Easiest 8000m Peaks in Nepal
When you talk about Nepal, the main thing that comes to mind is the Himalayas. It's fun to know that the country offers its natural beauty to travelers and a platform for climbers. But the important thing that any climber has to know is the mapping of the difficulty level of the mountains they climb.
For prior information, no mountains over 8000 meters are so easy to summit. But according to the difficulty level, some of the peaks are easier than others. We have ranked the easiest peaks from the lowest to the highest.
1. Cho Oyu - 8,188 Meters
Cho Oyu, the sixth tallest peak, stands at 8,188 meters (26,864 feet) above sea level. It is located on the border between Nepal and Tibet. It is considered one of the easiest 8000-meter peaks to climb due to its relatively low difficulty and relatively easy access from the base camp.
Cho Oyu was first climbed in 1954 by Joseph Jöchler and Herbert Tichy, and Pasang Dawa Lama, and it has since become a famous mountain for professional climbers and high-altitude mountaineers.
The mountain is known for its long, gradual slopes and relatively stable weather, although it can still present significant challenges due to its high altitude and harsh environmental conditions. The spring and fall have stable climates, and the snow conditions are more favorable. So it's the best time to climb the mountain.
2. Manaslu Himal - 8,163 Meters
Mount Manaslu, the eighth peak, has an elevation of 8,163 meters (26,781 feet) above sea level. It is located in the Mansiri Himalayas in the west-central part of Nepal and is part of the Nepalese Himalayas. The mountain was first climbed in 1956 by a Japanese expedition team of Toshio Imanishi and Gyalzen Norbu and is now a popular destination for mountaineers.
The difficulty level of climbing this peak is challenging due to the harsh weather conditions on the mountain. But comparatively, it's not as challenging as climbing Annapurna.
3. Makalu Himal - 8,485 Meters
Makalu, the world's fifth-highest mountain, sits at an altitude of 8,485 meters (27,838 feet) above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur Himalayas, on the border between Nepal and China, about 14 miles (22 km) east of Mount Everest. Makalu is a technical climb considered one of the challenging 8,000-meter peaks.
It was first climbed in 1955 by a French team; Lionel Terray and Jean Couzy, and has since been climbed by many other mountaineers worldwide. The surrounding Makalu-Barun National Park is, in turn, named after the mountain, and protects one of the wildest valleys in Nepal.
4. Lhotse Peak - 8,516 Meters
Lhotse is at an altitude of 8,516 meters (27,940 feet), is located in the Khumbu region of Nepal, and is part of the Himalayan mountain range. The mountain is known for its steep faces and technical climbing routes, and it is often climbed as part of an expedition to Mount Everest.
The first ascent of Lhotse was made in 1956 by the Swiss climbers Fritz Luchsinger and Ernst Reiss.
Climbing Lhotse is challenging due to the high altitude, extreme weather conditions, and technical difficulty of the routes. The mountain requires a high level of physical fitness and experience in high-altitude mountaineering.
Several routes have ascended Lhotse, including the South Face and the West Ridge. The most commonly used way is the South Face, which follows the route of Everest to the South Col and then ascends the south face of Lhotse.
The West Ridge is a more difficult route that involves climbing up the west ridge of Lhotse and then traversing the south face to the summit. This route is less frequently climbed due to the difficulty and the time it takes to reach the summit.
Also Read: Easiest 7000m Peaks Nepal
5. Dhaulagiri - 8,167 Meters
Dhaulagiri, 8,167 meters (26,795 feet), is the seventh-highest peak on the planet. It is located in the Dhaulagiri Himalaya range in Nepal.
Dhaulagiri is known for its dynamic weather, which can be harsh - so it's better to know that it's not everyone's cup of tea. It will be wise if you have prior mountaineering experience.
There are several routes to the summit of Dhaulagiri, including the Southwest Ridge, the Northeast Ridge, and the East Face. The Northeast Ridge is the standard route today, a long, exposed snow climb first used by the 1960 Swiss-Austrian first-ascent team.
The Southwest Ridge and East Face are far more difficult alternatives that are rarely attempted.
6. Kanchenjunga - 8,586 Meters
Kanchenjunga, the third-highest mountain, stands at an altitude of 8,586 meters (28,169 feet). It is located in the eastern Himalayas, on the border between Nepal and India.
Climbing Kanchenjunga is a challenging undertaking that requires a high level of physical fitness, climbing skills, and experience. The mountain has several routes to the summit, but almost all modern expeditions climb the southwest (Yalung) side from Nepal; every route involves sustained, steep, and glaciated terrain above 8,000 metres.
With a death-to-summit ratio of roughly 10 percent, Kanchenjunga ranks among the three deadliest 8,000-metre peaks, which is why it sits this far down the list despite its straightforward-sounding statistics.
7. Mount Everest - 8,848.86 Meters
Everybody knows the highest peak in the world, Mount Everest is 8,848.86 meters (29,031.7 feet), and it sits in the Himalayas on the border between Nepal and China.
Climbing Mount Everest is not an easy job - it requires a high level of physical fitness, endurance, and mental strength. It is only suitable for experienced climbers who are well-trained and well-equipped.
Where Is Annapurna on This List?
Deliberately absent. Annapurna I (8,091 m) is the most dangerous 8,000-metre peak ever measured, with a historical fatality ratio of roughly 13 percent of summits, driven by enormous avalanche exposure on every route. No ranking of "easiest" peaks can honestly include it, although improved forecasting and fixed-rope seasons have made recent years far safer than the historical average. Read more in our Annapurna vs K2 danger comparison.
How to Choose Your First 8,000er
Climbers usually step up through Nepal's trekking peaks and an easier 7,000-metre summit before attempting an 8,000er; Manaslu in autumn and Cho Oyu in spring are the two classic first choices thanks to moderate technical demands and well-established commercial support. Expect to budget US$ 15,000 to 30,000 for a guided Manaslu expedition, and remember that "easiest" is relative: every mountain on this list reaches into the death zone, where weather, not difficulty ratings, decides outcomes. See our guides to the easiest 7,000 m peaks and the best climbing seasons to plan the progression, or jump straight to our Manaslu Expedition and Everest Expedition pages.
