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Himalaya of Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim and adjoining region of Tibet

  48 Mountain Summits with Prominence of 1,500 meters or greater

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The Asian section of the Ultra-Prominences is divided into twenty lists.  In most cases these correspond to national boundaries.  However this method does not work very well in High Asia - where national boundaries often follow major ridgelines, and large regions are in dispute.   "High Asia" - the region of the Karakoram, Himalaya, and the Tibetan Plateau has been divided into multiple lists based on geography, and these lists are further subdivided for clarity. 

These sections are ordered by geographical grouping and not by country.  Following are the country totals for the region:
Nepal:  25 Ultras
Bhutan:  4 Ultras
Sikkim:  5 Ultras

This page only includes a few summits in the Indian Himalaya, in Sikkim and Western Arunachal Pradesh.  Other Indian summits can be found on these pages:  High Asia I, Eastern India and Burma, and South India.  All of the summits that touch China also appear on China I: Tibet.

The following list includes eight 8000 meter peaks.  (13 of the 14 commonly accepted 8000 meter peaks have ≥1500 meter prominence, only Lhotse does not.)  

If you are interested in knowing the highest mountains of the world, the wikipedia list, maintained by Arian Smit, is excellent and also reflects the research we have done into prominence.

Compiled 2000-2005 by Eberhard Jurgalski with assistance from Jonathan de Ferranti and Aaron Maizlish.

revision 3/20/2011
Rank
 Summit Name
 Alt. Name
 Country(ies)
 Region
 Elevation
(mtrs.)
 Prominence
(m.)
 Saddle
(m.)
 Latitude
 Longitude
 ID
 Elevation
(ft.)
 Prominence
(ft.)
 Notes

SECTION 1:  WEST & CENTRAL NEPAL:  KALU RIVER TO ARUN RIVER, INCLUDING EVEREST MASSIF (precise description)
1 Mt. Everest Chomolungma Nepal/China
8848 8848 0 27º59'18"N 086º55'27"E AS001 29028 29028 [A1]
2 Dhaulagiri
Nepal
8167 3357 4810 28º41'48"N 083º29'24"E AS024 26794 11014
3 Manaslu
Nepal
8163 3092 5071 28º32'57"N 084º33'27"E AS032 26781 10144
4 Annapurna I Morshiadi
 Nepal
8091 2984 5107 28º35'45"N 083º49'21"E AS038 26545 9790
5 Xixabangma Feng
 Shisha Pangma China Tibet 8027 2897 5130 28º21'12"N 085º46'48"E AS050 26335 9504
6 Annapurna II Barathor
 Nepal
7937 2437 5500 28º32'00"N 084º07'18"E AS099 26040 7995
7 Dhaulagiri II
Nepal
7752 2397 5355 28º45'45"N 083º23'21"E AS108 25433 7864
8 Makalu Makaru Shan
 Nepal/China
8485 2378 6107 27º53'24"N 087º05'18"E AS107 27838 7802 [A8]
9 Yangra Kangri
 Ganesh I
 Nepal/China
7422 2352 5070 28º23'33"N 085º07'48"E AS112 24350 7716
10 Cho Oyu
Nepal/China
8188 2340 5848 28º05'48"N 086º39'36"E AS118 26863 7677 [A10]
11 Chamar
 HP Sringi Himal
 Nepal
7165 2061 5104 28º33'12"N 084º56'42"E AS168 23507 6762
12 Api
Nepal
7132 2040 5092 30º00'24"N 080º55'45"E AS189 23399 6693
13 Lapche Kang
Lobuche Kang I China Tibet 7367 1957 5410 28º18'15"N 086º21'03"E AS225 24170 6421
14 Nemjung
Nepal
7140 1920 5220 28º44'06"N 084º25'00"E AS253 23425 6299
15 Kanjiroba
Nepal
6883 1870 5013 29º22'42"N 082º38'21"E AS269 22582 6135
16 Saipal
Nepal
7031 1824 5207 29º53'27"N 081º29'42"E AS279 23067 5984
17 Kubi Gangri Kaqur Kangri
 Nepal/China
6859 1699 5160 29º45'57"N 082º45'06"E AS379 22503 5574
18 Deora
Nepal
4390 1678 2712 29º21'12"N 081º33'12"E AS417 14403 5505
19 Changla Kubi Dongdong
 Nepal/China
6721 1657 5064 30º08'15"N 082º11'45"E AS426 22050 5436
20 Bhalu Lek
Nepal
5425 1643 3782 28º59'27"N 082º23'57"E AS416 17798 5390
21 Himalchuli
Nepal
7893 1633 6260 28º26'03"N 084º38'15"E AS503 25895 5358
22 Pangpoche I
 Kutang Himal Nepal
6620 1622 4998 28º37'21"N 084º40'39"E AS459 21719 5321 [A22]
23 Gauri Shankar
Nepal/China
7146 1600 5546 27º57'12"N 086º20'09"E AS378 23445 5249
24 Jethi Bahurani
Nepal
6850 1558 5292 29º53'00"N 081º02'27"E AS562 22473 5111
25 Menlungtse
Nepal/China
7181 1551 5630 27º58'21"N 086º25'54"E AS527 23559 5089
26 Langtang Lirung
Nepal
7234 1534 5700 28º15'27"N 085º30'57"E AS584 23733 5033
E1 Unknown Name
Nepal
2140 1489 651 27º52'48"N 084º29'45"E AS648 7021 4885
E2 Langbo Kangri Lampu Kangri
 Nepal/China
6648 1474 5174 28º29'54"N 085º09'21"E AS662 21811 4836

SECTION 2:  EASTERN NEPAL & SIKKIM  (precise description)
1 Kangchenjunga
Nepal/India Sikkim 8586 3922 4664 27º42'09"N 088º08'48"E AS012 28169 12867
2 Pauhunri
China/India Sikkim 7128 2035 5093 27º57'12"N 088º50'33"E AS190 23386 6676
3 Nyönno Ri Amachibma
 China Tibet 6724 1805 4919 28º12'12"N 087º36'27"E AS204 22060 5922
4 Pandim
India Sikkim 6691 1762 4929 27º34'39"N 088º12'57"E AS191 21952 5781
5 Tsanglha Ri Zang La China Tibet 6495 1712 4783 28º55'57"N 086º04'57"E AS445 21309 5617
6 Chomo Yummo
China/India Sikkim 6829 1559 5270 28º02'03"N 088º32'45"E AS530 22405 5115
E3 Khangchengyao
India Sikkim 6889 1464 5425 27º59'00"N 088º38'45"E AS632 22601 4803

SECTION 3:  BHUTAN, NAMCHA BARWA REGION, & ARUNCHAL WEST OF BRAHMAPUTRA RIVER  (precise description)
1 Namcha Barwa Namjagbarwa Feng
 China Tibet 7782 4106 3676 29º37'45"N 095º03'21"E AS008 25531 13471
2 Kangkar Pünzum Gangkhar Puensum Bhutan/China
7570 2995 4575 28º02'54"N 090º27'15"E AS037 24836 9826 [C2]
3 Kangtö Kanggardo Rize
 China/India Arunchal 7060 2195 4865 27º51'54"N 092º31'57"E AS146 23162 7201
4 Norin Kang
 Noijinkangsang China Tibet 7191 2145 5046 28º56'54"N 090º10'42"E AS150 23592 7037
5 Chomolhari
Bhutan/China
7050 2065 4985 27º49'27"N 089º16'09"E AS113 23130 6775 [C5]
6 Yarla Shampo
China Tibet 6636 1805 4831 28º48'00"N 091º57'54"E AS238 21771 5922
7 Tongshanjiabu
Bhutan/China
7207 1757 5450 28º09'18"N 090º03'45"E AS288 23645 5764 [C7]
8 Nyegyi Kansang
China/India Arunchal 7047 1752 5295 27º56'12"N 092º40'00"E AS340 23120 5748
9 Unknown Name
China/India Arunchal 5980 1747 4233 29º19'21"N 094º44'57"E AS342 19619 5732
10 Tarlha Ri
China Tibet 6777 1697 5080 28º21'48"N 091º08'09"E AS433 22234 5568
11 HP Dafla Range
India Arunchal 3776 1684 2092 27º33'15"N 093º19'48"E AS399 12388 5525
12 Unknown Name
China/India Arunchal 5641 1681 3960 29º02'51"N 094º00'51"E AS395 18507 5515
13 Kula Kangri
China Tibet 7538 1654 5884 28º13'39"N 090º37'00"E AS430 24730 5426 [C13]
14 (S. of Tarka La)
Bhutan
4735 1624 3111 27º15'00"N 089º42'15"E AS461 15535 5328
15 Kazi Razi
China Tibet 6505 1561 4944 28º11'51"N 091º51'54"E AS563 21342 5121
16 Unknown Name
China Tibet 6215 1521 4694 28º51'18"N 093º12'00"E AS693 20390 4990
E4 Kalurong
China Tibet 6674 1474 5200 28º51'18"N 090º12'15"E AS691 21896 4836

FOOTNOTES

We strive to have the most accurate summit elevations in every instance.  Unfortunately, there is a high degree of disagreement on both summit and saddle elevations in various surveys in this region of the world.  Many of the elevations have been taken from the mountaineering literature, specialized topogaphic mapping, and from the personal experience of Eberhard Jurgalski, who has been researching the mountains of the area for more than 20 years. 

Research in Nepal has been aided greatly by access to a new topographical survey at 1:25,000 and 1:50,000 conducted between 1995 and 2002.  This survey extensively employed new aerial photography with GPS positioning and GPS surveying.  The survey was conducted jointly by FinnMap, a survey company based in Finland, and the HMG Survey Department of Nepal.  The Finnmap series establishes many new elevations for the Nepali summits.  Most of the saddle elevations and some of the summit elevations are derived from Soviet topographic mapping and analysis of the SRTM data.  Where there is a high degree of concurrence, published elevations are used.  However in some regions, where SRTM strongly disagree with published elevations, we  provisionally favor the SRTM data. 

The authors are always happy to learn about new, more accurate surveys, and we welcome your submissions if you wish to share new data.  Particularly, we have not had access to recent data on Bhutan, nor have we had access to the heavily restricted Chinese topographic mapping.
Section 1:  West & Central Nepal:  Kalu River to Arun River

[A1]  Everest:  After some debate, we have elected to go with the traditional elevation of 8848 meters for Everest.  In 1999, a survey team backed by National Geographic and the Boston Museum of Science placed advanced GPS-survey equipment on the Everest summit.  Based on a week-long differential GPS reading they announced a new elevation of 8850 meters (29,035').   Reference these articles: SFAR, NGS, MountainZone.  The Bradford Washburn survey established with great accuracy the differential elevation of the rock summit beneath the snow and ice relative to a permanent survey station at South Col.  However the survey did not mention uncertainty about the geoid model in the region.  It appears that the baseline assumptions about the geoid have a deviation of at least two meters, so for the time being we will take these two elevations as equally plausible.  A 1992 survey by Washburn proposed an 8846 meter elevation.  The recent claim by China that Mt. Everest is 8844.43 meters, although sensational, further calls into question meter-level accuracy (much less sub-meter accuracy) of the conflicting geodetic vertical datums in the region.  For those of you still unconvinced, you might admire the uncertainty made explicit in this article.

The question of whether Everest really has a "prominence" in the conventional sense is academic.  The working definition of prominence that I helped develop - the elevation of a summit relative to the highest point to which one must descend before reascending to a higher summit - certainly does not apply to the world's highest summit.  Suffice it to say that we have taken Everest's elevation above sea level as its prominence, for the purposes of comparison to other summits; think of it as the elevation of the summit above a great circle.

[A8]  Makalu:  The world's fifth highest mountain and fourth highest ultra.  The 8485 meter elevation comes from the modern Finnmap survey (see note above.)  Most sources still cite the 8463 meter elevation that is found on the Schneider maps as well as the Chinese Snow Map series.  The saddle elevation is also taken from Finnmap.

[A10] Cho Oyu:   The spot elevation provided by Finnmap for Cho Oyu is 8188 meters, thirteen meters lower than the widely used 8201 meter elevation.  Cho Oyu is widely regarded as the sixth highest mountain in the world, and is the fifth highest ultra.

[A22]  No name is given for this high point on the Finnmap 1:50,000 topographic sheet, which lies about two km west of the international border.
Section 2:  Eastern Nepal and Sikkim
Section 3:  Bhutan, Namcha Barwa, Western Arunachal

[C2]  We believe that Kangkar Puenzum is the highest mountain in Bhutan, and is higher than Kula Kangri, whose summit appears to be wholly inside Tibet.  However many sources still refer to Kula Kangri as the high point of Bhutan.   Please refer to de Ferranti's essay on Kangkar Puenzum and Kula Kangri.

[C5]  Chomo Lhari.  The official 7314 meter elevation seems to be grossly overstated.  See comment on the errors and misquotes page.

[C7]  The name Tongshanjiabu comes from the Japanese Alpine News, May 2003, map on p.44. This is higher than Kangphu Kang, which according to the same publication is called Shimokangri, and is 7204m. The highpoint of this region is often given as Teri Kang, but this appears to be the name of a subsidiary top.

[C13]  See footnote for C2.

PRECISE DESCRIPTIONS OF BOUNDARIES
SECTION 1:  WEST AND CENTRAL NEPAL

This section is largely the Nepal Himalaya and the adjoining area of Southern Tibet.  The western boundary is the Kalu River which mostly forms the border between Uttaranchal (India) and Nepal.  The Eastern border is the Arun River, just to the East of the Everest Massif.  Thus the eastern border of Nepal in the Kangchenjunga region is excluded, and will be found below in Section 2.  The Northern boundary is the Brahmaputra River in Tibet.

SECTION 2:  EASTERN NEPAL AND SIKKIM

This is simply the region of Eastern Nepal east of the Arun River and Sikkim and Darjeeling in India, as far east as the Bhutanese border.  A few Tibetan summits are included which are south of the Brahmaputra. 

SECTION 3:  BHUTAN, NAMCHA BARWA REGION AND WESTERN ARUNACHAL

The Brahmaputra makes a wide 180º turn from flowing eastward through Tibet to flowing westward through Assam.  This section is the region of the eastern Himalaya contained within this arc, including Bhutan, most of Arunachal Pradesh, and a wide mountainous area of southern Tibet, culminating in the Namcha Barwa mountain, the 19th most prominent summit on earth.

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