By virtue of the massif's almost total isolation from any other mountain group, precise definition of its boundaries is quite unnecessary. Until 1849 Kanchenjunga was thought to be the world's highest mountain, but today's accepted height of 8,586m ranks it third, after Everest and K2. For a hiking enthusiast setting foot in the eastern Himalaya for the first time, it is but natural to choose the "Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek."