The Department of Tourism in Nepal has revised its official list of mountains exceeding 8,000 meters, increasing the count from eight to 14. However, this updated tally awaits global recognition from the International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (UIAA), the body acknowledged by the International Olympic Committee.
The revised peak profile, published on the Department of Tourism’s website, includes six newly recognized 8,000-meter peaks. Four of these—Yalung Khang (8,505 meters), Yalung Khang West (8,077 meters), Kanchenjunga Central (8,473 meters), and Kanchenjunga South (8,476 meters)—are part of the Kanchenjunga range. The remaining two—Lhotse Middle (8,410 meters) and Lhotse Shar (8,400 meters)—belong to the Lhotse range.
Nepal’s previously recognized 8,000-meter peaks include Everest (8,848.86 meters), Kanchenjunga (8,586 meters), Lhotse (8,516 meters), Makalu (8,463 meters), Cho Oyu (8,201 meters), Dhaulagiri (8,167 meters), Manaslu (8,163 meters), and Annapurna I (8,091 meters). Globally, there are additional 8,000-meter peaks in Pakistan and China, such as K2 (8,611 meters), Nanga Parbat (8,125 meters), and Shishapangma (8,027 meters).
Thakur Raj Pandey, senior vice president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), stated that the government is preparing documentation to present these newly identified peaks on international platforms. “The government has endorsed these peaks, and they are now listed on the website. Once the Cabinet approves the updated list, it will be easier to lobby for international recognition,” he said.
Narayan Prasad Regmi, director general of the Department of Tourism, explained that the list has been made public as a preliminary step. “Our next move is to propose the updated list to the UIAA for official recognition,” he said. The department plans to verify Geographic Information System (GIS) data and other essential details before making a formal submission.
The documentation of these new peaks has been in progress for over a decade. In 2013, a 10-member committee led by Purna Chandra Bhattarai, then joint secretary at the Tourism Ministry, submitted a 113-page report recommending the inclusion of these six peaks. A subcommittee, chaired by Ang Tshering Sherpa, former president of the NMA, was later formed to finalize the task. This subcommittee included representatives from the tourism ministry, survey department, Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, Nepal Police, and other experts.
Buddhi Narayan Shrestha, a border expert and former director general of the Survey Department, led the technical working group responsible for GIS data and other mountain-related details. “It’s a proven fact that we have 14 mountains above 8,000 meters. Various studies have confirmed this. The government needs to take a stand,” Shrestha said in an earlier statement.
There has been some debate over whether multiple peaks within the same mountain range should be classified as separate mountains. According to Sherpa, a peak is considered distinct if the col distance (the lowest point on the ridge between two peaks) is at least 500 meters and if it has a separate climbing route not shared with any other peak.
Nepal has been advocating for international recognition of these six additional peaks for over a decade. In 2013, the UIAA’s Agura Project identified five peaks in Nepal for potential recognition, with a sixth added later. However, the proposal was delayed due to technical reasons and subsequent events like the 2014 Everest avalanche and the 2015 earthquake.
The recognition of these peaks holds significant implications for Nepal’s mountaineering industry. If approved, it could boost tourism revenue by attracting climbers seeking new challenges. In 2023 alone, Nepal issued over 2,500 climbing permits, generating Rs850 million in revenue. The addition of six more 8,000-meter peaks could further enhance Nepal’s appeal to mountaineers worldwide.
Nepal is home to 3,310 peaks above 5,500 meters, with 1,913 requiring mountaineering gear. So far, 468 peaks have been opened for commercial expeditions. The recognition of these new 8,000-meter peaks would not only elevate Nepal’s status in the mountaineering world but also contribute to the growth of its tourism industry.
