Khangsar Khang West, also known as Herzog Peak, is a remarkable mountain peak nestled within the Annapurna range of the Himalayas in Nepal. This peak was named in honor of the famous French explorer and mountaineer Maurice Herzog, who, together with Louis Lachenal, became the first climbers in modern history to successfully scale a peak higher than 8000 meters. This extraordinary accomplishment took place on June 3, 1950, when they reached the summit of Annapurna I. Herzog's account of their adventure was released in 1951 in French and subsequently translated into English in 1952 with the title "Annapurna".
Elevated at 7555 meters (or 24,786 feet), Khangsar Khang West sits at geographical coordinates of 28° 36'33" latitude and 83° 51'37" longitude. Positioned at a junction of ridges, this peak presents an awe-inspiring panorama during the climb towards Tilicho lake. From Khangsar Khang West, an imposing side ridge diverges from the main Annapurna ridge and extends towards Tilicho peak as well as the peaks of the Nilgiri massif.
Situated within Gandaki Pradesh province, the peak straddles both Myagdi and Kaski districts in the Annapurna Rural Municipality. The base camp closest to the caravan route can be found in Ghandruk which is also the nearest inhabited location.
Those who venture to Khangsar Khang West typically start their journey by driving from Kathmandu to Lumle. From there, the caravan route continues from Pokhara to Chumrung before passing through MBC (Machapuchare Base Camp) and finally arriving at Khangsar Khang West's base camp. The whole expedition takes roughly 45 days.
Khangsar Khang West is available for climbers, with separate royalty fees for Nepalese and foreign climbers. Nepalese climbing fees consist of NPR 8000 during spring, NPR 4000 in autumn, and NPR 2000 for winter/summer seasons. Contrastingly, foreign climbers are charged USD 600 in spring, USD 300 in autumn, and USD 150 during winter/summer seasons.