Popular Mountain Passes in Nepal

Nepal is a beautiful country with varieties of geographical landforms. Among the various landmarks, mountains are the most iconic and precious pride of Nepal.  Nepal is the home to world’s highest mountain, Mt. Everest and other high mountain ranges. Due to this unique landform, Nepal is a paradise for trekkers and peak climbers from all around the world.

While trekking in Nepal, there is a high chance that trekkers come across challenging Passes. Mountains are the big formidable geographical landmarks which don’t allow easy access, so passes are used to navigate through the mountains. They are actually used by villagers and travelers since time immemorial to cross valleys and mountains. Most of the time, the passes are gaps or lowest points between mountains, sometime they are flat summits formed due to glacial or water erosion. Passes not only facilitate the trekkers to pass through the mountain range and add challenges and adventure but also provide the best viewpoint to savor the phenomenal panorama of the mountains. So, passes always conjure up the world fancy and anticipation in the mind of the travelers.

If you are thinking of experiencing such challenging passes, here are some of the best picks.

Everest Region Passes

Everest region is the most iconic and famous region for trekking. There are many passes in the Khumbu region. And the most popular passes of this region are Renjo La pass, Cho La pass and Kongma La pass. You can experience these passes during the Everest three high passes trek.

Renjo La pass

Renjo La pass is the westernmost pass among these three passes, located at an altitude of 5360m. It is the easiest among the three passes due to less snow and almost no glaciers while crossing this pass. This pass connects Lumde village with Gokyo valley. And the top of the pass offers the panoramic view of Everest (8,848m), Lhotse (8,516m), Cho Oyu (8,201m), Makalu (8,481m), Rolwaling Himal (7,181m) and other neighboring peaks as well as the five turquoise Gokyo lakes and the stunning Gokyo Ri.

The pass lies between Lobuche (6119m) and Cholatse (6440m), connecting Dzongla village in the east and Thagnak village in the west. It is the closest pass to Everest, so many trekkers cross this pass while trekking to Everest Base Camp. It a technical pass with rocky and snowy path meaning you require gears like crampons to cross the pass. The pass offers the fantastic view of tallest mountains, including Everest (8,848m), Lhotse (8,516m), Cho Oyu (8,201m), Ama Dablam (6,812m), and Nirekha Peak (6,151m).

Kongma La pass

The highest pass among the three passes is eastern pass, Kongma La pass, with an altitude of 5535m. Though it is not considered as the most technical pass, it is the most strenuous because it’s slippery due to comparatively heavier snow and icier slope than other passes. This pass joins Lobuche village and Chhukung village, offering spectacular views of Everest (8,848m), Makalu (8,481m), Lhotse (8,516m), Nuptse (7,861m), AmaDablam (6,812m) and its ridges, Thamserku (6,623m), and many more.

Annapurna Region Passes

Annapurna region is one of the most famous trekking regions of Nepal due to its geographical, cultural and climatic diversity. The top most popular passes in this region are Thorong La pass and Kang La pass.

Thorong La Pass

Situated at an altitude of 5416m, Thorang La pass is considered as the highest navigable pass in the world. The pass is formed by two mountains Khatung Kang (6,484m) and Yakawa Kang (6,482m), in Damodar Himal mountain range connecting Manang and Muktinath. It is the highest point in the Annapurna Circuit Trek and it is a strenuous route that gives you a great sense of glorious success while reaching the top. From the pass, trekkers get to see stunning views of Annapurna (I-IV), Manaslu (8,156m), Gangapurna (7,455m), Dhaulagiri (8,167m), Machhapuchhre (6,993m) and even Langtang Lirung (7,234m).

Kang La Pass

The other pass in Annapurna region is Kang La pass, at an elevation of 5306m. The pass connects Narphu Valley in the north to Manang in the Annapurna Circuit. Narphu is a restricted area which was only opened for trekking in 2003. If you want to experience this pass, you can join Narphu valley trek. The pass joins Nar village and Ngwala village. Series of mountain ranges can be seen from the pass that includes Annapurna III (7,555m), Manaslu (8,156m), Gangapurna (7,455m), Tilicho (7,134m), and Himlung (7,126m) etc.

Manaslu Region Pass

Manaslu is the world’s 8^th highest mountain and the Manaslu Circuit trek circles Manaslu while passing through the Larkya La pass. It is the highest point in the Manaslu Circuit trek.

Larkya La Pass

Larkya La pass is located in the Manaslu region at 5135m. It is one of the most beautiful mountain and longest passes in Nepali Himalayas. It is a challenging pass because of the rocky terrain and unpredictable weather. The pass connects Dharmashala in the east to the Bhimtang in the west. Trekkers pass this pass during the Manaslu Circuit trek. The pass allows you to enjoy the best view of Manaslu (8,156m), Ratna Chuli (7,128m), Larkya Peak (6,249m), and many other beautiful peaks.

Langtang Region Pass

Langtang which is just fifty kilometers away is the nearest trekking destination from Kathmandu. Langtang is the home to Langtang ranges, mountain lake Gosainkunda and Langtang National Park. Lauribinayak La pass is one of the popular passes in Langtang region.

Lauribinayak La

Lauribinayak La Pass is one of the most famous landmarks in Lantang region situated at the elevation of 4610m. The pass joins Gosaikunda with Ghopte. The trekkers cross this pass on Gosaikunda Lake trek and it is also the highest point in Gosaikunda Lake trek. From the top of the Lauribinayak La Pass, a clear view of Langtang Lirung (7,234m), Manaslu (8,156m), Himalchuli (7,893m), Ganesh Himal (7,422m), Dorje Lakpa (6,966m), and Gosainkunda (4,360m) can be seen.

Mountain passes are the most significant landmarks while trekking in Nepal. If you want to experience these challenging terrian, you can always contact Access Nepal Tour.