Located on the border of Nepal and India, Kangchenjunga is the third highest mountain in the world at an altitude of 8598 metres. For a long time the huge mountain resisted the first ascent; in the years 1905, 1929, 1931, 1932-39 all attempts to conquer the mountain failed, due to environmental conditions such as avalanches and storms.

It was not until May 25th 1955 George Brand and Joe Brown, two British mountaineers, succeeded in climbing the 8598 metres, or almost all of them. As a mark of respect for the faith of the inhabitants of the Indian state of Sikkim, who worship the mountain, they stopped short of the summit.