Tiger's Nest: hiking to Paro Taktsang

About Tiger's Nest

Taktsang means 'tiger's lair'. Legend says that in the 8th century Guru Rinpoche, who brought Buddhism to Bhutan, flew here from Tibet on the back of a tigress and meditated in a cave in the cliff, subduing the demons of the valley. The cave is still the heart of the monastery.

The temples you see today were first built in 1692 around that cave. A fire in 1998 destroyed much of the complex, and it was carefully rebuilt in the original style. It reopened in 2005. It remains an active place of pilgrimage for Bhutanese, who climb it on auspicious days.

Visiting Tiger's Nest

1. 1

   The forest trail

   The path climbs through blue pine and oak draped in lichen, past prayer wheels turned by streams and lines of prayer flags. It is steep in places but well made.

2. 2

   The halfway cafeteria

   About halfway up, a cafeteria with a terrace looks straight across at the monastery. It's the classic place for tea and a rest, and the turnaround point for anyone who wants a shorter walk.

3. 3

   The viewpoint and the steps

   Above the cafeteria the trail reaches a viewpoint level with the monastery, then drops down several hundred stone steps to a waterfall and bridge before climbing up again to the gate.

4. 4

   Inside the temples

   Your guide will take you through several of the shrines, including the cave where Guru Rinpoche is said to have meditated. Cameras and bags are left in lockers at the entrance.

5. 5

   A pony for the first half

   Ponies can carry you uphill as far as the cafeteria. From there everyone walks, about an hour uphill at a gentle pace to the monastery. Ponies aren't used on the way down, which is steep for them.

The hike, stage by stage

The walk starts at a car park at about 2,600 m, where a line of stalls sells prayer beads, masks and walking sticks. Take a stick. You'll be glad of it on the way down.

The first stretch climbs steadily through blue pine for about an hour to the cafeteria, where most people stop for tea and biscuits and their first proper look at the monastery across the gorge. If you rode a pony this far, this is where you get off.

From the cafeteria it's another 45 minutes or so up to the viewpoint, the spot where you'll take the photo everyone takes. The monastery is right in front of you, level with your eyes. Then comes the part nobody warns you about: you have to go down several hundred stone steps to a waterfall and a small bridge, and then climb back up the other side to the gate. On the way home you do those steps in reverse.

Inside, you'll spend 45 minutes to an hour moving between the shrines with your guide. The walk back to the car park takes most people two to three hours, with lunch at the cafeteria.

What a local notices

A few years ago PemC, a Bhutanese photographer who wrote for our old blog, went up on a weekday morning with two friends. Having grown up with the Tiger's Nest on every poster, PemC admitted to no longer finding it very exciting, and expected a crowded walk and a few good photos.

What PemC came back talking about wasn't the photos. It was the smell of the pine forest on the way up, an older couple who overtook the group without looking remotely tired, and the sound of monks chanting inside while incense smoke drifted across the shrine. The advice was the same as our guides': don't race to the top and back. Stop, drink some water, and let the place work on you.

Tips from our guides

• Be on the trail by 8 am. It's cooler, the light on the monastery is softer, and you'll reach the gate before the midday closure.
• Carry some small notes if you'd like to make an offering or light a butter lamp inside.
• Your camera, phone and bag go in a locker at the entrance. Photos are fine from the trail and the viewpoint, but not inside.
• Pack a warm layer even in summer. The wind at the viewpoint can be cold, and you'll be sweating from the climb.
• If you're worried about the steps, tell your guide. Plenty of people stop at the viewpoint, and it's still a wonderful day out.

Best time to visit Tiger's Nest

The hike is possible all year. Spring (March to May) and autumn (late September to November) have the best weather and the clearest views; winter mornings are crisp and clear but icy in shade, and monsoon months (June to August) bring mud and mist.

Start early, ideally on the trail by 8 am, for cooler walking, softer light and fewer people. We usually schedule the hike near the end of a trip, when you are used to the altitude.

Month by month across the country: the best time to visit Bhutan.

Getting there and what to bring

The trailhead is about 20 minutes' drive north of Paro town. Visiting the monastery requires a licensed guide, who arranges your entry; it closes for lunch in the middle of the day, so timing matters.

Wear good walking shoes, bring water, a warm layer and sun protection, and dress for the temples: long sleeves and long trousers or a skirt, and no hats inside. Our guide to what to wear in Bhutan has the details.

Tiger's Nest on the map