Easiest 7,000 m Peaks in Nepal (2026): 10 Peaks Ranked by Difficulty, Permits and Royalty

• Easiest in NepalHimlung Himal 7,126 m, Putha Hiunchuli 7,246 m
• Next step upBaruntse, 7,162 m
• Climb firstA 6,000 m trekking peak on crampons and fixed rope
• Royalty, 7,001 to 7,500 mUSD 800 spring, 400 autumn, 200 winter or summer
• Royalty, 7,501 to 7,999 mUSD 1,000 spring, 500 autumn, 250 winter or summer
• Royalty-free to mid-July 2027Api and Saipal (97 free peaks)
• SeasonsSpring (April to May) and autumn (September to October)

So you know that Nepal is a place of high-altitude mountains. You have already read it's home to 8 peaks over 8000 meters, but what about the peaks around 7000 meters? Want to know about them too?

Here are some of the easiest to moderate 7000-meter peaks in Nepal that you should know before planning an expedition.

Nepal's 7,000 m Peaks Compared, Easiest First

The table runs from the gentlest normal route to the hardest. Only the first three are realistic as a first 7,000-metre peak, and Baruntse is the usual second. The rest belong on this list because of their height, not because they are easy.

Difficulty is our summary of each normal route in good conditions, based on operator route descriptions and the Himalayan Database. Royalties are per foreign climber at the rates in force since 1 September 2025. See our peak climbing permit guide for every season and band.

Lhakpa Ri Peak - 7,045 Meters

Lhakpa Ri is a mountain peak located in the Himalayas. It is situated on the north side of Mount Everest which places it just across the border in Tibet rather than in Nepal itself, though it is climbed so often alongside Nepali peaks that most lists include it. The peak stands at 7,045 meters (23,113 feet) above sea level and is regarded as one of the most straightforward 7,000-metre summits anywhere. It is popular as a first 7,000-metre peak because the normal route is a long glacier and snow climb from the advanced base camp used by Everest's north-side teams, with close views of Everest's North Face.

Lhakpa Ri was first climbed in 1935 by Bill Tilman and Edmund Wigram during Eric Shipton's Everest reconnaissance, when the peak was still called Gardefui. George Mallory and Guy Bullock had reached the Lhakpa La below it in 1921. Since then, many groups have climbed it. The climbing season for Lhakpa Ri typically falls between April and May, when the weather is more favorable.

Because Lhakpa Ri is in Tibet, you need a Chinese climbing permit arranged through a Tibetan operator, not a Nepali royalty. China did not issue permits for Everest's north side in 2026, which also affects peaks climbed from the same base camps, and the Kerung border crossing has been shut since the 26 August 2026 flood, so Tibet trips now fly into Lhasa. Check the current position before you plan around it.

Putha Hiunchuli - 7,246 Meters

Putha Hiunchuli is one of the popular peaks of the Dhaulagiri mountain range in Nepal, reaching an elevation of 7,246 meters (23,773 feet). It sits at the western end of the Dhaulagiri range, on the edge of Dolpo in western Nepal.

The mountain was first climbed in 1954 by Jimmy Roberts and Ang Nyima Sherpa, and it has since become a popular first 7,000-metre peak.

The climb to the summit of Putha Hiunchuli involves long snow slopes with very little technical ground, which is exactly why guides rate it among the easiest 7,000-metre peaks in Nepal. Its difficulty lies in remoteness and altitude rather than climbing skill. It is climbed as an expedition of its own from Dolpo. Most teams fly from Nepalgunj to Juphal, walk via Dunai, Tarakot and Kakkot up the Barbung valley, and set base camp at about 4,900 m. The best climbing time is spring or autumn, when the weather is typically more stable and the snow conditions are better.

On top of the royalty you need the Lower Dolpo restricted-area permit (USD 20 a week) and the Shey Phoksundo National Park fee (NPR 3,000), plus a licensed guide. The exact permit list depends on the approach, so confirm it with your operator.

From the upper slopes you look across the Dhaulagiri massif, Churen Himal and the ranges of Dolpo. It is a remote and isolated peak, and the region is home to various wildlife, including the snow leopard, blue sheep, and Himalayan black bear.

Tilicho Peak - 7,134 Meters

Tilicho Peak is a mountain in the Annapurna range in Nepal. It stands at an elevation of 7,134 meters (23,405 feet) above sea level, on the border of Manang and Mustang districts.

You can reach there as you start your trek from Annapurna Circuit, taking you to Tilicho Lake and, finally, Tilicho Peak.

The first ascent is usually credited to the French climber Emanuel Schmutz in 1978, by the northwest shoulder, although the Himalayan Database records an earlier ascent of the north ridge in 1971. On 24 January 1982 a Sherpa team led by Dawa Gyalzen made the first winter ascent by the north ridge, which the anthropologist Sherry Ortner describes as the first all-Sherpa mountaineering expedition.

Operators usually set three high camps: Camp 1 at about 5,800 m, Camp 2 at about 6,200 m and Camp 3 at about 6,600 m.

Tilicho is a clear step up from Himlung. The upper mountain has steep snow and ice, and it sees far fewer expeditions, so expect your team to fix more of the route itself.

Gangapurna Peak - 7,455 Meters

Gangapurna is a peak in the Annapurna range of the Himalayas in Nepal. It rises directly above Manang village on the Annapurna Circuit and has an elevation of 7,455 meters (24,459 feet). Be aware that, unlike most peaks on this list, Gangapurna is a serious technical climb best left to experienced mountaineers. A German expedition led by Günther Hauser made the first ascent on 6 May 1965, and the mountain still sees only a handful of expeditions.

You will start your journey on the Annapurna Circuit trail, passing through Chamje, Dharapani, and Pisang on the way to Manang.

Climbers usually acclimatize around Manang on the Annapurna Circuit before moving up to base camp, then set several high camps on the way to the summit.

The best time to climb Gangapurna is spring (April to May) or autumn (October to November), when the weather is generally the most stable.

Baruntse Peak - 7,162 Meters

Baruntse is a mountain in the Himalayas of Nepal. It rises at the head of the Hunku valley, between the Everest and Makalu massifs. Its main summit is 7,162 m (23,497 ft), though the Himalayan Database lists 7,152 m, and the mountain has several lower tops. Colin Todd and Geoff Harrow of Edmund Hillary's New Zealand expedition made the first ascent in late May 1954.

Baruntse is harder than Himlung or Putha Hiunchuli. The normal route follows the southeast ridge from the West Col, with steep snow and ice on the upper ridge that is normally fixed with rope. Teams approach through the Hunku valley, often after acclimatizing on Mera Peak, or cross in from the Khumbu over the Amphu Labtsa. Baruntse is part of the Makalu-Barun National Park, home to various flora and fauna, including the endangered snow leopard. On top of the royalty you pay the Makalu Barun National Park fee (NPR 3,000), and teams starting from Lukla usually also pay the Khumbu municipality fee.

The mountain is popular with mountaineers and trekkers, and the area around it offers beautiful views of the surrounding peaks, including Makalu, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam.

Api Himal - 7,132 Meters

Api is the highest peak in Nepal's far west, in Darchula district of Sudurpashchim Province. It rises in the Gurans Himal close to the borders with India and Tibet and stands 7,132 meters above sea level.

The first ascent was made on 10 May 1960 by Katsutoshi Hirabayashi and Gyaltsen Norbu Sherpa of a Japanese Doshisha University team. Api is not an easy peak. Several expeditions have ended in deaths, including two Italians in 1954, a climber lost on a Polish winter attempt in 1983 and two British climbers in 1992, and it sees few ascents.

The walk to Api Base Camp is one of Nepal's remotest treks, and climbers follow the same trail. Expeditions usually fly to Dhangadhi or Nepalgunj, drive to Darchula and Gokuleshwor, then walk for about a week up the Chamelia valley via Ghusa to base camp at about 4,000 m.

Api is one of the 97 peaks whose royalty Nepal waived until mid-July 2027. You still pay the Api Nampa Conservation Area fee, TIMS, insurance and all the logistics, and you still need a registered agency and a licensed guide.

Himlung Himal - 7,126 Meters

Himlung Himal is a mountain in Manang district in north-central Nepal, close to the Tibetan border. It has an elevation of 7,126 meters (23,379 feet) and sits in the Peri Himal, reached through the wild Nar Phu valley off the Annapurna Circuit. Himlung has become the single most popular 7,000-metre training peak in Nepal thanks to its non-technical normal route. The area only opened to foreigners in 1992, and on 3 October that year Osamu Hanai, Akio Koizumi and Nima Sherpa of a Japanese-Nepali team made the first recorded ascent.

Expeditions start walking at Koto on the Annapurna Circuit road, follow the Nar Phu valley to Phu and set base camp at about 4,800 to 4,900 m. The normal route climbs the west side of the mountain over glaciers and snow ridges, with crevasses and short steeper sections that are fixed with rope.

Himlung sits inside the Nar Phu restricted area, so you need the Nar Phu permit (USD 100 a week from September to November, USD 75 a week at other times, then USD 15 a day) and ACAP (NPR 3,000) on top of the royalty. That royalty is USD 800 in spring and USD 400 in autumn, the season most Himlung teams choose.

Regardless of the route, climbing Himlung Himal requires a high level of physical fitness, sound crampon, ice-axe and fixed-rope skills, and proper equipment and supplies. It is important for climbers to be well-prepared and to acclimatize to the high altitude before attempting the summit.

Nuptse Peak - 7,861 Meters

Nuptse is the great wall rising immediately south-west of Everest in the Solu-Khumbu region. Be clear about one thing: Nuptse is the exception on this list. It is one of the hardest 7,000-metre peaks in the world and is rarely climbed. Fewer than 40 people had stood on its true summit by the end of 2024, according to the Himalayan Database. It earned its place here for completeness, not ease. It was first summited on 16 May 1961 by Dennis Davis and Tashi Sherpa of a British expedition.

Every route on Nuptse is technical. The North Ridge starts from Camp 2 in the Western Cwm, the camp Everest and Lhotse climbers share, and the south face lines are serious alpine climbs. The 1961 first ascent came up the south face, and climbers were still opening new south face routes in 2017. Read more in our guide to how difficult the Nuptse climb is. Nuptse falls in the 7,501 to 7,999 m royalty band, USD 1,000 in spring and USD 500 in autumn.

The routes are exposed to extreme weather, so climbers must be prepared for high winds, snow and cold temperatures. As with any mountaineering expedition, climbers must be properly equipped and trained before climbing Nuptse.

Mount Saipal - 7,031 Meters

Saipal is a far-western Nepal mountain in the Saipal Himal (Gurans Himal) of Bajhang district. It is the highest peak in this remote corner of the country after Api and has an elevation of 7,031 meters (23,068 feet). A Japanese team made the first ascent on 21 October 1963, when Katsutoshi Hirabayashi and Pasang Phutar Sherpa reached the top by the south ridge. The Himalayan Database records only about 20 expeditions to the peak.

There are several known routes for climbing Saipal, all of them remote. Expeditions typically fly to Dhangadhi or Nepalgunj and drive to Chainpur in Bajhang, from where the base camp approach takes about a week through rarely visited villages.

Saipal is on Nepal's list of 97 royalty-free peaks until mid-July 2027. The approach crosses the Bajhang restricted area, which costs USD 90 for the first week and USD 15 a day after that, so confirm the exact permits with your operator. Our Saipal Himal expedition runs 38 days.

Annapurna IV - 7,525 Meters

As the name suggests, Annapurna IV sits in the Annapurna range. It stands at an altitude of 7,525 meters. It is far less dangerous than Annapurna I, but it is still rarely climbed. Of 98 expeditions recorded on it, only 32 reached the top, most of them by the northwest ridge (Explorersweb). At 7,525 m it falls in the USD 1,000 spring royalty band.

Annapurna IV was first climbed in 1955 by a German expedition, with Heinz Steinmetz, Harald Biller, and Juergen Wellenkamp reaching the summit.

Annapurna IV is usually climbed from the Manang side by the northwest ridge, the route of the 1955 first ascent. Expect steep, sustained snow and ice with long sections of fixed rope between the camps.

What You Need Before a 7,000 m Peak

Nepal does not set a formal experience test for 7,000 m peaks, but operators do. Most want to see a 6,000 m summit such as Island Peak or Mera, and confidence on crampons, with an ascender on fixed rope and abseiling. Our guide to the easiest trekking peaks for new climbers covers that first step.

• PermitExpedition royalty from the Department of Tourism, issued only through a registered agency
• GuideAt least one licensed guide per team. On 8,000 m peaks it is one guide for every two climbers (Sixth Amendment, February 2025)
• Liaison officerAssigned to expedition peaks. Peaks below 6,500 m need none
• Garbage depositUSD 2,000 for 7,001 to 8,000 m in the Khumbu and Annapurna ranges, refundable. Other regions use a different scale
• Area feesNational park, conservation area or restricted-area permit on top of the royalty
• InsuranceCover to the summit height, with helicopter rescue

Nepal's draft Integrated Tourism Bill would make a 7,000 m summit in Nepal a condition for an Everest permit. It was still a proposal in October 2026, but if it passes, peaks like Himlung and Putha Hiunchuli become the standard stepping stone. For insurance, see our guide to travel insurance for trekking and climbing in Nepal.

All expedition peaks above 7,000 metres require a royalty permit from Nepal's Department of Tourism, arranged through a registered operator, and climbs are normally staged in spring (April-May) or autumn (September-October). If you are still building experience, start with a trekking peak like Island Peak (6,189 m), then compare your options against our guide to the easiest 8,000 m peaks in Nepal and the 10 highest mountains in the world.

Easiest 7,000 m Peaks in Nepal: FAQs