The early morning greyness with wispy clouds hovering in front of the tips of the mountains presents a whimsical picture of Tiger’s Nest near Paro in Bhutan. Standing at the foot of the mountains in Paro valley, the mountains seem to rise dramatically, covered in lush greenery, and the outline of a shrine is barely visible. In that mystical light, the trek also looks deceptively simple.
Tiger’s Nest is one of the most sacred Bhutanese shrine, dedicated to Guru Padmasambhava, an 8th century Buddhist spiritual guru credited with bringing Buddhism to Bhutan. A lot of legends surround him and he is believed to have flown on the back of a tigress from Tibet to here to subdue a demon in its lair on the mountain. The shrine was built nine centuries later, and subsequently rebuilt many times; it hugs the cliff side and trekking up an arduous path is the only way to reach the 3,100-metre top.
The starting point of the trek is about 10 km north of Paro town where some sundry shops are just opening while a host of horses are grazing. A part of the trek can be done on horseback or on mules, but that option comes with its own pain. The path starts off innocuously enough amidst rocks and boulders and a gentle slope. It quickly narrows and becomes steep and winding, flanked by tall pine and cypress trees, draped in tender green moss in patches. There’s a chill in the air.
Along the way are nice benches to sit and soak in everything. The first stop is the half-way mark, where a pretty tea house is located with fabulous views of the Tiger’s Nest monastery. This is also the farthest that one can go on a horse or mule. The path from here gets steeper and narrower, and it is festooned with prayer flags flutter wildly in the wind, creating the only noise in an otherwise still and tranquil atmosphere.
The second stop is directly opposite the monastry across a ravine.
The monastery seems as if it is perched precariously on the cliff side and is stark white with a yellow and brown trimming and roof, set against the brown and green of the rest of the mountain. A set of steps, partly winding, lead down to a waterfall, in front of which are masses of colourful prayer flags. Another flight of steps, mostly straight, leads right up to the monastery.
The temple complex is constructed along the rock face and has a number of temples and shrines, with the main dedicated to Padmasambhava. They are all inter-connected with a series of hewn steps or wooden ladders. The cave, which he first entered and meditated, and the others have beautiful colourful paintings and spectacular golden statues adorned with colourful embellishments and lit with butter lamps.
The return trek is initially painful with the flight of steps offering the biggest challenge. But once the opposite stop point is reached, it is almost all downward slope. However, it is rather steep and slippery in many parts and requires immense caution and a stout stick is advisable.