KATHMANDU, Feb 1, 2025 – Nepal’s mountaineering map has been redrawn as the Department of Tourism has revised its peak profile to officially recognise 14 mountains surpassing 8,000 metres, adding six new eight-thousanders to the nation’s tally.

The updated list, pending Cabinet approval and subsequent endorsement by the International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (UIAA), is expected to boost Nepal’s reputation in the global climbing arena.

Among the new entries are four peaks on the Kanchenjunga range – Yalung Khang (8,505 metres), Yalung Khang West (8,077 metres), Kanchenjunga Central (8,473 metres) and Kanchenjunga South (8,476 metres) – along with two from the Lhotse range, Lhotse Middle (8,410 metres) and Lhotse Shar (8,400 metres). These join the eight globally recognised eight-thousanders in Nepal, including Everest, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu and Annapurna I.

Thakur Raj Pandey, senior vice president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, said the government’s comprehensive documentation, prepared over a decade, is now ready for international presentation. “Once the Cabinet approves the updated list, we can more effectively lobby in global forums,” he commented.

Narayan Prasad Regmi, director general of the Department of Tourism, noted that the list’s publication is a preliminary measure, with further verification of GIS data and essential details underway before formal submission to the UIAA. The move, a long-standing objective of Nepal’s mountaineering community, promises significant implications for tourism revenue. With over 2,500 climbing permits issued in 2023 generating Rs850 million, official international recognition of these peaks could further attract climbers seeking fresh challenges and set new benchmarks in Nepal’s thriving mountaineering industry.