range on the border between Pakistan and the People's Republic of China, it is part of the Gasherbrum group to the south. Its northern neighbor is K2, separated only by the Godwin Austen Glacier. The mountain was named Broad Peak in 1892 by William Martin Conway, the leader of a British expedition to the Karakoram. The name reflects the mountain's distinctive summit ridge, which stretches over a kilometer with minimal gradient. Conway was reminded of the Breithorn in the Valais Alps when he first saw the mountain. His naming of Concordiaplatz on the Aletsch Glacier was similarly inspired by the Alps. The local Balti name, Falchan (or Phalchan) Kangri, translates to "Broad Peak" but is not widely accepted by the local population. The first ascent of Broad Peak was achieved on June 9, 1957, by a small Austrian expedition consisting of Hermann Buhl, Kurt Diemberger, Fritz Wintersteller, and Marcus Schmuck, who climbed in Alpine style. The most commonly used route involves minor technical difficulties leading up to the summit structure, followed by a traverse across the summit plateau to reach the actual peak. Broad Peak is considered one of the easier 8,000-meter peaks to climb.

Gasherbrum II (8035m)
- Altitude: 8,035m / 26,361 ft
- Location: Karakorum (Pakistan-China border)
- First ascent: July 7, 1956 (Fritz Moravec, Josef Larch, Hans Willenpart)
Gasherbrum II, formerly known as K4, stands at 8,034 meters and is the thirteenth highest mountain in the world. It is part of the Gasherbrum group, located southeast of K2 in the border region between the People's Republic of China and Pakistan. Gasherbrum II is the main summit of this group, stretching in a west-east direction and forming a ridge that reaches 7,600 meters in height. The summit pyramid of Gasherbrum II sits in the middle of this ridge. To the west lies Gasherbrum III, considered a secondary summit of Gasherbrum II. To the east is Gasherbrum II East, which has a rounded summit shape. These secondary peaks, Gasherbrum III and Gasherbrum II East, are sometimes referred to as relatively independent main peaks. The east ridge descends to Gasherbrum La, a pass approximately 6,500 meters high that connects Gasherbrum II with the north face of Gasherbrum I (Hidden Peak). To the west of Gasherbrum III lies Gasherbrum IV, an independent mountain within the same group.
The first ascent of Gasherbrum II was achieved on July 7, 1956, by three members of an Austrian expedition led by Fritz Moravec. Alongside Moravec, Josef Larch and Hans Willenpart reached the summit. Although the ascent involves exposed ridge passages, Gasherbrum II is considered one of the "easier" 8,000-meter peaks, though this does not imply it is an easy climb.
At SummitClimb, we regularly organize expeditions along the normal route of Gasherbrum II, as well as extraordinary projects. SummitClimb expedition leader Dan Mazur was forced to turn back at around 7,000 meters during two attempts to climb a new route via the Northeast Pillar. The planned route was successfully completed for the first time in 2007. In 2018, Felix Berg, our managing director, and Adam Bielicki ascended a new route through the West Face of Gasherbrum II.

Shisha Pagma
- Altitude: 8,013 m / 26,289 ft
- Location: Himalaya (Tibet)
- First ascent: 2 May 1964 by 10 Chinese mountaineers
Shishapangma, at an altitude of 8,027 meters, is the lowest of all the eight-thousanders and the fourteenth highest mountain in the world. However, its height has been measured differently, ranging from 8,013 to 8,046 meters. Recent measurements confirm it to be 8,027 meters tall. The Tibetan name "Shi Sha Sbang Ma" translates to "the area above the grass-covered plain," perfectly describing the view from the north.
Located in the Langtang Himal (Himalaya), just 5 kilometers east of the Chinese-Nepalese border, Shishapangma is the only eight-thousander that lies entirely within Chinese territory, specifically in the Tibet Autonomous Region. On May 2, 1964, ten mountaineers from a Chinese expedition of 195 participants became the first to summit Shishapangma, making it the last of the eight-thousanders to be climbed. This expedition remains the largest in Himalayan mountaineering history. Shishapangma was opened to foreign climbers in 1978.
Although often mistakenly considered an easy climb due to its secondary summit (approximately 8,000 meters), the ridge leading to the main summit is very demanding, long, and often impassable due to avalanche risks. The ascent of Shishapangma is classified as moderate. At SummitClimb, we frequently organize expeditions to Shishapangma's side summit (8,005 meters), from which a ski descent is possible and highly rewarding.