Tiger's Nest (Paro Taktsang)

Bhutan

Clinging to a granite cliff nearly a thousand metres above the valley floor, this golden-roofed monastery seems to hover between the pines and the clouds.

Perched dramatically on a sheer rock face above the Paro valley, Tiger's Nest Bhutan is the country's most revered sanctuary and its defining image. Also known as Paro Taktsang, the monastery is bound to the legend of Guru Rinpoche, said to have flown here on the back of a tigress to meditate. The Tiger's Nest trek climbs through fragrant blue-pine forest strung with fluttering prayer flags, past a teahouse viewpoint, before the final stone steps deliver you to the whitewashed halls of Tiger's Nest Monastery, where butter lamps glow and chants echo off the rock. Among all the monasteries in Bhutan, none rewards the effort quite like this. Plan your route via the official Bhutan Tourism portal: bhutan.travel.

March to May and September to November, when clear skies and mild weather make the Taktsang Monastery hike most rewarding.

Set out at first light to beat the heat and the crowds — the round trip takes four to six hours, so wear broken-in shoes, carry water, and hire a horse for the first leg up if you'd rather save your energy for the descent. Modest dress is required to enter the shrines.

This attraction can be easily woven into BreakBag Holidays' customised Bhutan tour packages, pairing Tiger's Nest with the dzongs, valleys and temples around Paro and Thimphu.

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