Before Everest: This Singaporean Couple Had Already Climbed Their Way Across The Himalayas

When Singaporean couple Ng Li Ying and Mark Ng reached the summit of Mount Everest this year, the achievement quickly made headlines. But while Everest became the climb that captured their resilience and efforts, it was far from the first mountain the pair had taken on together.

Long before standing on the world’s highest peak, the husband-and-wife team had spent years trekking, climbing, and returning to the Himalayas, steadily taking on higher and more demanding mountains. Their path to Everest was built across multiple expeditions, stretching from Japan’s ancient pilgrimage trails to some of Nepal’s best-known climbing peaks.

Their Love For The Outdoors Began Separately

Both Mark and Li Ying discovered the outdoors before they ever met. Mark’s interest in mountaineering began during an expedition to India, where he was introduced to life in the mountains.

Li Ying, meanwhile, developed a love for trekking while studying in China. During her time there, she joined outdoor trips with friends and found herself drawn to hiking and adventure travel. The pair would later meet through Outward Bound Singapore, where they both work as lead training consultants and instructors.

Over time, their shared interest in the outdoors became a central part of their relationship.

A Japanese Pilgrimage Became An Early Adventure Together

One of the couple’s earliest adventures together took place in Japan. They completed the Kumano Kodo, a network of historic pilgrimage routes that winds through mountains, forests, and rural villages. The trek lasted around 10 days and gave the couple an opportunity to experience travelling together in a very different setting from everyday life in Singapore.

Photo Courtesy of @marknliying_adventures, via Instagram

Spending more than a week hiking together was a good way to find out whether a relationship could survive the challenges of life on the trail. The trip would become one of many outdoor adventures they would eventually share.

Taking Their First Steps Into Himalayan Climbing

After getting married in 2020, the couple gradually began spending more time in the mountains. By 2022, they had started taking on climbing expeditions in Nepal. Rather than focusing on a single major objective, they built up experience through a series of mountains that are well-known within the climbing community.

Among them were Mera Peak, Island Peak, and Lobuche Peak. Each stands above 6,000 metres and is commonly climbed by mountaineers seeking experience at high altitude. While these mountains do not attract the same level of attention as Everest, they remain significant achievements in their own right and are often used by climbers to prepare for bigger Himalayan objectives.

Reaching Higher Summits

As their experience grew, so did the scale of the mountains they attempted. The couple later climbed Himlung Himal, a 7,126-metre mountain in Nepal. Standing above the 7,000-metre mark, Himlung Himal represented one of the highest peaks the pair had successfully summited before setting their sights on Everest.

The climb added another major achievement to their growing list of expeditions in the Himalayas. By this stage, the couple had already spent years returning to Nepal and building experience on mountains that many people outside the climbing world may never have heard of.

The Mountain That Became A Turning Point

Among the peaks they climbed before Everest, Ama Dablam stands out. Located in Nepal’s Khumbu region, the mountain is often regarded as one of the most recognisable peaks in the Himalayas because of its striking shape. It is also known among climbers for presenting a greater technical challenge than many trekking peaks.

The couple successfully summited Ama Dablam in 2024. According to reports, it was after this climb that their guides told them they were ready to seriously consider attempting Everest. For Mark and Li Ying, the summit marked another milestone after years of climbing in the region.

Years In The Making

Although Everest became the climb that introduced the couple to a wider audience, it was only one part of a much longer story. Their mountaineering journey included an expedition to India that sparked Mark’s interest in climbing, trekking adventures in China that inspired Li Ying, a pilgrimage trek across Japan, and years of expeditions in Nepal.

By the time they eventually stood on Everest, they had already climbed Mera Peak, Island Peak, Lobuche Peak, Himlung Himal, and Ama Dablam. For many Singaporeans, Everest may have been the first time they heard the names Mark Ng and Ng Li Ying. In reality, the couple had already spent years making their way across the mountains long before the headlines arrived.

Keep up with the power couple’s journey here:

@marknliying_adventures, Instagram