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 |