Everest

Standing at 8848m (28,029 ft) above sea level in the Mahalangur Himalaya on the border between Nepal to the south and Tibet to the north, Everest is the highest mountain in the world. It is known to the Nepalese as Sagarmatha and to the Tibetans as Chomolungma, ‘Goddess Mother of the World’. The mountain stands not in isolation but as the reigning peak of a group of peaks which includes Lhotse 8516m (27,940 ft) the fourth highest mountain in the world, and Nuptse 7861m (25,791 ft). In close attendance also are The West Shoulder 7205m (23,640 ft), and standing entirely within Tibet is Changtse, the north peak, 7543m (24,747 ft).

Apart from those of the great north face of Everest from base camp or the monastery at Rongbuk in Tibet, the best photographs of Everest are to be captured from more elevated and distant viewpoints. The famous 5500 metre Pang La Pass on the highway from Lhasa in Tibet also offers a classic view of the entire Everest massif and is of historical relevance. From Nepal, excellent views are achieved from the famous monastery at Thyangboche or, better still, from either of the minor 5000 plus metre peaks of Kala Pattar in the Khumbu Valley or Gokyo Peak above the Ngojumba Glacier.