Nanga Parbat (8126 m) is the ninth highest mountain on Earth. Nanga Parbat means “Naked Mountain” in Urdu, Parbat deriving from the Sanskrit word Parvata, meaning “mountain” Nanga Parbat was one of the deadliest of the eight-thousanders for climbers in the first half of the twentieth century; since that time it has been less so, though still an extremely serious climb. It is also an immense, dramatic peak that rises far above its surrounding terrain.
Location: Nanga Parbat (8126 m) is the western anchor of the Himalayas and is the westernmost eight-thousander. It lies just south of the Indus River, in the Astore District of the Northern Areas.
Nanga Parbat (8126 m) has tremendous vertical relief over local terrain in all directions. To the south, Nanga Parbat (8126 m) boasts what is often referred to as the highest mountain face in the world: the Rupal Face rises an incredible 4,600 m (15,000 feet) above its base. To the north, the complex, somewhat more gently sloped Rakhiot Flank rises 7,000 m (22,966 feet) from the Indus River valley to the summit in just 27 km, one of the 10 greatest elevation gains in so short a distance on Earth.