The British Indian Survey did not at first assign Cho Oyu a peak number. Thogh it was eventually assigned T45 (later changed MI) it must have originally seemed a minor peak among the giants that spread across the Nepalese horizon from Makalu to Dhaulagiri.

Mt.Cho-Oyu is known to be one of the easiest to climb of the world's fourteen 8,000 meter mountain. Cho Oyu sits on both sides of the border of Nepal and Tibet, about 30 km. west of Mount Everest. It is the sixth highest mountain in the world (8201 meters). Cho Oyu is translated in Tibetan as "the goddess of the turquoise." The south face of Cho Oyu, facing Nepal, is quite steep and difficult, and is rarely climbed. The north side of the mountain, accessed from Tibet, is more moderate, and there is a relatively safe route to the summit. In the autumn of 1954, an Austrian team made the first ascent via this route..

Most of the Cho Oyu expedition teams climb the peak via Tibet side due the easy technique through the Tibet. Nepal Myths and Mountain Trails is also conducting the expedition via this same Tibet side. A number of Himalayan peaks from 6000m. & more lie in Tibet sides which are open for foreign climbers. Our Company is fully organized to make available any logistical support of any kind of expeditions. You'll hone your ability to climb and stay healthy at extreme altitude and also learn the techniques of climbing with an oxygen system. We also include a great trek option for those wanting to experience the beauty and challenge of the Himalaya without requiring any technical climbing skills.

The name is now invariably to mean 'Goddess of Turquise', the peak glowing turquoise when seen from Tibet in the light of an afternoon sun. As goddess is chomo in Tibetan, and turquoise is yu, the construction of chomo yu to Cho Oyu seems conclusive.

A lama at Namche Bazar told Herbert Tichy that the name meant 'Mighty Head' and Heinrich Harrer claimed that the real name was Cho-I-u meaning 'god's head'. Harrer's suggestion is interesting because many early books have the peak's name as Cho Uyo, which would be a good phonetic approximation of the three Tibetan syllables. Harrer's name is also close to the alternative Tibetan translation of the name as ' bald god'. In Tibetan legend Cho Oyo, the bald god, had his back turned to Chomolungma, the mother goddess, because she refused to marry him.