Geologically regarded as part of the main axis of the
Himalayan ranges, Mount Kanchenjunga is situated on the India-Nepal border, around 74 km north-west of
Darjeeling. It is the third highest mountain peak in the world, which protects and terrifies the inhabitants of the magical kingdom of
Sikkim. It has five peaks, out of which the tallest is 28,169 ft (8,586 m) high. Kanchenjunga got its name from the Tibetan words 'Kanchen' and 'Dzonga,' meaning 'Five Treasuries of the Great Snow'.
An annual festival, dedicated to the worship of the snow range of Kanchenjunga, is celebrated during the early part of autumn. Kanchenjunga is accessible via Lachen and the Zemu Glacier, through the gates of Sikkim. From the west, it is climbable by having recourse to the North-western Ridge.
