Tiger's Nest

Looking up inspiring location of Taktshang Goemba, the famous Tiger's Nest Monastery 900m up the mountain on a cliff	The road leading from the Paro Valley to the start of the Tiger's Nest Trail	Stupa at the base of the Tiger's Nest, elevation 2600m	We cross the paths of the Polish bikers again
Some people hire horses for at least part of the trek	Tandin points out a sign showing the way to Taktshang Goemba, the Tiger's Nest	The hike to the Tiger's Nest should take just under 2 hours	Forest along the trail to the Tiger's Nest
A small temple with a spring along the Tiger's Nest trail	Hiking through the forest of Bhutan	Walk to Guru's Glory! Take Back Memories of a Kingdom for here in this Kingdom rules an unparalleled benevolent King	Our destination, Taktshang Goemba - the Tiger's Nest
An opening in the forest gives us a clear view of the cliffside Tiger's Nest	A group of Buddhist monks on the Tiger's Nest trail	The forest-clad mountain of the Tiger's Nest	A young woman climbs with a baby strapped to her back
The trail starts to steepen	The Footprints of the Buddha	Dennis and a Bhutanese pilgrim	A boy leads a horse down the Tiger's Nest trail
View of Taktshang Goemba - we've gained quite a bit of altitude	Taktshang Goemba - the Tiger's Nest, one of Bhutan's most famous sights	The Tiger's Nest - a monastery built in 1692 on a cliff 900m above the valley floor	Climbing to the Tiger's Nest - a good day's work
Dennis with an American tourist	A large prayer wheel on the Tiger's Nest trail	Small prayer wheels at a wide spot in the Tiger's Nest trail	Souvenir sellers lay out their wares along the Tiger's Nest Trail
Getting closer to our goal - Taktshang Goemba	Prayer Flags, Tiger's Nest Trail	Tea House with a small restaurant at 2940m, Tiger's Nest Trail	Prayer wheels, Tiger's Nest Trail, Bhutan
Dennis on the Tiger's Nest Trail	Looking across the gorge to Taktshang Goemba - the Tiger's Nest	The monastery was destroyed by fire in 1951 and again in 1998	Reconstruction of Taktshang Goemba took 5 years, 2000-2005
There are some other monastic buildings on the mountain to the left	Yellow prayer flags with the Kalachakra Tantra	The driver, Jimi, joined us for the climb to the Tiger's Nest	Making way for a group of horses coming down the mountain
We've almost reached the level of the Tiger's Nest	A little sweaty?	The trail passes through a grove of moss-covered trees	Moss covered trees along the path to the Tiger's Nest
A small temple near the end of the Tiger's Nest trail	Climbing the ladder for a look in side	Gateway to the Tiger's Nest lookout	The most famous view in Bhutan - looking across the gorge to Taktshang Goemba, the Tiger's Nest
From this, the highest point on the trail, you are actually above the level of the Tiger's Nest	Tiger's Nest from across the gorge	The Tiger's Nest built precariously on a narrow ledge	An odd rock at the Tiger's Nest lookout
Putting on the gho, the traditional robe of Bhutan	Taktshang Goemba - the Tiger's Nest, Bhutan	Adjusting the sleeves of my gho	Now Dennis looks the part of a Bhutanese pilgrim
From the trail summit lookout, the path continues along the cliff circling the edge of the gorge	Taktshang Goemba, Bhutan	A bridge along the upper trail to the Tiger's Nest	Taktshang Goemba - the Tiger's Nest
Dennis wearing his Bhutanese gho poses with the Tiger's Nest as a background	Dennis in gho at the Tiger's Nest	Dennis at the Tiger's Nest, Bhutan	Me wearing a Bhutanese gho at the Tiger's Nest
Me at the Tiger Nest	We carried the ghos up to the top...didn't want them all sweaty	Me at the Tiger's Nest, Bhutan	Looking across the gorge to the Tiger's Nest
Closer view of the Tiger's Nest - Taktshang Goemba	Our Bhutanese hosts - the driver, Jimi, and the guide, Tandin Dorji	Three Bhutanese at the Tiger's Nest - ok, just 2, but he looks the part	A small shrine at the Tiger's Nest lookout
Ready for the last bit - we need to climb down the narrow path then back up the other side of the gorge to reach our goal	Panoramic view of the Tiger's Nest waterfall and Snow Leopard Cave	Taktshang Goemba - the Tiger's Nest	It's totally worth the effort to reach the Tiger's Nest
Panorama of the Tiger's Nest	Singye Phu Lhakhang - the Snow Lion Cave Temple	The last part of the climb	Tall panorama of the Tiger's Nest and its cliff
Tall panorama of the final ascent to the Tiger's Nest	Crossing the final bridge beneath the Snow Lion Cave temple	The last bridge leading to the Tiger's Nest	Waterfall in the gorge at the Tiger's Nest
Dennis at waterfall at the Tiger's Nest	Waterfall and prayer flags in the gorge	Dennis with prayer flags at the waterfall, Tiger's Nest	Steep stairs leading to the Snow Lion Cave
The final ascent to the Tiger's Nest	Waterfall at the Tiger's Nest	The waterfall at the top of the gorge	Panoramic view of the Tiger's Nest waterfall and gorge
Looking back across the gorge to the viewpoints with the best views of the Tiger's Nest	Dennis and the waterfall, Tiger's Nest	Our pilgrimage to the Tiger's Nest nearly complete	My footwear doesn't quite meet Bhutanese standards...
Waterfall and Snow Lion Cave	Singye Phu Lhakhang - Snow Lion Cave	No photos allowed at the actual monastery, unfortunately	Returning across the bridge after visiting the Tiger's Nest
Prayer flags and waterfall	The bridge at the Tiger's Nest	I'm surprised they didn't even allow us to take photos from the outside at the monastery itself	Taktshang Goemba - the Tiger's Nest
Dennis with the Tiger's Nest	Dennis with the Tiger's Nest	Taktshang Goemba - the Tiger's Nest	A young monk at the Tiger's Nest
A young Bhutanese monk with Taktshang Goemba, the Tiger's Nest	From here, if you have time, you can climb higher up to the temple Machig-phu Lhakhang and a couple of other temples at the top	The return hike through the forest	Moss covered trees, Bhutan
Clouds building over the Tiger's Nest	The Tiger's Nest	Flowers with the Tea House (Taktshang Cafeteria)	Time for a well-deserved break, lunch at the Taktshang Tea House
View of the Tiger's Nest from the Tea House	Taktshang Goemba - the Tiger's Nest	From here, you can see a see a building on the far right beyond the area we were able to visit	The mountain of the Tiger's Nest, Bhutan
Tea House Flowers and the Tiger's Nest	Forest covered mountains around the Tiger's Nest	Prayer flags, Bhutan	Dark clouds above as the sun still shines on the large prayer wheel pavilion
Hiking down from the Tiger's Nest - easier than the ascent	Tiger's Nest Trail	Series of small temples with a mountain spring	Spring water emerging from a penis-shaped spout
Dennis at the spring	Forest Path	The burned out remains of Drukgyel Dzong, destroyed in the 1950's	Drukgyel Dzong, 11km northwest of Paro, was built in 1649
Ruins of Drukgyel Dzong, a bit beyond the Tiger's Nest	Eastern Textile and Handicraft, Drukgyel Dzong	Eastern Textile and Handicraft with a pair of penises	Village of Drukgyel Dzong
Dupchu General Shop and Bar