The world's most famous mountains

Some of the world’s most famous mountains are instantly recognisable: the symmetrical, snow-dusted cone of Mount Fuji, for example, or the pyramid-like peak of the Matterhorn. Others offer the chance to see clouds of volcanic ash or even sparks of red-hot lava shooting up.

Here’s our round-up of the most famous mountains across the world – and how to see them for yourself.

Mount Everest, Nepal-China border

The world’s tallest mountain stands at an impressive 8,849 metres high. Straddling the Nepal-China border, it sits within the Himalayas, a huge mountain range which separates the Tibetan Plateau from the Indian Subcontinent.

Formed by the collision of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates tens of millions of years ago, Everest is still being shifted by the movement of these plates today, meaning the mountain’s height increases a tiny amount each year.

With serious climbing skills (and serious money), you can climb Everest. But admiring its sky-scraping peak from afar is a much simpler endeavour. There are many viewpoints across Nepal, Tibet and even into India, where you can spy Everest among a skyline of jagged peaks.

How to see it: On Classic Nepal, you’ll have some free time in Kathmandu – close to the city are several viewpoints where (weather permitting) you’ll be able to see Everest. Everest views are also on the itinerary during Mystic Realms of India and Bhutan, where we’ll enjoy a memorable sunrise over the Himalayas from Darjeeling’s Tiger Hill viewpoint.

Mount Fuji, Japan

The picture-perfect cone of Mount Fuji (also known as Fujisan) is often shrouded in cloud, making a glimpse of it in full a rare treat.

Formed over a period of 2.6 million years by three separate volcanoes (Komitake, Ko Fuji and Shin Fuji), Mount Fuji is a sacred symbol of Japan, with temples and shrines scattered across its slopes.

Some of the finest views come from nearby Lake Ashi, formed in the flooded caldera of Mount Hakone. You can also see Mount Fuji from aboard one of Japan’s shinkansen, or bullet trains. The Tokyo-Kyoto line runs to the south of Mount Fuji, so those sitting on the right (or left, if you’re travelling towards Tokyo) are rewarded with glorious views of this iconic mountain. On a clear day, you can also see Mount Fuji’s 3,776-metre peak from one of Tokyo’s viewing towers.

How to see it: Essence of Japan not only includes a boat trip on Lake Ashi and a bullet train journey from Kyoto to Mishima (just outside Tokyo), but also a night in hotel overlooking Mount Fuji – you’ll have photo-worthy views from your bedroom window (fingers crossed for good weather!).

Grand Tour of Japan includes a full day in Hakone, where you’ll have numerous chances to see Mount Fuji in all its glory (notably from the Hakone Ropeway cable car).

Mount Etna, Italy

Mount Etna is the world’s most active stratovolcano. It looms large in Sicily’s north-east corner, regularly throwing up clouds of ash and occasionally fountains of lava.

Tourist zones make climbing Etna relatively straightforward. Chair lifts can whisk you up from car parks to the higher slopes (blanketed in snow during the winter, and popular with skiers and snowboarders). Here, specially adapted 4x4 vehicles can trundle up over the cooled lava flows to altitudes of 2,900 metres. Once here, you can crunch over the blackened terrain (tip: don’t wear white shoes, the volcanic dust gets everywhere), admiring views that stretch right across the island.

Aside from ascending the volcano, there are a number of other attractions on Mount Etna. The volcanic soil on the mountain’s lower slopes is surprisingly good for viticulture, and you’ll find a number of wineries producing reds and whites with a deliciously distinctive flavour. Farm-to-table restaurants serve up Sicilian dishes made with produce grown on Etna’s slopes – a meal here is a wonderful way to appreciate this unique landscape.

How to see it: Sicily – Jewel of the Mediterranean and Sicilian Escape both offer the chance to step onto the slopes of Mount Etna, either on included or optional excursions (both with winery visits included).

Matterhorn, Switzerland-Italy border

The Matterhorn is another border-straddling mountain: its southern side sits in Italy, while the north, east and west faces of the mountain are Swiss.

Although it’s not Europe’s highest mountain, it’s certainly the most distinctive, with a striking silhouette capped by an almost perfectly pyramidal peak. Carved by glaciers over millions of years, the Matterhorn’s unique shape has led to it being the ‘world’s most photographed mountain’.

The mountain town of Zermatt offers spectacular views of the Matterhorn, but for a quintessentially Swiss experience, take the train. Take the Gornergrat cogwheel train up to Riffelsee Lake for mirror-like reflections (on a still day) or board the Glacier Express, which passes by on its route from St Moritz to Zermatt.

How to see it: Scenic Lake Orta includes a full-day excursion into Switzerland, where you’ll enjoy views of the Matterhorn from the Gornergrat train.

Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Mount Kilimanjaro boasts the titles of both Africa’s tallest peak and the tallest freestanding mountain in the world. It sits on the plains of Tanzania, its snow-dusted slopes surrounded by sun-scorched savannah.

Made up of three main volcanic peaks, Kilimanjaro’s slopes are covered with everything from icy glaciers and alpine desert to lush mountain forest. It’s protected as part of the Kilimanjaro National Park, home to wildlife including elephants, buffalo and antelope.

One of the best places to get a great view of Mount Kilimanjaro is Kenya’s Amboseli National Park, where game drives come with a spectacular mountain backdrop. The area around Arusha, in Tanzania, also offers up superb views of Kilimanjaro.

How to see it: The Best of Kenya and Tanzania offers fantastic wildlife-watching opportunities, as well as plenty of chances to admire Mount Kilimanjaro – from the pool of your Amboseli safari camp, from game drives, and as you travel towards the Rift Valley and Ngorongoro Highlands (the road passes right by the mountain).

Machu Picchu Mountain, Peru

This verdant Peruvian peak is most famous for what sits at its summit: the glorious Inca citadel of Machu Picchu.

The citadel sprawls over the mountain’s ridge at an altitude of almost 8,000 feet. Often shrouded in mist and low-lying cloud, it’s as atmospheric as it is intriguing (the structures act as clocks and observatories, and the ancient stones have been perfectly positioned to ‘dance’ during earthquakes, protecting the structure as a whole).

Directly behind Machu Picchu (‘Old Mountain’ in the Quechua language) is Huayna Picchu, or ‘New Mountain’. This is the peak you’ll often see in photos of Machu Picchu, and is where hardy hikers (and those with a head for heights) attempt to conquer the ‘Stairs of Death’.

How to see it: Footsteps of the Incas and Wild Peru both include full-day excursions to Machu Picchu. On Wild Peru, you can opt to take the train up the mountain or to hike the final section of the famous Inca Trail.

Mount Robson, Canada

Mount Robson is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, standing tall at an elevation of almost 4,000 metres.

Its south side is particularly spectacular – some of the best views can be seen along Highway 16, where you’ll often see cars pulled over to snap a few pictures of the peak.

On the other side of the Fraser River from the highway are railway tracks. The luxurious carriages of the Rocky Mountaineer train trundle along them as they journey between Jasper and Vancouver.

How to see it: Deluxe Alaskan Voyage and Rocky Mountain Railtour both include a journey on the Rocky Mountaineer from Jasper, so you’ll enjoy outstanding views of Mount Robson on your first day of rail travel. Or choose one of our other Canadian Rockies tours, where you’ll be able to glimpse Mount Robson as you drive from Jasper to Kelowna or Sun Peaks.

Aoraki/Mount Cook, New Zealand

New Zealand’s highest mountain sits within a spectacular national park surrounded by the glorious landscapes of the Southern Alps. It’s a special place for the Ngāi Tahu people, who believe the mountain represents their most sacred ancestor.

You can follow walking tracks to pristine lakes and glaciers, or admire the mountain’s snow-blanketed peak from afar – Mount Cook Road, which snakes through the national park, offers some of the best viewpoints.

Aoraki is also within a Dark Sky Reserve, so if you’re lucky enough to be in the area on a clear night, you’ll enjoy spectacular starry skies (be sure to look for the Southern Cross and Alpha Centauri, which aren’t visible to us in the Northern Hemisphere).

How to see it: The Best of New Zealand includes a night in the little town of Twizel, on the edge of the national park, and a full morning in the area around Aoraki (with the option of taking a scenic helicopter over the mountain).

Find out more about our lakes and mountains tours.