Highest Mountain in Every Asian Country
Asia holds the highest and hardest country highpoints on the planet. Fourteen of them break 6,000 m, and several need full expeditions, army permits or closed-border negotiation.
45 peaks · 9 climbed by Martin
| # | Country | Highest point | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nepal | Mount Everest | 8,849 m |
| 2 | China | Mount Everest | 8,849 m |
| 3 | Pakistan | K2 | 8,611 m |
| 4 | India | Kangchenjunga | 8,586 m |
| 5 | Bhutan | Gangkhar Puensum | 7,570 m |
| 6 | Tajikistan | Ismoil Somoni Peak | 7,495 m |
| 7 | Afghanistan | Noshaq | 7,492 m |
| 8 | Kyrgyzstan | Jengish Chokusu | 7,439 m |
| 9 | Kazakhstan | Khan Tengri | 7,010 m |
| 10 | Myanmar | Hkakabo Razi | 5,881 m |
| 11 | Iran | Damavand | 5,610 m |
| 12 | Turkey | Mount Ararat | 5,137 m |
| 13 | Indonesia | Puncak Jaya | 4,884 m |
| 14 | Uzbekistan | Alpomish | 4,668 m |
| 15 | Mongolia | Khüiten Peak | 4,374 m |
| 16 | Malaysia | Kinabalu | 4,095 m |
| 17 | Taiwan | Yushan | 3,952 m |
| 18 | Japan | Fuji-san | 3,776 m |
| 19 | Yemen | Jabal An-Nabi Shu'ayb | 3,666 m |
| 20 | Iraq | Cheekha Dar | 3,611 m |
| 21 | Vietnam | Fan Si Pan | 3,147 m |
| 22 | Turkmenistan | Aýrybaba | 3,139 m |
| 23 | Lebanon | Qurnat as Sawda' | 3,088 m |
| 24 | Oman | Jabal Akhdar (Jebel Shams) | 3,004 m |
| 25 | Saudi Arabia | Jabal Sawda | 3,000 m |
| 26 | East Timor | Foho Ramelau | 2,963 m |
| 27 | Philippines | Mount Apo | 2,954 m |
| 28 | Laos | Phou Bia | 2,817 m |
| 29 | Syria | Mount Hermon | 2,814 m |
| 30 | North Korea | Paektu-san | 2,744 m |
| 31 | Thailand | Doi Inthanon | 2,565 m |
| 32 | Sri Lanka | Pidurutalagala | 2,524 m |
| 33 | Cyprus | Mount Olympus | 1,952 m |
| 34 | South Korea | Halla-san | 1,950 m |
| 35 | UAE | Jabal Jais | 1,934 m |
| 36 | Jordan | Jabal Umm ad Dami | 1,854 m |
| 37 | Brunei | Bukit Pagon | 1,850 m |
| 38 | Cambodia | Phnom Aoral | 1,813 m |
| 39 | Bangladesh | Keokradong | 1,230 m |
| 40 | Israel | Mount Meron | 1,204 m |
| 41 | Kuwait | Mutla Ridge | 306 m |
| 42 | Singapore | Bukit Timah | 164 m |
| 43 | Bahrain | Jabal ad Dukhan | 134 m |
| 44 | Qatar | Tuwayyir al Hamir | 103 m |
| 45 | Maldives | Unnamed (Addu Atoll) | 5 m |
Access, not elevation, is often the crux in Asia: several highpoints sit on disputed frontiers or inside restricted military zones.
Quick stats
Peaks on this list
45
11 climbed by Martin
Highest
8,849 m
Mount Everest, Nepal
Lowest
5 m
Unnamed (Addu Atoll), Maldives
Median elevation
3,088 m
170,813 m stacked total
Continents covered
Asia
Main ranges
Mahalangur Himal, Himalayas (2) · Eastern Himalayas (2) · Sarawat Mountains (2) · Al Hajar Mountains (2) · Baltoro Karakoram (1)
Difficulty spread
e.g. Mutla Ridge (Kuwait), Bukit Timah (Singapore), Jabal ad Dukhan (Bahrain)
e.g. Kinabalu (Malaysia), Fuji-san (Japan), Jabal Akhdar (Jebel Shams) (Oman)
e.g. Damavand (Iran), Mount Ararat (Turkey), Alpomish (Uzbekistan)
e.g. Noshaq (Afghanistan), Puncak Jaya (Indonesia), Khüiten Peak (Mongolia)
e.g. Mount Everest (Nepal), Mount Everest (China), K2 (Pakistan)
Route options
Walk-ups and drive-ups
Marked trail, road or short forest walk. Under two hours for most people, no navigation problems.
Gear: Trainers or light boots, water, a phone map. Nothing technical.
Hiking routes
Long day hikes on paths or easy scree, occasional hands-on scrambling steps but no exposure that needs a rope.
Gear: Boots, poles, layers, headtorch for an early start.
Scrambles and glacier walks
Sustained scrambling, via ferrata sections or straightforward glacier travel. Route-finding matters and afternoon weather forces early starts.
Gear: Helmet, harness, crampons and axe where glaciated; rope for the exposed steps.
Alpine routes
Multi-day expeditions, high altitude, real glacier hazard or committing rock and ice. Acclimatisation is part of the plan.
Gear: Full alpine kit, crevasse rescue, tent or hut chain, and a partner you trust.
Expedition objectives
Remote, permitted, politically restricted or extreme-altitude peaks. Months of planning, fixed logistics and often a narrow legal window.
Gear: Expedition setup, permits, local operator support, medical and comms plan.
Best season
northern peaks
28 on this listJune – September
Northern-hemisphere summer: stable high pressure, melted-out approaches and long daylight. Shoulder weeks in May and October mean snow on the upper slopes.
tropical peaks
17 on this listYear-round, driest in the local dry season
Near the equator temperature barely shifts; rainfall decides. Aim for the dry months and start before dawn to beat afternoon convection.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the highest mountain in Asia?
Mount Everest at 8,849 m, on the Nepal–China border.
Which Asian country highpoints are hardest to reach?
Gangkhar Puensum (Bhutan) is closed to climbing, K2 (Pakistan) is a major expedition, and several Central Asian highpoints need border permits arranged months ahead.
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