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Published: April 6th 2014
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Day 8/9
An early start for us, we needed to be away for 8am so we headed to breakfast as we needed to eat something reasonable to give us the strength for the hike ahead. We both opted for porridge, and whilst a little watery, was ok.
We set off along the same road we had travelled the previous day that took us towards the head of Paro valley, and turned off. In the distance, up the side of the mountainous cliff we could see the monastery perched there just waiting to be reached. As we approached the car par, there were a number of other tour buses already parked up, as well as locals with walking sticks that you could rent, not to mention the horses that you could hire if you thought the hike would be too strenuous.
Our guide got 2 sticks out of the boot of the bus for us to use, and we set off though the pine forest to start the hike. For anyone that is unaware of the statistics, the Tigers Nest sits 900 metres up a rock face, close to 10,000 feet above sea level.
The legend is that
Guru Rinpoche flew to the site of the monastery on the back of a tigress to subdue the local demon. He then meditated in a cave there for three months. A suspicious fire in 1998 destroyed the main structure and it's contents, but at a cost of 130mill Ng (52= $1), it was rebuilt and reconsecrated by the King.
We walked past 3 water powered prayer wheels, and then the climb really started. Part way along the trail, a sign "walk to gurus glory" greets you! The climb continues up and up, and Kathryn had to take frequent water and rest breaks. Our guide assured us that we were making good progress, and as we went round a number of the corners, we could see the prize in front of us. At the half way point, we stopped for tea at the little cafeteria which enjoys great views of the Tigers Nest, and we were joined by a number of birds feeding nearby. Our driver informed us we had done the first half in 53 minutes, which was an excellent time.
Feeling refreshed, we set off again, and it was straight back into the steep climb up. We
passed the birthplace of Je Khenpo, little more than a cave with a wooden front to it. After a few more minutes, we came to a viewing point. We were right in line with the monastery, but it was still a long way round the mountainside, but a good opportunity to get our photo taken with the Tigers Nest in the background.
We continued along the path until we reached a set of steps and railings leading down. Our guide told us that these were a recent addition to the route, as previously there had just been a very narrow path with a sheer drop at one side. We could see that we were wending our way round the mountainside and at some point we would reach the bottom of the steps where we would start to go back up towards the Nest.
Finally, we could see the Nest right in front of us, and we climbed the last few steps to reach it. At the entrance, we had to leave our cameras, bags and phones, and were even frisked upon entry. This was also quite a strict place for entry in that Kathryn was asked to cover
her arms, although she was wearing a shorted sleeved tshirt, and it was a full trouser leg affair.
Once inside, there were the paintings showing the Four protectors of the cardinal directions, and the guide pulled up a trapdoor and showed us the meditation cave where Guru Rinpoche had spent his 3 months. It is opened once a year in a ceremony performed by members of the monk body. There were also some quite stunning pictures of the 8 manifestations of Guru Rinpoche, including the most colourful one Dorji Drolo showing him riding on the back of a tiger.
Within the Monastery there used to be a "speaking" shrine, which was lost in the fire. It is now replaced by a statue of Peme Jungme ( one of the 8 manifestations). One of the temples is said to show a rock image of a goddess' golden crown. It was a bit of a squint to see it to be honest, but in the spirit of not offending anyone, you go along with it. I suppose the last thing to see was the Tigers Nest, which essentially was a crevice in the rock. One of the photos we saw
inside one of the smaller temples, that was taken in black and white, looked like the eyes and nostrils of Dorji Drolo carved into the mountainside - this we could see!
We headed back to the entrance, feet black and cold, having had to remove our shoes at every temple entrance, to retrieve our bags and begin the return journey. It was only then we realised how stiff we might be in the morning. The journey back follows exactly the same path, and when we got to one of the turns in the steps, we asked would it be ok to tie a Preston North End flag amongst the prayer flags for good luck. The guide said it would be fine, so we tied it on and had our photo taken with it.
Once back at the cafeteria, this was our lunch stop, and there were a lot of weary looking people coming in for lunch. Again it was buffet style, but unfortunately it was cold! After a well deserved cup of tea, we set back off again. Only at this,point did you appreciate how steep the up part was, when you were negotiating the way down, stick
in hand. Eventually we reached the bottom, every step being a little painful at this point, and gratefully got in the bus to return to the hotel.
We must confess that we had a little snooze before dinner on our return, and a well deserved shower, before bracing ourselves for dinner - sizzling pork this time!
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Jigme Tsering
non-member comment
Must do when in Bhutan
The effort of visiting the Tigers Nest (Taktsang) is totally worth it! The spirituality of the place, the opportunity to witness such a precarious architectural endeavor, and the views of Paro along the way were all worth it! This is a definite MUST DO if you’re in Bhutan. ( jig_tt@hotmail.com )