For couples · Pokhara · Nepal
Romantic things to do in Pokhara
Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Pokhara's romance comes from its mountain-and-lake setting: sunrise over the Annapurnas, a slow boat on Phewa Lake and candlelit dinners on Lakeside terraces. Couples tend to stay in Damside.
Key facts
- Romantic ideas
- 5
- Couple-friendly sights
- 3
- Area for couples
- Damside
- Best months
- March–April and October–December
Romantic ideas
1.Sunrise at Sarangkot
Stay overnight in Sarangkot and watch the peaks light up from your lodge terrace.
2.Rowing on Phewa
Rent a boat in the late afternoon and drift as the hills and Machhapuchhre reflect in the water.
3.Tandem paragliding
Take side-by-side flights from Sarangkot and land together on the lakeshore.
4.Begnas Lake retreat
Spend a night at a lodge above Begnas Lake for rural quiet and views.
5.Lakeside dinner
Choose a lakeside terrace restaurant for dinner as lights twinkle across the water.
Sights couples love
Nature · Lakeside
Phewa Lake
Go out early in the morning when the water is calm and the mountains are most likely to be clear; wear the life jacket provided.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Views
- Couples
- Kids
- Photo spot
Viewpoint · Sarangkot
Sarangkot sunrise
Leave Lakeside by taxi about an hour before sunrise, or walk up the day before and stay overnight; October to December gives the clearest views.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Views
- Photo spot
- Couples
Nature · Begnas Lake
Begnas Lake
Combine a boat trip with the ridge walk between Begnas and Rupa lakes for views of both and of the mountains.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Off the beaten path
Where couples should stay
$ · Best for quiet stays, budget and couples
Damside
Damside (Pardi), at the south-eastern end of Phewa Lake by the dam, was Pokhara's original travellers' area before Lakeside grew. It is quieter, with long-established hotels, Tibetan restaurants and clear views of Machhapuchhre, and it is close to Davis Falls, Gupteshwor Cave and the path up to the World Peace Pagoda.
- Good
- Peaceful; Close to the southern sights; Good mountain views
- Watch out
- Fewer cafés and bars; Twenty minutes' walk to central Lakeside
- Nearby
- Davis Falls, Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave, World Peace Pagoda
Romantic day trips
- Australian Camp and Dhampus (About 1 hour by car, plus 1 hour's walk) — A short walk from the road at Kande climbs through forest to Australian Camp, a grassy ridge with close views of Machhapuchhre and the Annapurnas.
- Ghandruk (About 2–3 hours by jeep) — A large Gurung village of stone houses and slate roofs on a hillside facing Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre, with a small Gurung museum.
- Bandipur (About 2.5–3 hours by car) — A preserved Newar hill town on an old trading route, with a car-free main street of 18th- and 19th-century brick houses, temples and views of the Himalaya from the Tundikhel ridge.
For dinner
Share local specialities such as Dal bhat, Thakali khana set and Thukpa. Use refill stations for water rather than buying plastic bottles; many cafés offer them.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Pokhara romantic?
Pokhara's romance comes from its mountain-and-lake setting: sunrise over the Annapurnas, a slow boat on Phewa Lake and candlelit dinners on Lakeside terraces.
+What is the most romantic thing to do in Pokhara?
Sunrise at Sarangkot: Stay overnight in Sarangkot and watch the peaks light up from your lodge terrace.
+Where should couples stay in Pokhara?
Damside: Older, quieter tourist area by the Phewa dam with views of Machhapuchhre.