🇧🇹 Bhutan’s Peaks: Discovering the Truths Behind Tiger’s Nest Monastery

Our final day in Bhutan unfolds with a sense of anticipation as we’re on our way to Paro Taktsang, also known as the “Tiger’s Nest Monastery,” a sacred edifice dating back to 1692. Perched on the precipice at an elevation of 900 meters above the enchanting Paro Valley, this UNESCO World Heritage Site promises a captivating experience.

Setting out early, our guide, a seasoned explorer of the monastery, accompanies us on this spiritual ascent, leaving behind our driver at the foot of the mountain. There, a cluster of horses awaits, providing assistance to fellow travelers, particularly Indian tourists, who occasionally find the rigorous climb challenging. Our guide and driver have trodden this path multiple times.

Ascending, we encounter scattered stupas lining the route, each holding a dual purpose. Firstly, they serve as historical markers, a practice born from a time when the trail lacked such guideposts. Those who walked the right path left behind these silent guides for those who would follow. Secondly, the stupa, typically a Buddhist monument enshrining relics associated with revered figures, takes on a more personal role. It becomes a blessing for individuals who may not construct a full-fledged stupa in their lifetime. Instead, they craft a miniature version from the stones along the way…