Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain (above sea level) at 8,848m (29,029 ft), and once seemed insurmountable.

We've collected some interesting and amazing facts about Mount Everest for your consideration. Maybe you'll consider coming to see it yourself... If so contact us.

Tibet is not yet open to foreigners due to COVID-19 prevention measures but, do you know there are many other Tibet Autonomous Regions in China for you to experience authentic Tibetan culture and enjoy stunning Tibetan Plateau scenery? Check Best Tibetan Destinations for 2020/2021

1. Mount Everst Technically NOT the tallest!

Although Mount Everest is the highest mountain above sea level, Hawaii's Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain base-to-peak: 10,210m (33,500 ft), 4,205m (13,796 ft) above sea level.

2. Mount Everest rises 40cm per century!

The Himalayas are being formed by uplift of the Eurasian Plate by the Indian Plate sliding underneath. Everest grows about 4mm (0.2”) a year.

3. Mount Everest Is 8,844.43 Meters High and Is Still Growing

Mount Everest is part of the Himalayan range, and it is the tallest peak at 8,844.43 meters (29,016 feet) high. And it's still growing at a height of about 40 centimeters (16 inches) per century.

4. The Climate Is Very Harsh: It's Capped with Snow and Ice All Year Round

From a height of 5,300 meters (17,400 feet), the mountain is capped with snow and ice all year round. People who want to climb the mountain must wear goggles as well as warm clothes in case of snow blindness.

The climate is very harsh. The warmest temperature there is -20°C (-4°F).

5. It Takes at Least 30,000 USD to Climb Mt. Everest

If you love mountaineering and plan to climb to Everest's summit, it's good to know that it costs at least 30,000 USD to climb the mountain. You will need to spend money on transportation, guides, training, and professional gear.

6. There Are More Than 7,000 Peaks on Everest

The first recorded person to reach the summit of Everest was in 1953. Since then, more than 4,000 different people have stood on the top of Everest over 7,000 times. Some of them (most are Sherpa guides) have climbed it more than once.

7. About 300 People Have Died on the Mountain

The average death rate is about 4%. Most people died due to avalanches, falling into crevasses, and altitude sickness. And most of them died when descending. The bodies have been left on the mountain.

8. The Death Zone Is Above 8,000 Meters

The region above 8,000 meters (26,247 feet) is called the 'death zone' because of the lack of oxygen, coldness, and exhaustion for climbers.

9. The Death Rate Is Declining to 2%

With the development of mountaineering gear and accurate weather forecasting, the death rate is declining. From 2000 to 2015, there were more than 5,000 summits and about 100 deaths.

10. It Takes 10 Weeks to Climb Everest

To climb Everest, you need to adapt yourself to the high altitude first. That means you have to do training between the base camps over and over again. When you are ready and the weather is good, you can go for the peak.

20 More Interesting Mount Everest Facts

Mount Everest Mount Everest

1. Although Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world, its summit is not the farthest point from the center of the Earth. The farthest point is on Mount Chimborazo in South America.

2. Mount Everest has two heights: a) 8,848 meters (with snow cover). This is the official height recognized by China and Nepal; b) 8,844.43 meters (geological height). This height was measured by China and is also recognized by Nepal as the rock height of Everest.

3. In 2008, the Beijing Olympic torch arrived on Mount Everest at 9:17am on May 8th, marking the first time in human history that the Olympic torch had been carried to the world's highest peak and the highest place to hand on the torch in Olympic history.

4. May to October is the peak tourist season on Mount Everest.

5. The summit of Everest is on the border of Nepal and Tibet (China). Nepal lies to the south and China to the north.

6. The name Everest was originally proposed by Andrew Waugh, the British Surveyor General of India. He chose the name of his predecessor in the post, Sir George Everest.

Mount Everest Mount Everest

7. In Nepal, Mount Everest is known as Sagarmatha, meaning ‘Goddess of the Sky’.

8. In Tibet, it is known as Chomolungma, meaning ‘Goddess Mother of the World’.

9. As of December 2018, there were 9,159 summits of Mount Everest on all routes by 5,294 people.

10. There is a "two o’clock rule" when climbing Mount Everest because of its cold and unpredictable weather. That is, be sure to get to the summit by 2pm or you'll have to turn around in case of accidents.

Tents at Everest Base Camp Tents at Everest Base Camp

11. Everest Base Camp has a Wi-Fi service.

12. The first summit was on May 29th, 1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary from New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay, a Sherpa from Nepal, climbing from the southern slopes of Nepal.

13. Chinese mountaineers – Wang Fuzhou, Gongbu, and Qu Yinhua – climbed to the summit in 1960 for the first time. It was also the first summit from the north slope in Tibet.

14. The first American to reach the summit of Mount Everest was Jim Whittaker alongside the Sherpa Nawang Gombu on May 1, 1963.

15. The first blind person to reach the summit was the American Erik Weihenmayer in 2001.

16. A Nepalese couple got married on the summit of Mount Everest in 2005, being the first people to get married there.

17. In 1975, Junko Tabei, a Japanese woman, became the first woman to summit Mount Everest.

Mount Everest Mount Everest

18. There is 66% less oxygen in each breath on the summit than at sea level.

19. The first climbers to summit Everest without bottled oxygen were the Italian mountaineer Reinhold Messner along with the Austrian mountaineer Peter Habeler in 1978.

20. Sherpas are the best guides on Everest. Providing guide services for mountaineering teams from various countries has become one of the main sources of income for Sherpas. They mainly live in Nepal, with a few scattered in China, India, and Bhutan.

Tours to See Everest

Whether you are a mountaineer wanting to see more of Tibet, or an ordinary traveler wanting to see the world's most famous peak from a distance, we can help you. We are are experts at tailor-making tours to customer requirements.

You Might Like