Life On The Road Day 187: TIGER’S NEST or Paro Taktsang in Bhutan 🙏🏽

Yesterday morning, we woke up early enough to see the sunrise from our bedroom window, ready to start exploring Bhutan! ❤️

We had an amazing Bhutanese and Indian breakfast in the Le Meridien Paro, Riverfront restaurant, then met our awesome guide, Mr. Tashi of Aiming Bhutan Tours the reception. 🙏🏽

We drove about 20 minutes up the road to the start of the path to the Tiger's Nest temple, or Paro Taktsang. 🦁

One of the most famous Buddhist temples in the world and certainly the most famous in Bhutan, Tiger's Nest was built in the 7th century on a steep cliffside at 10,232 feet (3119 metres) high! ❤️

The hike is slightly challenging because parts are quite steep and rocky, but we saw people of all ages making their way up the winding slopes. 👌

Unfortunately, I am still recovering from my ankle surgery so I can't hike yet. Luckily, though they have plenty of horses and mules to carry up people with mobility issues! 🤪

The views as we climbed the mountain were incredible and it didn't take long before we started to see the Tiger's Nest Temple in the distance. 😍

About halfway to the top, the horses weren't allowed any further so I had to get off and walk. There was no way for me to reach the temple itself so I waited in the restaurant while Jonathan and Tashi climbed to the top for almost 3 hours.

Cameras are not allowed inside, but Jonathan said there are multiple temples, shrines and altars within the temple complex. They all have a unique purpose, like prosperity, health and longevity, guru and other important aspects of Buddhist life. 🙏🏽

We had a traditional lunch when they came back from the temple then had to make it all the way back down the mountain again! 😌

Usually, the horses are only used to carry people up the hill and only in rare cases do the use them to carry people down.
They also take very good care of them and they generally only make 1 trip up the mountain per day, if any at all. 😂

Sharing photos of this hike below. 👌

Next stop: National Museum of Bhutan in Paro and homestay experience with a local family.

Will discuss the visa and the minimum $250 per day cost of traveling to Bhutan to avoid mass tourism ❤️
Tourism Council of Bhutan