Kangchenjunga is the world’s third-highest mountain, rising to 8,586 metres on the Nepal–India border.
The massif has five principal peaks and is part of the Himalayan range in eastern Nepal and the Indian state of Sikkim. Its name is commonly interpreted from Tibetan as “The Five Treasures of Snows,” referring to the five summits.
Kangchenjunga was regarded as the world’s highest mountain until improved surveys established Everest’s greater elevation. The first successful ascent took place in 1955 by Joe Brown and George Band, who stopped just short of the summit out of respect for local religious beliefs.
It is sometimes confused with K2, the world’s second-highest mountain. K2 is in the Karakoram, not the Himalayas, while Kangchenjunga is the highest peak in India and the second-highest in Nepal.