Tiger’s Nest is Bhutan’s most sacred religious site. Also known as Paro Taktsang, Tiger’s Nest
is a beautiful Monastery hung 900 meters above on a cliff overlooking the spectacular Paro
Valley.
As legend has it, Guru Rinpoche flew to this site on a Tigress’ back to subdue local
demons after which he meditated there for months. Guru Rinpoche is said to be the second
Buddha and the one to introduce Buddhism in Bhutan.
Table of Contents
Getting to Tiger's Nest in Bhutan
Tiger’s Nest is located 10kms north of the beautiful valley of Paro. Hence Paro is the
perfect base for the Trek.
• Distance between Thimphu – Paro – 50km
• Distance between Phuntsholing – Paro – 142kms
There are a number of hotels in Paro available at reasonable price although we would
suggest to look for hotel at the foothills of Tiger’s Nest. The sight of the nest early in
the morning is beyond beautiful.
All you need to know to hike Tiger's Nest in Bhutan
One can hire a horse for a reasonable price at the foothills of the mountain which will cover half
the distance for you. However, we trekked our entire way up.
Do remember that Tiger’s Nest in Bhutan has an entry fee. We did this trek in 2017 and the charge we paid that time was INR 500 per person
Difficulty Index
• The trek to Tiger’s nest is a moderate one mainly because of its altitude and
steep trail at places.
• It is a good 3– 4 hours hike up and 2 – 3 hour down
The Hike
The Trek starts at the bottom of the mountain near the parking lot. The first half
of the trek is a dirt trail through the pine forest. The terrain is rocky, uneven and
mostly uphill. The quick increase in altitude here makes this part of the hike a
little challenging.
Halfway down the trail we reached the cafeteria. Time to catch some breath,
have some tea and take some amazing photos. The trail levels up a bit after this
point making the trek a little easier from here.
After the cafeteria, hiking for another 30-40 mins will bring you to the most
Instagrammable viewpoint of Tiger’s nest in Bhutan. As the Monastery can be seen perching on
a steep cliff right at your eye level
The last leg of the trek is some 800 odd steps down. We cross a
small bridge, a beautiful waterfall and then climb few steps up to finally arrive
at the Iconic Monastery. The steps are steep and slippery during monsoon and
hence this final leg of the trek is a little tricky but worth the while.
Arriving at the Monastery
• 800 steps down and a few steps up, we finally arrived at this Iconic pilgrimage.
• Photography is not allowed inside the monastery and the first thing to do is to
deposit all your belongings at the entrance.
• Away from the bustling world, the sanctity of the temples inside would
mesmerize any human.
• The Atmosphere inside the Monastery and relaxing, calm and serene. There is
something about this Temple which makes Tiger’s nest in Bhutan one of the most visited place in the entire country
Hacks to hike Tiger's Nest in Bhutan
• Tiger’s Nest is around 10,000 ft. above sea level. It is therefore always
advisable to get acclimatized to Bhutan’s altitude first and then attempt the Trek.
The Trek should therefore be one of the last things to do in your Itinerary.
• Layering is the best option – Cause of the altitude, its cold up there however the
trek makes you feel warm. Therefore it’s best to layer up for the trek.
• Carry Water/light snacks if required – Keeping yourself hydrated is important
as the trek is long and takes time. There are water bottles available at various
places on the way, although snacks/food would be available only half way up
the trail in the cafeteria. Carry both depending upon your needs.
Final thoughts
No matter how many pictures of Tiger’s Nest float over the Internet, no matter
how may travel logs you read, Tiger’s nest in Bhutan can only be felt. The beauty and the
sanctity of this place is beyond words.
No Bhutan trip is complete without Tiger’s Nest.
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Happy 5th Anniver
Tanayesh
Such well documented trek…Bhutan n Tiger nest have been there in my wishlist for long… Hope to go one day soon and hike… Till then bookmarking this
Zenia Dabreo
That iconic Bhutanese picture! Love this account of the Tiger’s nest trail. I can imagine the relief once you lay your eyes on this after the ardous trek. We want to visit Bhutan and enjoy all these experiences soonest.
Avantika Chaturvedi
Paro Takstang is honestly one of my favourite places in Bhutan – despite it being so crowded. I did the hike in 2018 and your post took me back in time. It’s a beautiful, beautiful monastery with a great hike to kill time!