The trek to Tiger’s Nest monastery in Bhutan is a lesson in strength, culture and life itself.
Many TV shows end their seasons with cliffhangers. We ended our year with one. As the mist rose over the valley, the four of us began our hike to Taktshang Goemba (loosely translated to ‘the Tiger’s Nest Monastery’).
Reachable only on foot via a relentlessly uphill path, this precariously balanced ney (holy place) is one of the most famous monasteries of Bhutan.
It’s also its most photogenic, hanging onto what looks from afar like a sheer vertical cliff. A real life cliffhanger indeed.
It was the last day of 2022, and we thought hiking up to the venerable monastery was the best way to possibly end the year. Tradition says that Guru Rinpoche flew to the site of the monastery on the back of a tigress to subdue the local demon ‘Singye Samdrup’. Having no flying tigers to speed us along on our journey, we had to take the arduous climb on foot.
More than three centuries old, the monastery is revered by the Bhutanese with locals of all ages making the really steep (over 500 m of elevation gain) four-hour hike up to the site regularly. Even for the less pious, the views are no less than heavenly. Around halfway up, we stopped at a café with possibly the most luxurious views on the planet. We were thankful for the beautiful tea but sad at missing out on the Maggi/Wai Wai which we thought would (should!) be on the menu.
As we reached the summit, the monastery came into stark view, clinging to the cliffs and
speaking out to us in all its majesty. As if telling us that I was here long before you were and will be long after you are gone. It was a moment of beauty but also depth; the kind of moment that stays with you long after the experience ends.
We were all in a sombre mood as we trekked down, deep in thoughts (and tired!), thinking about the year that passed and the year that will be. All except my six year old son who chatted happily with his new best friend – our guide Pema.
Bhutan was a magical experience and it is clear why the country measures GNH (gross national happiness) rather than GDP. The people are warm, the views majestic. And Tiger’s Nest was the peak (pun not intended) of our experience. After all, at the cusp of a new year, it’s good to be reminded that some things are strong and permanent no matter how precarious they seem across generations: family, values, culture, and the pursuit of happiness.
Picture Credits: Author
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