The Himalayas - it is here, at the third pole of cold, that almost all the most high mountains in the world, which are those whose altitude exceeds 8000 meters.
There are not so many such mountains on earth, only fourteen. Moreover, they are all located in the place on the globe where the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates collide. This place is called "Roofs of the World".
Since people became infected with mountaineering, the dream of each of them has been to visit the Himalayas and conquer all these eight-thousanders.
Routes to M...
Valley before...
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The Himalayas are replete with a huge number of rocky, almost vertical slopes that are very difficult to climb; you have to use all sorts of technical devices in the form of driven hooks, ropes, special ladders and other climbing equipment. Often, rocky ledges alternate with deep cracks, and so much snow settles on the mountain slopes that over time it is compressed and turns into glaciers that close these cracks, which makes walking through these places deadly. It is not uncommon for snow and ice to descend, which, rushing down, turn into huge avalanches, demolishing everything in their path and capable of crushing climbers in seconds.
The air temperature in the Himalayas, when rising in altitude, decreases by about 6 degrees for every 1000 meters. So if at the foot of the mountain in summer the temperature is +25, then at an altitude of 5000 meters it will be about -5.
At altitude, the movements of air masses are usually intensified, often turning into hurricane wind, which makes movement very difficult and sometimes impossible, especially on narrow ridges of mountain ranges.
Starting at an altitude of 5,000 meters, the atmosphere contains approximately half the oxygen at sea level to which the human body is accustomed. Lack of oxygen has a detrimental effect on the human body, sharply reduces its physical capabilities and leads to the development of so-called mountain sickness - shortness of breath, dizziness, chills and interruptions in heart function. Therefore, at this altitude, the human body usually needs time to acclimatize.
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At an altitude of 6000 meters, the atmosphere is so thin and oxygen-poor that complete acclimatization is no longer possible. No matter what physical activity a person experiences, he begins to slowly suffocate. Climbing to an altitude of 7000 meters is already mortally dangerous for many; at such a height the consciousness begins to become confused and even thinking becomes difficult. The height of 8000 meters is called the “death zone”. Here even the strongest climbers can survive in best case scenario within just a few days. Therefore, all high-altitude ascents are carried out using oxygen breathing apparatus.
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But representatives of the Nepalese Sherpa tribe, who permanently live in the Himalayas, feel quite comfortable at altitude and therefore, as soon as the Europeans began to “master” the mountain peaks of the Himalayas, the men of this tribe began to work as guides and porters on expeditions, receiving payment for this. Over time, this became their main profession. By the way, Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, together with Edmund Hillary, were the first to climb the top of the Himalayas - Everest, the highest mountain in the world.
But these sometimes deadly dangers did not stop mountaineering enthusiasts. It took more than one decade for all these peaks to be conquered. Here is a brief chorology of climbing the highest mountains on our planet.
1950, June 3 - Annapurna
French climbers Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal climbed Annapurna Peak, which is 8091 meters high. Anapurna is considered the seventh highest mountain in the world. Located in Nepal, in the Himalayas east of the Gandaki River, which flows through the deepest gorge in the world. The gorge separates Annapurna and another eight-thousander, Dhaulagiri.
Climbing Anapurna is considered one of the most difficult climbs in the world. Moreover, this is the only conquest of an eight-thousander that was accomplished the first time, and moreover, without oxygen apparatus. However, their feat came at a high price. Since they were wearing only leather boots, Herzog froze all his toes and, due to the onset of gangrene, the expedition doctor was forced to amputate them. Over the entire period, only 191 people successfully climbed Annapurna, which is less than any other eight-thousanders. Climbing Annapurna is considered the most dangerous, with a mortality rate of 32 percent, like no other eight-thousander.
1953, May 29 - Everest "Qomolungma"
Members of the English expedition, New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Norgay Tenzing were the first to conquer the 8848 m high peak. In Tibetan, this mountain is called Chomolungma, which means “Goddess Mother of Snow.” Her Nepalese name is “Sagarmatha”, that is, “Mother of the Universe”. This is the highest mountain in the world. on the border of Nepal and China.
Everest represents triangular pyramid with three sides and with ridges that extend to the northeast, southeast and northwest. The southeastern ridge is gentler and is the most widely used climbing route. It was this route to the top through the Khumbu glacier, the valley of silence, from the foot of Lhotse through the South Col that Hillary and Tenzing blazed for their first ascent. And the British first tried to do it back in 1921. They then could not go from the south side, due to the ban of the Nepalese authorities, and tried to climb from the north, from Tibet. To do this, they had to go around the entire Chomolungma mountain range, traveling more than 400 kilometers to get to the top from China. But time was lost for the detour and the onset of the monsoons did not make it possible to carry out the ascent. After them, a second attempt along the same route was made in 1924 by British climbers George Leigh Mallory and Andrew Irwin, which was also unsuccessful, ending in the death of both at an altitude of 8500 meters.
Despite its reputation as an extremely dangerous mountain, commercialized climbing of Everest has made it a very popular tourist attraction over the past few decades. According to the latest data, 5,656 successful ascents of Everest have been made, while 223 people have died. The mortality rate was about 4 percent.
1953, July 3 - Nanga Parbat
The peak is located in the north of Pakistan in the western part of the Himalayas. This is the ninth highest eight-thousander, 8126 meters. This peak has such steep slopes that even snow does not stick to its top. In Urdu, Nangaparbat means "Naked Mountain". The first to climb the peak was the Austrian climber Hermann Buhl, a member of the German-Austrian Himalayan expedition. I made the ascent alone, without an oxygen apparatus. The ascent time to the top was 17 hours, and the descent time was 41 hours. This was the first successful ascent in 20 years of attempts; 31 climbers had already died there before.
According to the latest data, a total of 335 successful ascents have been made to Nanga Parbat. 68 climbers died. The mortality rate is about 20 percent, making it the third most dangerous eight-thousander.
1954, July 31 - Chogori, "K2", "Dapsang"
The first to summit K2, the second highest peak in the world, were Italian climbers Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni. Although attempts to conquer K2 began back in 1902.
Chogori Peak or Dapsang Peak, 8611 meters high, is located on the Baltoro Muztagh ridge in the Karakoram mountain range, on the border of Pakistan and China. This mountain received the unusual name K2 in the 19th century, when a British expedition measured the heights of the peaks of the Himalayas and Karakoram. Each newly measured peak was given a serial number. K2 was the second mountain they came across and since then this name has been attached to it for a long time. Locals call this Lamba Pahar, which means “High Mountain”. Despite the fact that K2 is lower than Everest, it turned out to be more difficult to climb. Over the entire period, there have been only 306 successful ascents on K2. 81 people died while attempting to climb. The mortality rate is about 29 percent. K2 is often called the killer mountain
1954, October 19 - Cho Oyu
The first to climb the peak were members of the Austrian expedition: Herbert Tichy, Joseph Joechler and Pazang Dawa Lama. The peak of Cho Oyu is located in the Himalayas, on the border of China and Nepal, in the Mahalangur Himal mountain range of the Qomolangma mountain range, approximately 20 km west of Mount Everest.
Cho Oyu means "Goddess of Turquoise" in Tibetan. It has a height of 8201 meters, it is the sixth highest eight-thousander. A few kilometers west of Cho Oyu is the Nangpa La pass with an altitude of 5716 m. This pass is the passage from Nepal to Tibet, paved by the Sherpas as the only trade route. Because of this pass, many climbers consider Cho Oyu to be the easiest eight-thousander. This is partly true, because all ascents are made from Tibet. But on the Nepal side, the southern wall is so difficult that only a few managed to conquer it.
In total, 3,138 people climbed Cho Oyu safely, more than any other peak except Everest. Mortality is 1%, less than any other. It is considered the safest eight-thousander.
1955, May 15 - Makalu
For the first time, the Frenchmen Jean Cousy and Lionel Terre climbed to the top of Makalu. The ascent to Makalu became the only one in the entire history of conquest of eight-thousanders, when all nine members of the expedition reached the summit, including the senior group of Sherpa guides. This happened not because Makalu is such an easy mountain, but because the weather was extremely good and nothing prevented the climbers from achieving this triumph.
At 8,485 meters, Makalu, the fifth highest mountain in the world, is located just 20 kilometers southeast of Everest. In Tibetan, Makalu means "Big Black". This unusual name given to this mountain because its slopes are very steep and the snow simply does not hold on them, so it remains bare most of the year.
Defeating Makalu turned out to be quite difficult. In 1954, an American team led by Edmund Hillary, the first person to climb Everest, tried to do this, but they failed. And only the French after the big one preparatory work and the well-coordinated work of the team managed to achieve this. In total, 361 people successfully climbed Makalu over the entire period, while 31 people died while attempting to climb. The mortality rate for climbing Makalu is about 9 percent.
1955, May 25 - Kanchenjunga
British climbers George Band and Joe Brown were the first to successfully climb Kanchenjunga. Before the ascent, local residents warned the climbers that the Sikkimese god lives on the top of this mountain and should not be disturbed. They refused to accompany the expedition and the British went to the ascent on their own. But either due to superstition, or for some other reason, having climbed to the top, they did not reach the very top a few feet, considering that the peak had been conquered.
Kanchenjunga is located on the Nepal-India border, approximately 120 kilometers south of Everest. The name "Kanchenjunga" translated from Tibetan means "Treasury of the Five Great Snows". Until 1852, Kanchenjunga was considered the highest mountain in the world. But after Everest and other eight-thousanders were measured, it turned out that it is the third highest peak in the world, its height is 8586 meters.
Another legend existing in Nepal says that Kanchenjunga is a woman mountain. And women are not allowed to attend on pain of death. Of course, climbers are not superstitious people, but nevertheless, only one female climber, Englishwoman Ginette Harrison, has ever climbed to its peak. All would be well, but a year and a half later, Ginette Harrison died while climbing Dhaulagiri. Over the entire period, 283 climbers successfully climbed Kanchenjunga. Of those who tried to rise, 40 people died. The lethality of the climb is about 15 percent.
1956, May 9 - Manaslu
The mountain is 8163 meters high, the eighth highest eight-thousander. There have been several attempts to climb this peak. For the first time in 1952, when, in addition to the British, the Swiss and French teams took the lead in conquering Everest, the Japanese decided to first conquer Manaslu Peak, located in Nepal about 35 kilometers east of Annapurna. They scouted out all the approaches and mapped out the route. The next year, 1953, we began the ascent. But the blizzard broke all their plans and they were forced to retreat.
When they returned in 1954, the local Nepalese took up arms against them, citing the fact that the Japanese had desecrated the gods and aroused their anger, because after the departure of the previous expedition, misfortune befell their village: there was an epidemic, a crop failure, a temple collapsed and three priests died. Armed with sticks and stones, they drove the Japanese away from the mountain. To settle matters with local residents, in 1955, a special delegation arrived from Japan. And only the following 1956, having paid 7,000 rupees to compensate for losses and 4,000 rupees for the construction of a new temple and having organized a big holiday for the village population, the Japanese received permission to climb. Thanks to beautiful weather, Japanese climber Toshio Imanishi and Sirdar Sherpa Gyaltsen Norbu climbed the peak on May 9. Manaslu remains one of the most dangerous eight-thousanders. In total there were 661 successful ascents of Manaslu, sixty-five climbers died during the ascent. The lethality of ascents is about 10 percent.
1956, May 18 - Lhotse
Fritz Luchsinger and Ernst Reiss, members of a Swiss team, became the first people to climb the 8,516-metre Lhotse summit, the fourth highest peak in the world.
Lhotse Peak is located on the border of Nepal and China, a few kilometers south of Everest. These two peaks are connected by a vertical ridge, the so-called South Col, whose entire height is above 8000 meters. Typically, ascents are carried out along the western, gentler slope. But in 1990 the team Soviet Union climbed along the southern side, previously considered completely inaccessible, since it represents a 3300-meter almost vertical wall. A total of 461 successful ascents have been made on Lhotse. Over the entire period, 13 climbers died there, the mortality rate is about 3 percent.
1956 July 8 - Gasherbrum II
The peak is 8034 meters high, the thirteenth highest mountain in the world. For the first time, Austrian climbers Fritz Moravec, Josef Larch and Hans Willenpart climbed Gasherbrum II. They climbed to the summit along the south side along the southwest ridge. Before ascending to the peak itself, rising to a height of 7,500 meters, they set up a temporary camp for the night, and then launched an assault early in the morning. This was a completely new, untested approach to rock climbing, which was subsequently used by climbers from many countries.
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Gasherbrum II is the second of four Gasherbrum peaks in the Karakoram on the Pakistan-China border approximately 10 kilometers southeast of K2. The Baltoro Muztagh ridge, which includes Gasherbrum II, is known for the longest glacier of the Karakoram, more than 62 kilometers long. This was the reason that many climbers descended almost from the very top of Gasherbrum II on skis, snowboards and even with a parachute. Gasherbrum II is considered one of the safest and easiest eight-thousanders. 930 climbers successfully climbed Gasherbrum II and only 21 people died. unsuccessful attempts climbing. The mortality rate of ascents is about 2 percent.
1957 June 9 - Broad Peak
The mountain is 8051 meters high, the twelfth highest eight-thousander. The Germans first tried to climb Broad Peak in 1954, but due to low temperatures and stormy winds, their efforts were unsuccessful. The first to climb the peak were Austrian climbers Fritz Wintersteller, Markus Schmuck and Kurt Dimberger. The ascent was carried out along the southwestern side. The expedition did not use the services of porters and all the property was lifted by the participants themselves, which was quite difficult.
Broad Peak or "Jangiyang" is located on the border between China and Pakistan, a few kilometers southeast of K2. This area is still little studied and geographers hope that over time it can gain sufficient popularity. Over the entire period, there have been 404 successful ascents of Broad Peak. They were unsuccessful for 21 climbers who died while attempting to climb. The lethality of ascents is about 5 percent.
1958, July 5 - Gasherbrum I "Hidden Peak"
Mountain 8080 meters high. The peak belongs to the Gasherbrum - Karakorum mountain range. Attempts to climb Hidden Peak began a long time ago. In 1934, members of an international expedition were only able to rise to a height of 6300 meters. In 1936, French climbers reached the 6,900-meter mark. And only two years later, Americans Andrew Kaufman and Pete Schoening climb to the top of Hidden Peak.
Gasherbrum I or Hidden Peak, the eleventh highest eight-thousander in the world, one of the seven peaks of the Gasherbrum massif, is located in Kashmir in the Pakistan-controlled Northern Region on the border with China. Gasherbrum with local language translates as “Polished Wall”, and it fully corresponds to this name. Due to its steep, almost polished, rocky slopes, climbing it was rejected by many. A total of 334 people successfully summited the peak, while 29 climbers died while attempting the summit. Climbing mortality rate is about 9 percent.
1960, May 13 - Dhaulagiri I
"White Mountain" - 8167 meters high, the seventh highest of the eight-thousanders. The first to reach the summit were members of the European team: Dimberger, Shelbert, Diener, Forer and Sherpas Nyima and Nawang. For the first time, an airplane was used to transport expedition members and equipment. On " White Mountain"the French, participants in the 1950 expedition, drew attention back in 1950. But then it seemed inaccessible to them and they moved to Annapurna.
Dhaulagiri I is located in Nepal, 13 kilometers from Annapurna, and the Argentines tried to climb to its peak back in 1954. But due to a strong snowstorm, we didn’t reach the top by only 170 meters. Although Dhaulagiri is only the sixth highest by Himalayan standards, it is quite a tough nut to crack. So in 1969, while attempting to climb, the Americans left seven of their comrades on the southeastern ridge. In total, 448 people successfully climbed to the top of Dhaulagiri I, but 69 climbers died in unsuccessful attempts. The lethality of ascents is about 16 percent.
1964, May 2 - Shishabangma
The peak with a height of 8027 meters. Eight Chinese climbers were the first to conquer Shishabangma: Xiu Jing, Zhang Zhongyan, Wang Fuzhou, Zhen San, Zheng Tianliang, Wu Zongyue, Sodnam Dozhi, Migmar Trashi, Dozhi, Yonten. For a long time, climbing this peak was prohibited by the Chinese authorities. And only after the Chinese themselves climbed to its peak, did it become possible for foreign climbers to participate in the ascents.
The Shishabangma mountain range, in Chinese "Geosenzhanfeng", in Indian "Gosaintan" is located in China in the Tibet Autonomous Region, a few kilometers from the Nepalese border. It consists of three peaks, two of which are higher than 8 kilometers. Shishabangma Main 8027 meters and Shishabangma Central 8008 meters. The ascent to the main peak is included in the “All 14 Eight-Thousanders of the World” program. In total there were 302 successful ascents of Shishabangu. Twenty-five people died trying to reach the summit. The mortality rate of ascents is about 8 percent.
As can be seen from the chronology of ascents to the highest peaks of the Himalayas, it took more than 40 years to conquer them. Moreover, according to the analysis of the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, the most dangerous of all are: Annapurna, K2, and Nanga Parbat. On the ascents of these three peaks, the Himalayas took the life of every fourth person who encroached on their inaccessibility.
And yet, despite all these mortal dangers, there are people who have conquered all eight-thousanders. The first of them was Reinhold Messner, an Italian climber, a German by nationality from South Tyrol. And although already during the first ascent of Nanga Parbat in 1970, his brother Gunther died, and he himself lost seven toes; During the second ascent of Manaslu in 1972, his teammate died, this did not stop him. From 1970 to 1986, he climbed all 14 of Zamli's highest peaks one after another. Moreover, he climbed Everest twice, in 1978, together with Peter Habeler, along the classic route through the South Col, and in 1980, alone, along the northern route, and during the monsoon season. Both ascents did not use oxygen apparatus.
In total, there are now 32 people in the world who have conquered all 14 eight-thousanders, and these are probably not the last people who are waiting for the Himalayas.
Video: Himalaya Mountains. Where...
The Himalayas are the highest mountain system in the world. It stretches approximately 2,400 km in a direction from northwest to southeast and has a width from 400 km in the west to 150 km in the east.
Solarshakti / flickr.com View of the snow-capped Himalayas (Saurabh Kumar_ / flickr.com) The Great Himalayas - view on the way to Leh from Delhi (Karunakar Rayker / flickr.com) You will have to cross this bridge if you are going to Everest Base Camp (ilker ender / flickr.com) The Great Himalayas (Christopher Michel / flickr.com) Christopher Michel / flickr.com Christopher Michel / flickr.com Sunset on Everest (旅者河童 / flickr.com) The Himalayas from a plane (Partha S. Sahana / flickr.com) Lukla Airport, Patan, Kathmandu. (Chris Marquardt / flickr.com) Valley of Flowers, Himalayas (Alosh Bennett / flickr.com) Himalayan Landscape (Jan / flickr.com) Bridge over the Ganges (Asis K. Chatterjee / flickr.com) Kanchenjunga, Indian Himalayas (A.Ostrovsky / flickr.com) Climber at sunset, Nepal Himalayas (Dmitry Sumin / flickr.com) Manaslu - 26,758 feet (David Wilkinson / flickr.com) Animal world Himalayas (Chris Walker / flickr.com) Annapurna (Mike Behnken / flickr.com) On the border of India and Tibet in Kinnaur Himachal Pradesh (Partha Chowdhury / flickr.com) A beautiful place in Kashmir (Kashmir Pictures / flickr.com) Abhishek Shirali / flickr.com Parfen Rogozhin / flickr.com Koshy Koshy / flickr.com valcker / flickr.com Annapurna Base Camp, Nepal (Matt Zimmerman / flickr.com) Annapurna Base Camp, Nepal (Matt Zimmerman / flickr.com)
Where are the Himalaya mountains, the photos of which are so amazing? For most people, this question is unlikely to cause difficulty, at least they will answer exactly on which continent these mountains stretch.
If you look at geographical map, then you can see that they are located in the northern hemisphere, in South Asia, between the Indo-Gangetic Plain (in the south) and the Tibetan Plateau (in the north).
In the west they pass into the Karakoram and Hindu Kush mountain systems.
The peculiarity of the geographical location of the Himalayas is that they are located on the territory of five countries: India, Nepal, China (Tibet Autonomous Region), Bhutan and Pakistan. The foothills also cross the northern edge of Bangladesh. The name of the mountain system can be translated from Sanskrit as “abode of snow.”
Height of the Himalayas
The Himalayas are home to 9 of the 10 highest peaks on our planet, including the highest point in the world - Chomolungma, whose height reaches 8848 m above sea level. Its geographical coordinates: 27°59′17″ north latitude 86°55′31″ east longitude. The average height of the entire mountain system exceeds 6000 meters.
Highest peaks of the Himalayas
Geographical description: 3 main stages
The Himalayas form three main stages: the Siwalik Range, the Lesser Himalayas and the Greater Himalayas, each higher than the previous one.
- Siwalik Range– the southernmost, lowest and geologically youngest step. It stretches for approximately 1,700 km from the Indus Valley to the Brahmaputra Valley with a width ranging from 10 to 50 km. The height of the ridge does not exceed 2000 m. Siwalik is located mainly in Nepal, as well as in the Indian states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.
- The next step is the Lesser Himalayas, they run north of the Siwalik ridge, parallel to it. The average height of the ridge is about 2500 m, and in the western part it reaches 4000 m. The Siwalik Range and the Lesser Himalayas are strongly cut by river valleys, breaking up into separate massifs.
- Greater Himalayas- the northernmost and highest step. The height of individual peaks here exceeds 8000 m, and the height of the passes is more than 4000 m. Glaciers are widely developed. Their total area exceeds 33,000 square kilometers, and their total fresh water reserves are about 12,000 cubic kilometers. One of the largest and most famous glaciers, Gangotri, is the source of the Ganges River.
Rivers and lakes of the Himalayas
Three begin in the Himalayas largest rivers South Asia - Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra. The rivers of the western tip of the Himalayas belong to the Indus basin, and almost all other rivers belong to the Ganges-Brahmaputra basin. The easternmost edge of the mountain system belongs to the Irrawaddy basin.
There are many lakes in the Himalayas. The largest of them are Lake Bangong Tso (700 km²) and Yamjo-Yumtso (621 km²). Lake Tilicho is located at an absolute elevation of 4919 m, which makes it one of the highest in the world.
Climate
The climate in the Himalayas is quite varied. The southern slopes are strongly influenced by the monsoons. The amount of precipitation here increases from west to east from less than 1000 mm to more than 4000 mm.
On the India-Tibet border in Kinnaur Himachal Pradesh (Partha Chowdhury / flickr.com)
The northern slopes, on the contrary, are in the rain shadow. The climate here is arid and cold.
In the highlands there are severe frosts and wind. In winter, temperatures can drop to minus 40 °C or even lower.
The Himalayas have a strong influence on the climate of the entire region. They act as a barrier to the cold, dry winds blowing from the north, making the climate of the Indian subcontinent much warmer than neighboring regions of Asia at the same latitudes. In addition, the Himalayas are a barrier to the monsoons, which blow from the south and bring huge amount precipitation.
High mountains prevent these moist air masses from flowing further north, making Tibet's climate very arid.
It is believed that the Himalayas played a significant role in the formation of the deserts of Central Asia, such as the Taklamakan and Gobi, which is also explained by the rain shadow effect.
Origin and geology
Geologically, the Himalayas are one of the youngest mountain systems in the world; refers to the Alpine folding. It is composed mainly of sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, folded and raised to a considerable height.
The Himalayas were formed as a result of the collision of the Indian and Eurasian lithospheric plates, which began approximately 50-55 million years ago. This collision closed the ancient Tethys Ocean and formed an orogenic belt.
Flora and fauna
The flora of the Himalayas is subject to altitudinal zonation. At the foot of the Siwalik range, the vegetation consists of swampy forests and thickets, locally known as “terai”.
Himalayan Landscape (Jan / flickr.com)
Higher up they are replaced by evergreen tropical, deciduous and coniferous forests, and even higher by alpine meadows.
Deciduous forests begin to prevail at absolute elevations of more than 2000 m, and coniferous forests - above 2600 m.
At an altitude of more than 3500 m, shrubby vegetation predominates.
On the northern slopes, where the climate is much drier, the vegetation is much poorer. Mountain deserts and steppes are common here. The height of the snow line varies from 4500 (southern slopes) to 6000 m (northern slopes).
Wildlife of the Himalayas (Chris Walker / flickr.com)
The local fauna is quite diverse and, like vegetation, depends mainly on the altitude above sea level. The fauna of tropical forests on the southern slopes is characteristic of the tropics. Elephants, rhinoceroses, tigers, leopards, and antelopes are still found here in the wild; monkeys are numerous.
Higher up you can find Himalayan bears, mountain goats and sheep, yaks, etc. In the highlands you can also find such a rare animal as the snow leopard.
There are many different protected areas located in the Himalayas. Among them it is worth noting national park Sagarmatha, within which Everest is partially located.
Population
Most of the population of the Himalayas lives in the southern foothills and intermountain basins. The largest basins are Kashmir and Kathmandu; these regions are very densely populated, and almost all the land here is cultivated.
Bridge over the Ganges (Asis K. Chatterjee / flickr.com)
Like many other mountain regions, the Himalayas have great ethnic and linguistic diversity.
This is explained by the inaccessibility of these places, due to which the population of almost every valley or basin lived very separately.
Contacts even with neighboring areas were minimal, since in order to get to them, it is necessary to overcome high mountain passes, which in winter are often covered with snow, and they become completely impassable. In this case, some intermountain basin could be completely isolated until next summer.
Almost the entire population of the region speaks either Indo-Aryan languages, which belong to the Indo-European family, or Tibeto-Burman languages, which belong to the Sino-Tibetan family. Most of the population professes Buddhism or Hinduism.
The most famous people of the Himalayas are the Sherpas, who live in the highlands of Eastern Nepal, including the Everest region. They often work as guides and porters on expeditions to Chomolungma and other peaks.
Annapurna Base Camp, Nepal (Matt Zimmerman / flickr.com)
Sherpas have hereditary altitude adaptation, thanks to which even at very high altitudes they do not suffer from altitude sickness and do not need additional oxygen.
Most of the Himalayan population is employed in agriculture. If there is a sufficiently flat surface and water, people cultivate rice, barley, oats, potatoes, peas, etc.
In the foothills and in some intermountain basins, more heat-loving crops are grown - citrus fruits, apricots, grapes, tea, etc. In the highlands, breeding of goats, sheep and yaks is common. The latter are used as a beast of burden, as well as for meat, milk and wool.
Sights of the Himalayas
The Himalayas are home to a wide variety of attractions. This region has a huge number of Buddhist monasteries and Hindu temples, as well as simply places considered sacred in Buddhism and Hinduism.
Valley of Flowers, Himalayas (Alosh Bennett / flickr.com)
In the foothills of the Himalayas lies the Indian city of Rishikesh, which is sacred to Hindus and is also widely known as the yoga capital of the world.
Another sacred Hindu city is Hardwar, located at the point where the Ganges descends from the Himalayas to the plain. In Hindi, its name can be translated as “gateway to God.”
Among the natural attractions, it is worth mentioning the Valley of Flowers National Park, located in the Western Himalayas, in the Indian state of Uttarkhand.
The valley fully lives up to its name: it is a continuous carpet of flowers, completely different from ordinary alpine meadows. Together with the Nanda Devi National Park, it is a UNESCO heritage site.
Tourism
Mountaineering and mountain hiking are popular in the Himalayas. Of the hiking routes, the best known is the Annapurna Circuit, which runs along the slopes of the mountain range of the same name in north-central Nepal.
Climber at sunset, Nepal Himalayas (Dmitry Sumin / flickr.com)
The length of the route is 211 km, and its altitude varies from 800 to 5416 m.
Sometimes tourists combine this trek with a hike to Lake Tilicho, located at an absolute elevation of 4919 m.
Another popular route is the Manaslu Trek, which runs around the Mansiri Himal mountain range and overlaps with the Annapurna Circuit.
How long it will take to complete these routes depends on the person’s physical fitness, time of year, weather conditions and other factors. In high altitude areas, you should not gain altitude too quickly to avoid symptoms of altitude sickness.
Conquering the Himalayan peaks is quite difficult and dangerous. It requires good preparation, equipment and requires mountaineering experience.
Travel to the Himalayas
The Himalayas attract numerous tourists from Russia and other countries of the world. A trip to the Himalayas can be made at any time of the year, however, it is worth remembering that in winter many passes are covered with snow and some places become extremely inaccessible.
The most favorable time for trekking along the most popular routes is spring and autumn. In summer there is a rainy season, and in winter it is quite cold and there is a high probability of avalanches.
The name Himalayas comes from the Sanskrit words hima and alaja, which mean “abode of snow.” The highest mountains on earth occupy 80% of Nepal's area. The average height of the Himalayas is 6,000 meters above sea level. The length of these high mountains is 2,500 km. But it is on the territory of Nepal that there are eight eight-thousanders - the highest mountain, whose height is more than 8,000 meters. Therefore, all climbers in the world dream of climbing the Himalayas at least once in their lives. Neither the danger to life, nor the cold, nor the financial costs stop them. At the same time, the financial costs are quite significant. After all, if you want to conquer the peak, then in Nepal just for the right to climb you will have to pay a fairly serious amount, which amounts to more than one thousand dollars. Here this fee is called royalty. If you want to conquer Everest, you will also have to stand in line, maybe even for two years. With so many people wanting to conquer the Himalayas, there remain peaks that are not popular.
For tourists eager to challenge the mountains, special routes have been laid at an altitude of 5.5 thousand meters. Those who manage to make the climb will receive a well-deserved reward - unforgettably beautiful landscapes of dangerous and deep gorges with lush vegetation and lush greenery or snow-capped rocky peaks. The route around Annapurna is considered the most popular among simple tourists without special training. During the days of travel, those who decide to take such a trip can, in addition to the excellent landscapes of mountainous Nepal, also observe the life of the local residents.
The highest mountain in the Himalayas is Everest Peak (8848 meters). Every schoolchild knows about this. In Tibet she is called Chomolungma, which means “Mother of the Gods,” and in Nepal – Sagarmakhta. All climbers dream of conquering Everest, but only climbers of the highest class can conquer it.
The Himalayas arose during the period of orogenesis - the Alpine tectonic cycle and, by geological standards, very young mountains. The Himalayas arose in the place where the collision of the Eurasian and Indian subcontinental plates occurred. Mountain building continues here today. The average height of mountains increases annually by an average of 7 mm. This is why earthquakes are so frequent here.
In the sky-soaring Himalayan mountains, fossilized marine organisms can often be found. They are called saligrams. According to scientists, their age is about 130 million years. Saligrams are like messages from ice age. They are the best proof that the Himalayas “grew” from water. The Nepalese consider them to be the earthly incarnation of their god Vishnu. For Nepalese, saligrams are sacred. Their export from Nepal is prohibited.
Video: “Climbing the top of Tulagi in Nepal (7059 m) in 2010.”
Film: "Road to the Himalayas"
You can also watch the 1999 Nepali film Himalaya (dir. Eric Valli) and the 2010 film NANGA PARBAT.
Finally, a few more photos of the Himalayas:
Himalayas- this is the highest mountain system of our planet, which stretches in Central and South Asia and is located on the territory of countries such as China, India, Bhutan, Pakistan and Nepal. This mountain range has 109 peaks, their average height reaches more than 7 thousand meters above sea level. However, one of them surpasses them all. So, we will talk about the highest peak of the Himalaya mountain system.
What is it, the highest peak of the Himalayas?
The highest peak of the Himalayas is Mount Qomolungma, or Everest. It rises in the northern part of the Mahalangur Himal range, the highest mountain range of our planet, which can be reached only after arriving in. Its height reaches 8848 m.
Chomolungma is the name of the mountain in Tibetan, which means “Divine Mother of the Earth”. In Nepali, the peak sounds like Sagarmatha, which translates to “Mother of the Gods.” Everest it was named after George Everest, a British explorer who led a geodetic survey in the surrounding areas.
The shape of the highest peak of the Himalayas, Chomolungma, is a triangular pyramid, in which the southern slope is steeper. As a result, that part of the mountain is practically not covered with snow.
Conquering the highest peak of the Himalayas
The impenetrable Chomolungma has long attracted the attention of climbers on Earth. However, unfortunately, due to unfavorable conditions, the mortality rate here is still high - there were more than 200 official reports of death on the mountain. At the same time, almost 3,000 people successfully climbed and descended from Everest. The first ascent to the summit took place in 1953 by Nepalese Tenzing Norgay and New Zealander Edmund Hillary using oxygen devices.
The Himalayas in India and China are the highest mountains on Earth.
Where is it located and how to get there
Geographic coordinates:Latitude:29°14′11″N (29.236449), Longitude:85°14′59″E (85.249851)
Directions from Moscow-You come to China or India and it’s just a stone’s throw away. Don't forget your mountain gear
Travel from St. Petersburg: You come to Moscow and then come to China or India and it’s just a stone’s throw away. Don't forget your mountain gear
Distance from Moscow - 7874 km, from St. Petersburg - 8558 km.Description in the encyclopedic dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron (published at the border of the 19th-20th centuries)
Himalayan mountains
(Himalaja, in Sanskrit - winter or snowy dwelling, among the Greeks and Romans Imans and Hemodus) - the highest mountains on Earth; separate Hindustan and the western part of Indochina from the Tibetan Plateau and extend from the exit point of the Indus (at 73°23′E Greenwich) in a south-easterly direction to the Brahmaputra (at 95°23′E) for 2375 km with a width of 220-300 km. The western part of the Himalayas (hereinafter referred to as G.) at 36° N. w. so closely connected into one mountain node (the greatest on Earth) with the almost parallel beginning of the Karakoram ridge (see), which stretches at a short distance from it, with the Kuen-Lun ridge, limiting Tibet from the north, and with the Hindu Ku, that all these four mountain ranges are part of one hill. The G. Mountains make up the southernmost and highest of these ranges. The eastern end of the G. mountains passes approximately to the 28th parallel to the northern. parts of the British province of Assam and Burma into the Yun Ling Mountains already belonging to China. Both mountain masses are separated from each other by the Brahmaputra, which cuts the mountains here and makes a bend from N to SW. If we imagine a line running south from Lake Mansarovar, which lies between the sources of the Settlej and the Brahmaputra, then it will divide the G. mountains into the west. and east half and at the same time will serve as an ethnographic border between the Aryan population of the Indus basin and the population of Tibet. The average height of the city is 6941 m; numerous peaks are well above this line. Some of them are higher than all the peaks of the Andes and represent the most high points earth's surface. Up to 225 of these peaks have been measured; of which 18 rise above 7600 m, 40 above 7000, 120 above 6100. The highest of all are Gaurizankar, or Mount Everest, at 8840 m, Kantschinjinga at 8581 m and Dhawalagiri at 8177 m. All of them lie in the eastern half of the G. mountains. The average height of the snow line on the G. mountains is approximately 4940 m in the south. slope and 5300 m to the north. Of the huge glaciers, some descend to 3400 and even 3100 m. The average height of the passages (Ghâts) leading through the mountains, of which 21 are known, is 5500 m; the height of the highest of them, the Ibi-Gamin pass, between Tibet and Garhwal, is 6240 m; the height of the lowest, Bara-Latscha, is 4900 m. The mountains do not form one completely continuous and continuous chain, but consist of a system of more or less long ridges; partly parallel, partly intersecting, wide and narrow valleys lie between them. There are no real plateaus in the Georgian mountains. Generally southern. the G. side of the mountains is more fragmented than the northern side; there are more spurs and side ridges, between which lie the states of Kashmir, Gariwal, Kamaon, Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan, more or less dependent on the Indo-British government. To the south On the G. side of the mountains, tributaries of the Indus originate: Jhelum, Shenab and Ravi, the Ganges with its left tributaries and the Jamuni.
G. mountains, more than all other mountains on the globe, are rich in the majestic beauties of nature; especially scenic view they represent from the south. Regarding geological structure G. g., then at the base predominantly sandstones and clastic rocks are visible. Higher up, to approximately 3000-3500 m altitude, gneiss, mica, chlorite and talc schist predominate, cut through often by thick veins of granite. The higher peaks consist mainly of gneiss and granite. Volcanic rocks are not found on the G. mountains and in general there are no signs of volcanic activity here, although there are various hot springs (up to 30 in number), the most famous of which are located in Badrinath (see). The vegetation is extremely diverse. At the southern base of the east. Half of it stretches out into an unhealthy and unsuitable swampland called Tarai, 15-50 km wide, overgrown with impenetrable jungle and giant grass. It is followed, up to an altitude of approximately 1000 m, by extremely rich tropical and especially Indian vegetation, which is followed up to an altitude of 2500 m by forests of oaks, chestnuts, laurel trees, etc. Between 2500 and 3500 m the flora corresponds to the flora of the southern and Central Europe; conifers predominate, namely Pinus Deodora, P. excelsa, P. longifolia, Aties Webbiana, Picea Morinda, etc. The border of tree vegetation runs higher to the north. side (the last tree species here is birch) than on the south. (one species of oak, Quercus semicarpifolia, rises highest here). The next area of bushes reaches the snow line and to the north. side ends with one species of Genista, on the south. - several species of Rhododendron, Salix and Ribes. Cultivation on the Tibetan side rises to 4600 m, on the Indian side only to 3700; the grasses on the first grow up to 5290 m, on the second - up to 4600 m. The fauna of the mountains is also extremely interesting and very rich. To the south on the side up to 1200 m it is specially Indian; its representatives are the tiger, elephant, monkeys, parrots, pheasants and beautiful views chickens In the middle region of the mountains there are bears, musk deer and various types antelopes, and to the north. on the side adjacent to Tibet - wild horses, wild bulls (yaks), wild sheep and mountain goats, as well as some other mammals belonging to the fauna Central Asia and especially Tibet. The G. mountains not only constitute the political border between the Anglo-Indian possessions and Tibet, but in general also the ethnographic border between the Hindu Aryans living south of the G. mountains and the inhabitants of Tibet belonging to the Mongolian tribe. Both tribes spread through the valleys deep into the mountains and mixed with each other in various ways. The population is densest in extremely fertile valleys, at an altitude of 1500 to 2500 m. At an altitude of 3000 it becomes rare.
History of the name (toponym)
Himalayas, from Nepalese himal - “snowy mountain”.