Tiger’s Nest - Paro, Bhutan



I have been sitting in the Dhaka airport in a departure hall 'lounge' for a few hours now. We arrived and cleared immigration by 9:00am. My flight isn't until 6:45pm and the checkin counter doesn't open until 3:00pm. So to say this has been a shock to the system after Bhutan would be an understatement.

The rest of group (sans Rebecca heading to Oman) had hotel rooms for today as their flights are early morning tomorrow.

It was a great mix of people to travel with and we had a lot of fun and saw a lot of interesting things. Derek did an incredible job. And the local hosts in both Bangladesh and Bhutan were the best.

But before getting too teary eyed, time to recap the most intense day yet - a visit to the Tiger's Nest!

Saturday was our final travel day making a quick second stop at the Dochula Pass to try to see the Himalayas - and slightly more successfully than the first stop.

We just skirted Thimpu along the way and passed the airport in Paro before stopping for the last two nights. We had dinner in the town of Paro which was the most touristy stop of the trip. Handicrafts, art, books, postcards and penises! Oh and snacks for the hike.

We had an early call Sunday for our hike up to the Tiger's Nest temple complex. Nestled in the side of a rocky cliff, it is by far the most visited sight in Bhutan and if you search Bhutan , this will be the image you see.

After a quick breakfast we head out there are several parts to the visit. From the parking area this is a rough path almost all uphill for about an hour to a cafe. After the cafe there is another hour highlighted by several viewpoints and 400 stairs down after a steady flat. Then a bridge over a waterfall and up 200 steps to the temple. And it's about 10,000 feet so the air is a bit thin.

Most of us opted for the horse option to the cafe. It was easy and scenic and kind of fun. Then it was off on foot, walking stick in hand. We took our time and there is a long flat second before the stairs. Going down wasn't bad but 400 is a lot! And we were now in the sun and it was warm.

The lure of finishing and the temple made the final 200 bearable. Once at the top, all our bags needed to be stored, so no pictures again.

The complex is actually eight temples open to the public and one that is private plus a few other rooms. Each highlights a different aspect of Buddhism. It's quite impressive and in addition to the tourists, there are a few pilgrims.

After the tour, it was time to head back. The 200 down wasnt bad but the 400 up, was a challenge. We finally made the flat and the cafe. After a quick snack we found our horses and made the slightly more jarring downhill by horseback. The whole day was just over six hours but it was worth it.

After a bit of rest - and sorting out mixed up laundry - then packing. It was time for farewell dinner with our guides.

The alarm went off at 400am and our flight back to Dhaka was at 700am. The airport was just as lovely and comfortable as the rest of Bhutan. And we had a few more clear views of the Himalayas from the plane.

Which brings me back to Dhaka. And after a long day sitting around, ultimately to Dubai while I now wait for the flight to Zanzibar. The Dubai airport is just like the rest of Dubai - a huge shopping mall. There is really no place to sit and even the restaurants are mostly fast food, so not really comfortable. I decided to pay for lounge access which is kind of a break even with free food and beverage. And it’s comfortable and quiet. 

It's almost midnight.