Himalaya translates as “abode of the snows”. Within Nepal’s Himalaya are eight of the world’s 10 tallest mountains – the “Eight-thousanders” – including Mt Everest at 8,848m. Nepalis call Mt Everest either Sagarmatha “Godess of the sky” or Chomolungma “Mother of the universe”.
The Himalaya (note: many say “Himalayas“, but Himalaya is actually plural) are not only the tallest mountain range but also the youngest in the world and are created by the collision of two land masses which are still moving at 67mm a year.
The first climbers to reach the top were Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, although there is some argument regarding previous attempts by Mallory and Shipton.
The Himalaya also has about 15,000 glaciers, hundreds of lakes, and is a major influence on local climate, blocking the monsoon from entering Tibet and providing water for over a billion people in South Asia.
