Bhutan: The Tiger’s Nest

The Taktshang Monastery is perched on a cliff at 10,500 feet above sea level.  Legend has it that a Buddhist guru flew there in the 8th century on the back of a tigress and meditated for a very long time in the caves on these grounds.  The monastery is a beautiful structure that appears to hang on the cliff.  We’re not quite sure how it was built given it’s remote location on this rugged mountain.

The Tiger’s Nest, as it is called, became the most fascinating hike we have ever done.  The hike, while challenging, wasn’t excessively difficult.  Yet, the beauty and spirituality of the day was something we’ll never forget.

Our group started off with a 7 am departure from the hotel.  Forty-five minutes later we arrived at the base of the mountain, about 2000 feet below the Tiger’s Nest.  Take a look:

As you can see the hike looks pretty daunting.  But, we set off on the trail determined to get all 14 of our group to the top. The lower part of the hike meandered through beautiful forest land.  
  
   
 These multi-colored prayer flags placed by people wishing for blessings for loved ones in need.

As we hiked higher, we began to get a better view of the monastery.  We also had great views of the valley floor below.

   
   This is a teahouse built on the mountainside about halfway up.

As we got closer, the trail gave way to stairs  — about 800 of them — that replaced a single-track trail that led up and down the cliffside.  We couldn’t resist taking a few photos of each other with the Tiger’s Nest on the background.

   

We finally arrived at the monastery.  Our guide Nima, a devout Buddhist, led us through the structure with explanations of the religious importance of different parts of the building.  We spent time meditating in one of its most sacred rooms.  It was a moving experience. We were unable to take photos inside the building.  But, here is a picture from just outside.  We also hiked by a waterfall with a prayer wheel that was driven by the falling water.  It is said that for each rotation of the wheel the prayer written on the wheel is delivered.

   
 The prayer wheel is on the little white structure at the bottom of the photo. The building up above it is a meditation center for the monks.

After our visit we trekked our way back down the mountain and enjoyed a cold beer, a great lunch, and entertainment by traditional Bhutanese dancers.   All of us made the entire trip and truly enjoyed relaxing at the base.  Brad even trained the feral dogs how to sit for a treat or two!  We have so much more to tell you about Bhutan.  But, we thought we’d bring you this short photo essay of our hike today.  Stay tuned for our overall thoughts on the country soon.  We are loving our visit!