Sight to see
TIGER ’ S NEST , BHUTAN
Discover history and tranquillity in the Buddhist highlands , says Adam Turner
C linging to a cliffside , 3,120 metres above sea level , is the Tiger ’ s Nest , or Paro Taktsang . Legend has it that Buddhist master Guru Padmasambhava first came to the now-sacred site above the Paro Valley in the eighth century , arriving from Tibet on a flying tigress to subdue a local demon before spreading tantric Buddhism across Bhutan . For those not blessed with a flying tigress , fear not — a well-kept trail leads visitors to the ornate gold- , white- and red-coloured temple . Though originally built in the late 17th century , a fire sadly destroyed much of the Tiger ' s Nest in 1998 . It was meticulously rebuilt in the early 2000s .
A round trip takes four to six hours , depending on your fitness level . Starting at an unassuming parking lot — crowded with pack horses and vendors selling souvenirs and walking sticks — it only takes a few hundred metres to get the first glimpse of the Tiger ’ s Nest , which hugs onto the mountain above the clouds like an infant monkey to its mother . Next , the challenging trail squeezes through pine trees and dense rhododendron bushes . Winding up crumbling paths and staircases , it passes through trees swathed in rippling , colourful prayer flags . Occasionally , scarlet-robed monks with peaceful expressions overtake out-of-breath tourists . A path snakes down and around the mountain , passing a thundering waterfall before ascending the final steps to reach Tiger ’ s Nest . But the best scenery is inside : stunning bronze deities , billows of incense and meditating monks .
Did you know ? The Tiger ’ s Nest is one of 13 tiger-inhabited caves where Guru Padmasambhava is said to have meditated .
ESSENTIALS
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It costs 2,000 Ngultrum or around $ 25 to enter the Tiger ’ s Nest , and guests must be accompanied by a guide . Visitors must remove shoes and leave personal belongings in a locker . Photography is prohibited inside the temple . image : alamy
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