The mountains in India span some of the most dramatic terrain on Earth \u2014 from the towering Himalayas and the Karakoram in the north to the ancient Aravalli, Vindhya, Satpura, Eastern Ghats, and Western Ghats across peninsular India.
Mountain ranges, highest peaks, and their associated geography are tested regularly in UPSC Prelims, SSC CGL, Banking, Railways, and all State PSC exams. This page gives you a complete, updated list of India\u2019s major mountain ranges and highest peaks with heights, states, ranges, and exam-critical facts for confident revision.
⚡ Quick Facts
- Kangchenjunga (8,586 m) on the Sikkim\u2013Nepal border is India\u2019s highest peak and the world\u2019s third highest mountain.
- Nanda Devi (7,816 m) in Uttarakhand is the highest mountain peak located entirely within Indian territory.
- The Aravalli Range is the oldest mountain range in India \u2014 over 350 million years old.
- The Western Ghats run parallel to India\u2019s west coast for ~1,600 km; they are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a global biodiversity hotspot.
- Anamudi (2,695 m) in Kerala is the highest peak in South India and in the Western Ghats.
The most-tested trap: Kangchenjunga (8,586 m) is the highest peak \u201cin India\u201d (on the Sikkim\u2013Nepal border), but Nanda Devi (7,816 m) is the highest peak \u201centirely within India\u201d (fully in Uttarakhand). Also: K2 (8,611 m) is in the Karakoram \u2014 NOT in the Himalayas, and lies in Pakistan-administered territory. Never confuse K2 as an Indian peak. And the Vindhya Range (not Aravalli) separates North India from Peninsular India.
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🏔️ Complete List of Mountains & Peaks in India
| # ↕ | Peak / Range ↕ | Height (m) ↕ | Range / System | State / UT ↕ | Key Exam Fact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kangchenjunga | 8,586 | Himalayas | Sikkim / Nepal border | Highest peak in India; 3rd highest in world; 5 summits |
| 2 | Nanda Devi | 7,816 | Himalayas (Kumaon) | Uttarakhand | Highest peak entirely within India; UNESCO WHS (BR & NP); Kumaon Himalayas |
| 3 | Kamet | 7,756 | Himalayas (Garhwal) | Uttarakhand | Third highest peak entirely in India; Garhwal Himalayas |
| 4 | Saltoro Kangri | 7,742 | Karakoram | Ladakh (Siachen) | In Siachen Glacier area; world\u2019s highest battlefield region; disputed territory |
| 5 | Saser Kangri | 7,672 | Karakoram | Ladakh | Highest peak in Saser Muztagh sub-range; Karakoram |
| 6 | Mamostong Kangri | 7,516 | Karakoram | Ladakh | Part of Rimo sub-range area; Karakoram |
| 7 | Rimo I | 7,385 | Karakoram | Ladakh | Near Siachen; part of Rimo group; Karakoram |
| 8 | Hardeol | 7,151 | Himalayas (Kumaon) | Uttarakhand | Kumaon Himalayas; near Milam Glacier |
| 9 | Chaukhamba I | 7,138 | Himalayas (Garhwal) | Uttarakhand | Gangotri group; source area of Alaknanda River |
| 10 | Trisul | 7,120 | Himalayas (Kumaon) | Uttarakhand | First summit above 7,000 m climbed in the Himalayas (1907) |
| 11 | Dunagiri | 7,066 | Himalayas (Garhwal) | Uttarakhand | Near Nanda Devi; Garhwal Himalayas |
| 12 | Kedarnath Peak | 6,940 | Himalayas (Garhwal) | Uttarakhand | Near Kedarnath Temple; Chorabari Glacier |
| 13 | Kangto | 6,950 | Himalayas | Arunachal Pradesh | Among highest peaks in Arunachal Pradesh; Eastern Himalayas |
| 14 | Badrinath Peak (Nilkantha) | 6,596 | Himalayas (Garhwal) | Uttarakhand | Near Badrinath Temple; Garhwal Himalayas |
| 15 | Shilla Peak | 6,111 | Himalayas (Zanskar-Spiti) | Himachal Pradesh | Highest peak in Himachal Pradesh; Spiti Valley region |
| 16 | Sia Kangri | 7,422 | Karakoram | Ladakh (Siachen) | Siachen Glacier area \u2014 world\u2019s highest battlefield (India-Pakistan, since 1984) |
| 17 | K2 | 8,611 | Karakoram | Pakistan / China (India claims PoK) | NOT in India; 2nd highest in world; in Karakoram, NOT Himalayas |
| 18 | Gurla Mandhata | 7,694 | Trans-Himalayas | Tibet (near India border) | Near Mansarovar Lake; Trans-Himalayan range |
| 19 | Deo Tibba | 6,001 | Himalayas (Kullu) | Himachal Pradesh | Popular trekking peak in Kullu-Manali region |
| 20 | Bandarpunch | 6,316 | Himalayas (Garhwal) | Uttarakhand | Source of Tons River \u2014 the largest tributary of Yamuna by volume |
| 21 | Sandakphu | 3,636 | Himalayas (Singalila) | West Bengal | Highest peak in WB; view of 4 of world\u2019s 5 highest peaks (Everest, Kangchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu) |
| 22 | Saramati | 3,826 | Naga Hills | Nagaland | Highest peak in Nagaland & Northeast India (excl. Sikkim-Arunachal) |
| 23 | Anamudi | 2,695 | Western Ghats (Anaimalai) | Kerala | Highest peak in South India & Western Ghats; Eravikulam NP; Nilgiri Tahr habitat |
| 24 | Doddabetta | 2,637 | Nilgiri Hills | Tamil Nadu | Highest peak in Nilgiri Hills; near Ooty |
| 25 | Mullayanagiri | 1,930 | Western Ghats (Baba Budan) | Karnataka | Highest peak in Karnataka; Chikmagalur district |
| 26 | Agasthyamalai | 1,868 | Western Ghats | Kerala / Tamil Nadu | Sacred peak; rare medicinal plants; Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve |
| 27 | Guru Shikhar | 1,722 | Aravalli Range | Rajasthan | Highest peak in Aravalli Range; near Mount Abu; oldest range in India |
| 28 | Kalsubai | 1,646 | Western Ghats (Sahyadri) | Maharashtra | Highest peak in Maharashtra; Ahmednagar district |
| 29 | Mahendragiri | 1,501 | Eastern Ghats | Odisha | Highest peak in Eastern Ghats |
| 30 | Dhupgarh | 1,350 | Satpura Range | Madhya Pradesh | Highest peak in Satpura Range & in MP; near Pachmarhi |
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📝 Key Notes & Memory Tips
This is the single most-tested mountain trap in all Indian geography exams:
- Highest peak \u201cin India\u201d: Kangchenjunga (8,586 m) \u2014 on the Sikkim\u2013Nepal border (shared peak)
- Highest peak \u201centirely within India\u201d: Nanda Devi (7,816 m) \u2014 fully in Uttarakhand
Always read the question wording carefully. Both versions are tested independently.
- Himalayas: 3 parallel ranges \u2014 Greater (Himadri), Lesser (Himachal), Outer (Shiwaliks); youngest fold mountains
- Karakoram: Contains K2 (2nd highest in world); Siachen Glacier (world\u2019s largest non-polar glacier); NW of Himalayas
- Aravalli: Oldest range in India (~350 million years); Guru Shikhar (1,722 m); runs NE\u2013SW through Rajasthan
- Vindhya: Separates North India from Peninsular India; runs parallel to Narmada River
- Satpura: South of Vindhya; Narmada & Tapti rivers originate in it; Dhupgarh (1,350 m) is highest
- Western Ghats (Sahyadri): UNESCO WHS; 1,600 km long; Anamudi (2,695 m) is highest; biodiversity hotspot
- Eastern Ghats: Discontinuous range; runs parallel to east coast; Mahendragiri (1,501 m) is highest
The Western Ghats were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012, recognised as one of the world\u2019s eight \u201chottest\u201d biodiversity hotspots. They run ~1,600 km from Gujarat to Kanyakumari and are the source of major Peninsular rivers: Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri. They receive the heaviest orographic rainfall in India as moisture-laden southwest monsoon winds strike their western face.
The Siachen Glacier in the Karakoram is the world\u2019s highest battlefield, where Indian and Pakistani forces have been stationed since 1984. Saltoro Kangri (7,742 m) and Sia Kangri (7,422 m) are peaks in this zone. Siachen is also the world\u2019s largest non-polar glacier. The Karakoram range \u2014 containing K2 (8,611 m, 2nd highest in world) \u2014 is geographically distinct from the Himalayas and lies to the northwest.
- Uttarakhand: Nanda Devi (7,816 m)
- Sikkim: Kangchenjunga (8,586 m) \u2014 border peak
- Himachal Pradesh: Shilla Peak (6,111 m)
- Kerala / South India: Anamudi (2,695 m)
- Tamil Nadu (Nilgiris): Doddabetta (2,637 m)
- Karnataka: Mullayanagiri (1,930 m)
- Maharashtra: Kalsubai (1,646 m)
- Rajasthan (Aravalli): Guru Shikhar (1,722 m)
- Madhya Pradesh (Satpura): Dhupgarh (1,350 m)
- West Bengal: Sandakphu (3,636 m)
- Nagaland: Saramati (3,826 m)
\u201cKang Nanda \u2014 South Anamudi \u2014 Aravalli Guru \u2014 Satpura Dhup\u201d
K = Kangchenjunga (India\u2019s highest) | N = Nanda Devi (entirely in India) | A = Anamudi (South India) | G = Guru Shikhar (Aravalli) | D = Dhupgarh (Satpura)
🃏 Flashcards
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🧩 Practice Quiz
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Nanda Devi (7,816 m) in Uttarakhand is the highest mountain peak located entirely within Indian territory. Kangchenjunga (8,586 m) is higher but sits on the Sikkim\u2013Nepal border, making it a shared peak. Nanda Devi is surrounded by the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve and National Park, both UNESCO-designated.
The Aravalli Range is the oldest mountain range in India, estimated to be approximately 350 million years old \u2014 making it one of the oldest fold mountain ranges in the world. It runs in a northeast to southwest direction through Rajasthan and parts of Gujarat, Haryana, and Delhi. Its highest peak is Guru Shikhar (1,722 m) near Mount Abu in Rajasthan.
Anamudi (2,695 m), the highest peak in South India and in the Western Ghats, is located in Eravikulam National Park in Kerala\u2019s Idukki district. The park is famous for the endangered Nilgiri Tahr (a mountain goat). Anamudi means \u201celephant\u2019s head\u201d in Malayalam.
The Vindhya Range forms the traditional boundary between North India (Indo-Gangetic Plain) and Peninsular India (Deccan Plateau). Running roughly east\u2013west, it extends across Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and parts of Gujarat and Bihar. The Narmada River flows along its southern edge, further reinforcing this geographical divide.
Sandakphu, the highest peak in West Bengal on the Singalila Ridge in Darjeeling district, is famous for offering a view of four of the world\u2019s five highest mountains \u2014 Everest, Kangchenjunga, Lhotse, and Makalu \u2014 on a clear day. It is accessible via the Singalila National Park trek, one of India\u2019s most popular high-altitude treks.
✅ Key Takeaways
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Kangchenjunga (8,586 m) is the highest mountain in India, located on the border between Sikkim (India) and Nepal. It is also the third highest mountain in the world, after Mount Everest (8,848.86 m) and K2 (8,611 m). However, Nanda Devi (7,816 m) in Uttarakhand is the highest peak located entirely within Indian territory \u2014 a distinction that is frequently tested separately in competitive exams.
India\u2019s major mountain ranges can be grouped into two broad systems. The Himalayan system in the north includes the Great Himalayas (Himadri), the Lesser Himalayas (Himachal), the Outer Himalayas (Shiwaliks), the Karakoram range (containing K2), and the Trans-Himalayan ranges. The Peninsular system includes the Aravalli Range (oldest, in Rajasthan), the Vindhya Range (separating North and Peninsular India), the Satpura Range (in MP), the Western Ghats or Sahyadri (running 1,600 km along the west coast), and the Eastern Ghats (discontinuous, running along the east coast). The Western Ghats are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world\u2019s eight biodiversity hotspots.
The highest peaks by region are: Northern India \u2014 Kangchenjunga (8,586 m, Sikkim-Nepal border) and Nanda Devi (7,816 m, entirely in Uttarakhand); South India \u2014 Anamudi (2,695 m, Kerala, Western Ghats); Northeast India (excluding Sikkim/Arunachal) \u2014 Saramati (3,826 m, Nagaland); West Bengal \u2014 Sandakphu (3,636 m, Darjeeling); Rajasthan (Aravalli) \u2014 Guru Shikhar (1,722 m); Madhya Pradesh (Satpura) \u2014 Dhupgarh (1,350 m); Maharashtra \u2014 Kalsubai (1,646 m); Karnataka \u2014 Mullayanagiri (1,930 m); Tamil Nadu (Nilgiris) \u2014 Doddabetta (2,637 m).
Mountain geography is one of the most tested subjects in UPSC Prelims (Indian Geography), SSC CGL, Banking, Railway, and State PSC exams. Frequently tested areas include India\u2019s highest peak (Kangchenjunga) vs highest entirely within India (Nanda Devi), the oldest range (Aravalli), highest peak in South India (Anamudi), state-wise highest peaks, the Karakoram\u2019s K2 and Siachen, the Western Ghats as a UNESCO WHS and biodiversity hotspot, the Vindhya Range as the North-South divider, and specific peaks associated with rivers, national parks, glaciers, and religious sites. The Kangchenjunga vs Nanda Devi distinction is one of the most commonly set trap questions in Indian geography.
