Tigers Nest Monastery

Taktsang literally means the “Tigers Nest”. The Tigers Nest monastery is synonymous with Bhutan and is also the most celebrated cultural landmark here in Bhutan. This is also one of the most holiest of places associated with Guru Rinpoche, the patron saint of Bhutan. The name Tigers Nest is attributed to the consort of our Patron Saint, Khandro (celestial being / dakini) Yeshey Tsogyal who had assumed the form of a Tigress at Taktsang.

It is a said that, prior to the 8th century our tiny country was a place infested with  spirits, demons and other evil forces that harmed the interests of its people. Our patron saint, Guru Rinpoche had arrived at the cliff, meditated in a cave, subdued all the demonic forces and blessed the cliff as one of the holiest places in Bhutan. In the later years many spiritual luminaries, saints, scholars, rulers as well as treasure revealers came to this powerful spot to meditate, confer blessings and some to reveal various kinds of treasures from the sacred cliff.

The sacred site of Taktsang or the Tigers Nest now consists of a complex of 10 temples which were built by the rulers and kings of Bhutan in the 16th century and even as early as  1998. The holy sites here are among the most venerated places in the Himalayan diaspora and still remains on the top list of pilgrims traveling to Bhutan.Even to this day the sight of beholding the monastery continues to defy human logic, this is due to the fact that the spiritual essence still thrives here in the worlds "last buddhist kingdom" 

The Tigers Nest monastery is located at an elevation of 2950m and sits 800m high above the Paro valley floor. It is accessed by a 8km drive from the town center or 10km from the Paro International Airport. The hike then takes about three hours on ascent and about an hour on descent. Bhutan is not a destination where you rush from place to place, therefore we will also help you relax and enjoy the day at an easy pace.

Even for those of us who have visited the site a few hundred times thus far ; the sight, magic, scenery and the powerful energy of this sacred site still continues to captivate our senses. The Tigers Nest hike/walk is a must see and must do in Bhutan therefore Bhutan Scenic Tours takes the liberty of including this activity on all our journeys.