Tiger's Nest Monastery

Paro Taktsang, also known as the Tiger's Nest, is a sacred Vajrayana Himalayan Buddhist site located in the cliffside of the upper Paro valley in Bhutan. It is one of thirteen Tiger's Nest caves in historical Tibet in which Padmasambhava practiced and taught Vajrayana. The monastery was built around the Taktsang Senge Samdup cave, where Guru Padmasambhava meditated and practiced with students including Yeshe Tsogyal before departing the kingdom of Tibet in the early 9th century. The shrine dedicated to Padmasambhava is an elegant structure built around the cave in 1692 by Gyalse Tenzin Rabgye. The monastery is situated 800m above the valley and 2,950m above sea level, and it takes about 2 to 3 hours to climb to the monastery from the base. The complex has white-washed walls with gold painted roofs and is decorated with the finest details to reflect the finest Vajrayana Buddhist tradition