Romantic Trips in the Khumbu Mountains
A romantic trip, in mountain terms
The Khumbu is a place for couples who want to earn their views together. It is a hard trek at altitude, not a resort. There are no roads, no spas and no water activities, and the romance lies in a shared goal, a sunrise and a warm lodge at the end of a long day. If you want a pool and a massage, this is the wrong region. If you want the highest scenery on earth and a partner to share it with, it is hard to beat.
Sunrise as a shared goal
- Kala Patthar (about 5,644 m) is the classic dawn climb, with a view of Everest, Nuptse and Lhotse. It follows a non-technical path, but it is very high, and you will both feel it.
- Gokyo Ri (about 5,357 m) overlooks the Ngozumpa Glacier and the Gokyo lakes, with Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu all in sight. It sits on a separate route that commonly takes 11 to 13 days.
Both need an early start in the cold. Agree in advance that either of you can call a halt.
Comfort stays
Two places are known as the comfortable options in the region. Hotel Everest View at Syangboche (about 3,880 m) is described as the highest luxury hotel in the world and has a terrace facing Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam. Yeti Mountain Home is a lodge in Namche Bazaar that appears in operator itineraries. Check that each is open and has rooms for your dates before building a trip around it. You can search for stays on Booking.com .
Moments that cost nothing
Walk the terraced lanes of Namche on a Saturday morning, when the weekly market is on. Visit Tengboche Monastery with Ama Dablam behind it, and sit in on prayers if the timing works, since prayer times vary by season.
What not to plan
The Gokyo Lakes are a sacred, protected wetland. Pilgrims bathe there at Janai Purnima, and at about 4,700 m the water is near freezing, so there is no swimming, boating or kayaking to build a romantic plan around. Rafting belongs to other parts of Nepal, not the Khumbu.
Altitude rules for two
Altitude illness can hit either partner, whatever your fitness. Spend rest days at Namche and Dingboche, and keep the gain in sleeping height above 3,000 m to about 300 to 500 m per day. If one of you gets a worsening headache, vomiting or confusion, both of you go down. Trekking with a licensed guide is the safest way to do that. Do not trek as a couple without one.
Getting there
A small plane covers Kathmandu to Lukla in about 30 to 40 minutes, weather permitting. In spring and autumn many flights depart from Manthali, with a road transfer of roughly 4 to 5 hours, so allow 2 or 3 spare days for delays. Take insurance that covers trekking at height and helicopter rescue. Plan on about NPR 3,000 for the municipal permit and roughly NPR 3,000 to 3,400 for park entry. Current travel advice is on the UK government site .
Read more: Couple activities and Sightseeing .