The Tiger’s Nest and a Hot Stone Bath

Early morning start at 7am to hit the hiking trail ahead of all the other hikers especially the Indian groups. We were right as we signed as second non Indian foreigners in to the Tigers Nest Temple Complex at 9.48am after a partially steep 5.5km hike and hiking from 2.608m up to 3.153m in 2h 20mins.
What’s the story of the Tigers Nest?
It is also known as the Taktsang Palphug Monastery, 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 (Bhutan) in which Padmasambhava (Guru Rimponche, Lotus Born Master) practiced and taught Vajrayana. We mentioned his name before in some postings. He brought the Buddhism to Bhutan in the 8th century. He is worshipped in every temple. He is considered as a rebirth of Shakyamuni Buddha as foretold by the Buddha himself.
A later monastery complex was built in 1692 by the 4th Druk Desi Tenzin Rabgey around the Taktsang Senge Samdup cave, where Guru Rimponche meditated and practiced with students including Yeshe Tsogyal before departing the kingdom of Tibet in the early 9th century.
It is believed that Guru Rinpoche flew to this location from Singye Dzong (another sacred site in Bhutan) on the back of a tigress. This place was consecrated to tame the Tiger demon.
An alternative legend holds that a former wife of an emperor willingly became a disciple of Guru Rinpoche in Tibet. She transformed herself into a tigress and carried the Guru on her back from Tibet to the present location of the Taktsang in Bhutan. In one of the caves here, the Guru then performed meditation and emerged in eight incarnated forms (manifestations) and the place became holy. Subsequently, the place came to be known as the “Tiger's Nest”.
We had luck again with a sunny day and blue sky.
We explored the 8 temples in the Tiger’s Nest. There were more further up which we didn’t do.
Overall a great hike!
Back in town to wandered around in the Centre where we enjoyed an Irish Coffee before we were taken to a farmhouse outside of Paro for our Hot Stone Bath.
Bhutanese hot stone baths are different from other hot baths around the world because they use Menchu, which is a combination of fresh water and Artemisia absinthium (wormwood) leaves. The water is heated with river stones that are roasted until they are red hot. We had 2 different bath tubs in one little room. We asked for new hot stones twice to keep the temperature of the water high. Overall our body felt well after and the pain of our body after our hike before was massively reduced. Another great experience in Bhutan!
In the evening we went to one of the only bars in Paro, the Park78. Great drinks, great fun! With 3 American students.
Next day we headed back to Delhi!Read more