8,611 m (28,251 ft)
K2 has a summit elevation of 8,611 m (28,251 ft) above sea level.
How tall is K2?
K2 has a summit elevation of 8,611 m (28,251 ft) above sea level.
That is about 5.4 miles, or 10.4 times the Burj Khalifa (828 m).
Side by side with Mount Everest, Denali and Mauna Kea
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What K2’s elevation measures
K2 reaches 8,611 metres above sea level in the Gilgit-Baltistan Tourism Department listing. It is the second-highest summit above sea level, after Everest.
Next above K2 on this site: Mount Everest, at 8,849 m (29,032 ft), 238 m (780 ft) higher. Next below: Kangchenjunga, at 8,586 m (28,169 ft), 25 m (82 ft) lower.
- Aconcagua: 6,967.16 m (22,858 ft). K2 is higher than Aconcagua by 1,644 m (5,393 ft).
A summit elevation is measured from sea level, not from the mountain’s own base or a trailhead. How height and elevation differ.
How the height was measured
| Year | Survey | Height |
|---|---|---|
| Maps and reference works | The figure in general use | 8,611 m (28,251 ft) |
| 2014 | Pakistani-Italian “K2 60 Years Later” expedition, satellite navigation | 8,609.02 m (28,245 ft) |
A 1986 expedition led by George Wallerstein measured K2 as taller than Everest. The measurement was wrong and was corrected in 1987, after the claim had reached news reports.
Source: Wikipedia, K2: Height
Published height
Compared with K2
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Cite this page
| APA | Heightvs. (2026, October 17). How tall is K2? 8,611 m (28,251 ft) above sea level. https://heightvs.com/how-high/k2 |
|---|---|
| MLA | “How Tall Is K2? 8,611 m (28,251 ft) Above Sea Level.” Heightvs, 17 Oct. 2026, heightvs.com/how-high/k2. |
| Chicago | “How Tall Is K2? 8,611 m (28,251 ft) Above Sea Level.” Heightvs. Last modified October 17, 2026. https://heightvs.com/how-high/k2. |
| Link | <a href="https://heightvs.com/how-high/k2">How tall is K2? 8,611 m (28,251 ft) above sea level (Heightvs)</a> |
For the height itself, cite the original publisher as well: Gilgit-Baltistan Tourism Department.
