It is located on the border of Nepal and Sikkim, just 46 miles northwest of Darjeeling.

Kangchenjunga is known for picturesque views from the hill station of Darjeeling. On a clear day, it presents an image not as much of a mountain but of a white wall hanging from the sky. It is regarded as a holy mountain of Sikkim.

Kangchenjunga is the third highest mountain in the world (after Mount Everest and K2), with an altitude of 8,586 metres.

Kangchenjunga translated means `The Five Treasures of Snows`, as it contains five peaks, four of them over 8,450 metres.

In 1955 a British expedition under Charles Evans climbed the mountain, but in deference to local religious beliefs the party stopped a few yards short of the summit.