Pokhara – A Romantic Gateway

– By Roshan Joshi

Me and my wife Swechha had been planning holidays since 6 month, but as always due to time constraint we were not able to leave Kathmandu for short holiday. Finally on 16th August, we decided to visit Pokhara for a short romantic break. Pokhara is a beautiful valley with dozens of lake located in and around. It’s famous around the world as adventure paradise of Nepal. This was my second trip to Pokhara in a month, however this was special as I was travelling with my lovely wife to spend quality time in the peaceful tranquillity.

Kathmandu to Pokhara

We left home early to catch our 20 minutes flight scheduled for 11:30 am to Pokhara from Tribhuvan International Airport. We were really excited since we were going on a holiday after long time. 

A Romantic Gateway Pokhara


The journey

We reached Pokhara at 12:00 PM, took taxi from the airport to Athithi Hotel and Spa, we were greeted with welcome drinks and garland. We planned this monsoon trip to Pokhara to see the different shades of monsoon blooms. The monsoon brings out the different colours of nature, that’s why it is special to travel in Nepal during the monsoon. After checking in, we were so hungry that we rushed to a fine restaurant with a nice garden in the lakeside strip.

Exploring Lakeside Pokhara 

After lunch we had some Froyo as desert at a newly opened dessert place. We explored the clean touristic streets of Lakeside Pokhara. Pokhara gives a good feeling of tropical climate with frequent rainfall, which makes it cleaner than other popular touristic city of Nepal. During monsoon it often rains early morning, daytime will be humid with late afternoon rainfall.

Lakeside Exploring


The night walk

We had dinner booked at the hotel, so after dinner we went for bar hopping and romantic walk around the beautiful Fewa Lake. During this time, the lake is very calm with cool breeze falling on our faces. Night walk around lake can be perfect couple activity to enjoy the peaceful side of Fewe Lake We went to few of the newly opened lounges in the lakeside. There are always new restaurants or clubs opening in this area, due to high tourist movement.


The other day

Too much partying the previous night led to mild hangover. But it was cured after our protein packed breakfast at Athithi Resorts and Spa. The sky was not clear, with bit haze so we could not see the majestic Fishtail Mountain (Machapuchhre Himal) and Annapurna range. Yet, it was a sunny, so after breakfast, we went to the dam side to rent boat for an hour. Boating can done in different parts of the lake. However, we chose this side for boating, as it is less crowded plus we wanted to see the other side of the lake. We really enjoyed our boat ride. This boat ride is highly recommended for couples to experience serene Pokhara, especially during October/November. The best view of Fewa lake with Himalayan range at the backdrop can be seen from this side of the lake.

Few Lake Pokhara

After the amazing boat ride, we hired a scooter to explore around Pokhara. We went to International Mountain museum located 3 km from lakeside. The mountain museum is devoted to the mountains of Nepal, the mountaineers who climbed them and the people who call them home. Inside, you can see original gear from many of the first Himalayan ascents, as well as displays on the history, culture, geology, and flora and fauna of the Himalayas. We were amazed to see the rich mountain history, the local lifestyle and clothes of mountain peoples from different regions of Nepal. Nepal is a very small country, yet you can see a huge diversity in the people and lifestyle. I was surprise to see that the IMM was wheelchair friendly. Once you are inspired by the climbers and mountainous people of Nepal, head outside to a 21m climbing wall that replicates Mount Manaslu. You can also visit the Living Museum that shows the real setting of culture of indigenous people of different tribes and clans of Nepal, their homes and culture in real models. Visit to museum was a real immersive experiences for us as a couple, as both of us are real mountain enthusiasts. Highly recommended activity to do around Pokhara.

As we had booked the scooter for whole day, we went for a scenic ride to Pame. Pame a small town located at the north side of the Fewa lake. It is popular relaxing destination in Pokhara. The local fish is an attraction for most of the visitors. There are nice eateries and chill out places in Pame to spend sunny days with the lake view. You can even hike to the Sarankot hill from Pame. 

Cycling in Pokhara Pokhara Mountain Museum Pokhara lake boating

After Pame visit, we had the best Italian lunch at the fine restaurant called MET5, that serves, Mediterranean cuisine. We had our hotel booked at Sarangkot for the night. Sarangkot is a popular hill station located near Fewa lake, which is famous for its panoramic view of Himalayan peaks, from Dhaulagiri (8167m) in the west to Machhapuchhare(6997m), Annapurna II (7937m) to Lamjung Himal (6983m) in the east. We took our ride through the twisted hilly road of Sarangkot to reach Himalayan Front Hotel by KGH group. The hotel is ideally located away from the lakeside towards Sarankot which gives perfect view of the Himalayas. All the rooms are Himalayan facing and hence the name, Himalayan Front. Immediately after checking in, we jumped In the Infinity Pool. The water was refreshing and even though it was a bit cloudy, we enjoyed our swim. The pool itself is small but has magnificent view of the mountain and the village, possibly the best view around Pokhara. In the evening, the pool is warmly lit at night and gives perfect romantic ambience with amazing sunset across the Himalayas.

Trek to Panchase Pokhara

Surprise Date night at Sarankot

I had planned a romantic dinner at the rooftop lounge. We were served with varieties of food with a good night view of Pokhara. We taste few wines for the hotels collection. My wife loved it.

Breakfast with the view. The way back.
We woke up late as the room at the hotel are very comfortable without any disturbance. It was end of the holiday so we were quiet sad, but the memories we created during this trip kept us fulfilled. We had a wonderful breakfast at the side of the pool along with the mesmerizing view. After relaxing for some time, we checked out at 12 pm and headed straight to airport to catch flight back to Kathmandu.

Pokhara Hotel

Every once in while you need to treat each other a romantic opportunity to loosen yourself outside the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu city. We created lots of memories that we will cherish for the rest of our life.


Activities recommended for Couples in and around Pokhara

 

  • Fine dine around Fewa lake
  • Spa and Massage
  • Lunch at the lakeside 
  • Cycling around the lake
  • Boating in Fewa Lake
  • Sunrise at Sarangkot
  • Sunset from Peace Stupa
  • Visit Begnas lake, another gem of Pokhara

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