Makalu was the Himalayan eight-thousander first climbed in 1955 by Lionel Terray and Jean Couzy.
Standing at 8,485 metres, Makalu is the world’s fifth-highest mountain. It lies in eastern Nepal, close to the border with Tibet, and is known for its distinctive pyramid shape and four sharp ridges.
A French expedition made the first ascent on 15 May 1955. Terray and Couzy reached the summit after Jean Franco and Gyalzen Norbu had climbed it the previous day, followed by two more expedition members. The expedition’s success reflected careful acclimatization and a staged summit strategy.
Makalu is often confused with Lhotse because both are near Everest and rise above 8,000 metres. Lhotse is higher and was first climbed in 1956, while Makalu’s first ascent occurred a year earlier.