--- title: "Highest Summits, the 10 tallest mountains on earth | Wimup" description: "The ten highest summits on earth, ranked by surveyed elevation, with the trek or viewpoint that puts each one in front of you." url: https://wimup.com/summits type: Themed list updated: 2026-10-26 publisher: Wimup (https://wimup.com) --- # Highest summits, the roof of the world. By Wimup desk · 10 picks · ≈ 4 min read The 10 highest summits on earth, all above 8,000m in the Himalaya and the Karakoram, and the trek or viewpoint that puts each one in front of you without joining an expedition. We ranked these ten by elevation above sea level, as surveyed, so the order is a fact rather than an opinion. None of them is a walk-up, so each pick names the trek or viewpoint a fit visitor can actually reach, from a dawn hill above Pokhara to three weeks on the Baltoro Glacier. ## Highest summits, the roof of the world. ### 1. Mount Everest, Nepal Khumbu · Nepal 8,849m, the height Nepal and China announced together in December 2020, and the summit every other one here is measured against. Fly from Kathmandu to Lukla and trek to Everest Base Camp, then climb Kala Patthar at dawn for the summit view the camp itself does not give. - **Height:** 8,849m - **First climbed:** 1953 - **See it from:** Kala Patthar Links: [View the Top 10](https://wimup.com/city/kathmandu.md) ### 2. K2, Pakistan Karakoram · Pakistan 8,611m on the Pakistan–China border, and the hardest of the ten even to see. The Baltoro Glacier trek from Askole to Concordia takes about three weeks out of Skardu, needs a Government of Pakistan permit, and ends with K2 filling the head of the valley. - **Height:** 8,611m - **First climbed:** 1954 - **See it from:** Concordia Links: [Pakistan guide](https://wimup.com/country/pakistan.md) ### 3. Kangchenjunga, Nepal Eastern Himalaya · Nepal 8,586m on the Nepal–India border, the third-highest mountain on earth. A guided trek from Taplejung, under a restricted-area permit, reaches the north base camp at Pangpema (5,143m); for far less effort, watch it catch first light from Tiger Hill above Darjeeling. - **Height:** 8,586m - **First climbed:** 1955 - **See it from:** Pangpema Links: [Nepal guide](https://wimup.com/country/nepal.md) ### 4. Lhotse, Nepal Khumbu · Nepal 8,516m and joined to Everest by the South Col, so the same Lukla trek reaches it. Spend an acclimatisation day walking up the Imja valley to Chhukung, a lodge village directly beneath Lhotse's south face. - **Height:** 8,516m - **First climbed:** 1956 - **See it from:** Chhukung Ri Links: [View the Top 10](https://wimup.com/city/kathmandu.md) ### 5. Makalu, Nepal Makalu-Barun · Nepal 8,485m, a four-sided pyramid standing alone southeast of Everest. The base camp trek starts with a flight to Tumlingtar and enters Makalu-Barun National Park at Seduwa: a longer, quieter and wilder approach than the Khumbu. - **Height:** 8,485m - **First climbed:** 1955 - **See it from:** Makalu Base Camp Links: [Nepal guide](https://wimup.com/country/nepal.md) ### 6. Cho Oyu, Nepal Khumbu · Nepal 8,188m on the Nepal–Tibet border, Everest's western neighbour. The Gokyo lakes trek leaves the Everest route above Namche Bazaar and climbs Gokyo Ri, where Cho Oyu, Everest, Lhotse and Makalu share one horizon: four of the ten from one summit. - **Height:** 8,188m - **First climbed:** 1954 - **See it from:** Gokyo Ri Links: [Nepal guide](https://wimup.com/country/nepal.md) ### 7. Dhaulagiri, Nepal Dhaulagiri Himal · Nepal 8,167m, and the summit on this list you can see best for the least effort. The short Ghorepani trek from Pokhara ends with a pre-dawn climb to Poon Hill (3,210m), where Dhaulagiri and Annapurna light up across the Kali Gandaki valley. - **Height:** 8,167m - **First climbed:** 1960 - **See it from:** Poon Hill Links: [View the Top 10](https://wimup.com/city/pokhara.md) ### 8. Manaslu, Nepal Gorkha · Nepal 8,163m, at the centre of the Manaslu Circuit, a restricted-area trek that needs a licensed guide and at least two trekkers. Jeeps run from Kathmandu to Machha Khola, and the circuit crosses the Larkya La to finish at Besisahar, a few hours by road from Pokhara. - **Height:** 8,163m - **First climbed:** 1956 - **See it from:** Manaslu Circuit Links: [View the Top 10](https://wimup.com/city/pokhara.md) ### 9. Nanga Parbat, Pakistan Gilgit-Baltistan · Pakistan 8,126m, the western end of the Himalaya. From Raikot Bridge on the Karakoram Highway a local jeep and a few hours on foot reach Fairy Meadows, which faces the mountain's Raikot face; the meadows are open from about May to September. - **Height:** 8,126m - **First climbed:** 1953 - **See it from:** Fairy Meadows Links: [Pakistan guide](https://wimup.com/country/pakistan.md) ### 10. Annapurna, Nepal Annapurna Sanctuary · Nepal 8,091m, the lowest of the ten and the first of them climbed, in 1950. The trek to Annapurna Base Camp (4,130m) runs about a week from Pokhara, through Chhomrong and Machapuchare Base Camp into a ring of peaks. - **Height:** 8,091m - **First climbed:** 1950 - **See it from:** Annapurna Base Camp Links: [View the Top 10](https://wimup.com/city/pokhara.md) ## FAQs ### What is the highest mountain in the world? Mount Everest, at 8,849m (8,848.86m), the height Nepal and China announced jointly in December 2020. K2, on the Pakistan–China border, is second at 8,611m. ### Why do the heights differ between sources? Surveys disagree by a few metres, and in 2025 Nepal proposed revised figures for its peaks, including 8,463m for Makalu and 8,201m for Cho Oyu. We use the long-standing international figures; no revision changes the order. ### Can you see Everest without climbing it? Yes. Kala Patthar and Gokyo Ri, both on trekking routes out of Lukla, look straight at the summit. On a clear morning it is also visible from Tiger Hill above Darjeeling, though far off. ### Do I need a guide or a permit to trek to these mountains? Every trek here needs a permit. Manaslu and Kangchenjunga are restricted areas where a licensed guide is mandatory, and the K2 trek needs a Government of Pakistan permit, so check current rules before booking. ### When is the best time to trek in the Himalaya? In Nepal, spring (March to May) and autumn (late September to November) bring the clearest views. Fairy Meadows in Pakistan is open from about May to September and snowed in the rest of the year. ## Sources - Rankings are Wimup editorial picks. Prices, durations and budgets are editorial estimates, not live quotes; check the official site before you go.