We leave arguably the best until the last full day of your tour. A challenging walk up to the spectacularly situated Takstang, or the Tiger’s Nest, an iconic monastery perched on a cliff 900 metres above the Paro Valley. Those who have the energy can walk the whole way, but others may like to rest half way up at the cafeteria. Ponies can be hired for part of the journey to rest those aching limbs.
After the descent, there may be time to visit the tiny but special Kyichu Lhakhang, before heading to the bazaar for souvenir shopping. Then enjoy your final evening in the magical land of the Thunder Dragon.
Overnight in Meri Phuensum Heritage, Paro
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
The Ta Dzong was originally built to be a watchtower, but it now houses the National Museum. Its extensive collection includes antique thangkha paintings, textiles, weapons, armour, household objects and a rich assortment of natural and historic artifacts.
Also known as the Tiger’s Nest, the Taktshang Monastery is perhaps the most famous of Bhutan’s monasteries and is perched precariously on the side of a cliff, 900m above the Paro Valley. It is said that Guru Rinpoche, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism and the Buddha of our time, came here on the back of a tigress to meditate, hence the name. This site has been recognised as a most sacred place and was even visited by the Tibetan Buddhist Lama, Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, in 1646. All Bhutanese people visit this monastery at least once in their lifetime. On 19 April 1998, a fire severely damaged the main structure of building, but it has now been restored to its original splendour.
The hike to the monastery is a 2-2.5 hour strenuous walk uphill. This can be broken down into three stages and a donkey can be used to ride up to two-thirds of the way. The first stage is trekking to the rocky outcrop across a ravine from the monastery, which takes approximately 45 to 60 minutes. Lunch will be served here later today. The second stage is walking from the cafeteria to the lookout opposite the monastery, which takes close to one hour. The third stage is climbing down 475 steps in the cliff face to the bottom of the ravine, crossing over a stream and waterfall and climbing up another 300 steps to the entrance of the monastery. You will spend up to an hour here and view the cave where Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal meditated.
Cameras are not allowed inside the monastery.