It’s forbidden to climb these 4 mountains – and here’s why

For centuries, mountains have symbolized man’s quest for exploration, survival, and boundary-pushing.The tradition of climbing has many examples of the first ascents, incredible climbs and expeditions, and scaling peaks previously believed unconquerable.However, all the world’s peaks are not regarded as challenges that need conquering.Across Asia, there are mountains that remain off-limits to climbers. This is due to the fact that some mountains are untouchable because of their sacred nature to millions of people. Others have been closed to preserve fragile ecosystems that suffered under the pressures of human activity. In these places, restraint is considered a greater virtue than conquest.This is the list of the world’s four most amazing mountains where one cannot ascend legally.Situated in the remote Ngari district of Tibet, Mt. Kailash rises to a height of 6,638 m and has gained recognition as one of the world's greatest peaks that has never been climbed.Mt. Kailash has nothing unique about its height, but it has made it special through its spiritual significance. The peak is significant in four religions; the Hindu religion holds that it is the dwelling place of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. It has significance among Tibetan Buddhists in that they consider the peak as the seat of supreme joy represented by Demchok. To the followers of Bon, the mountain has significance because it represents the seat of power, and the followers of Jainism believe it as the place where the first tirthankara was liberated.Over the past years, climbers have shown interest in climbing the peak but have not succeeded in climbing the peak due to ban by the Chinese government.While the modern world runs after being number one, there still exist places whose sanctity lies in their being pristine and unreachable.With a height of 7,570 m, Gangkhar Puensum represents the highest unclimbed mountain in the world. Situated on the Tibetan/Bhutanese border, this mountain witnessed attempts at climbing it by numerous expeditions in the eighties. None of them managed to ascend the peak.Due to local spiritual traditions, which view the high peaks as residences of protective gods, Bhutan forbade all mountain climbing over 6,000 m in 1994. All mountaineering was completely forbidden in the country in 2003. Therefore, this mountain is still untouched. Its snow-clad summit, towering over the valleys of Bhutan, symbolises a particular approach which respects culture more than sports.The magnificent double summits of Machapuchare stand out in the Nepalese panorama near Pokhara. Called the "Fishtail Mountain" due to its unusual form, it rises to a height of 6,993 m.Machapuchare is considered sacred to Lord Shiva by local communities.A climbing team led by Wilfrid Noyce of Britain was granted permission in 1957 to climb Mount Machapuchare. The climbers were believed to have stopped just short of the summit while honouring the local agreement not to tread on the peak as a mark of respect. Nepal has never allowed climbers on Machapuchare since then.The exact point at which the expedition stopped climbing up the mountain has been the topic of discussion among mountaineering historians. However, one fact stands clear in that nobody has ever climbed and reached the summit of Machapuchare, whose profile always stands out in elegance.Standing at 7,816m high, Nanda Devi is the second highest mountain in India after Kanchenjunga, situated completely within its national territory. Nanda Devi had been one of the most desired summits in the Himalayan range during much of the twentieth century, and climbers would go past the beautiful sanctuary surrounding it, surrounded by other high peaks and cut off from the world by deep ravines.However, there were concerns regarding ecological damage caused by trekkers and mountaineers, as well as the impact of grazing animals. Alpine ecosystem and snow leopard, Himalayan musk deer, and bharal deer inhabit the sanctuary.The Inner Sanctuary was shut down for trekking and mountaineering purposes in 1982 to restore the landscape. Later, the territory was included into the Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site).The mountain has symbolic importance within the culture of Uttarakhand. Nanda Devi is a goddess worshipped by Hindu believers, and the Nanda Devi Raj Jat, a pilgrimage event held once every 12 years, is one of the most important religious celebrations of the region.At present, mountaineering on Nanda Devi's highest peak is forbidden. The reasons for banning mountaineering on the mountain are very similar to those which prevented people from climbing Kailash and Machapuchare mountains; however, they are primarily related to conservation issues.