Every spring, climbers trudge to the summit of Mount Everest along two different routes.
On the peak’s southern flank, several hundred ascend the popular Southeast Ridge route, which takes in many of the landmarks that have become synonymous with the peak: the Khumbu Icefall, Western Cwm, South Col, and Hillary Step.
But on the mountain’s northern side, far fewer venture up the route that originates in Chinese-controlled Tibet. In 2025, estimates placed the number of successful summits from Tibet at approximately 65, compared to the 750 or so from Nepal.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of climbing Mount Everest from the north? Is the Tibetan route safer than the one from Nepal? In his latest video dispatch, our Mount Everest reporter Ben Ayers compares the northern route up the world’s peak to the southern one.
