How To Get To The Tiger’s Nest Monastery In Bhutan
The Tiger’s Nest Monastery is located about 15 kilometers from Paro town and the Paro International Airport in western Bhutan, so it’s relatively accessible.
The paved parking lot is only a 30 minute drive from Paro. The road to the trailhead can be a bit narrow and winding at times, but it’s not a steep or dangerous drive at all. Your tour guide in Bhutan can arrange transportation for you to the start of the trail.
The monastery itself is located on a steep cliff above the Paro valley, so the only way to get there is by hiking. There’s no cable car, and you can’t drive to the top either. No matter who you are, a hike is required!
This is a very famous hike, so the main trail can be busy with people and also horses, which hikers may rent to help carry them partway up the mountain. This means you have to dodge horse poo along the trail.
You should give the horses plenty of space when they pass, because you don’t want to be kicked. Thankfully, the horses have bells, so you can always hear them coming.
A good local tour guide can also show you side routes with more shade and less people. There are lots of lesser used side trails on this hike because of the monastery’s long history as a Buddhist meditation site.
Taktsang Cafeteria Views
After you’ve hiked approximately halfway to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery, you’ll reach a nice little mountain cafe called the Taktsang Cafeteria.
This is a great place to stop and rest, and the cafe has good views of the monastery from below. The monastery still looks far away at this point, and there’s plenty of climbing left to do, but your destination is getting noticeably closer.
The monastery is already in range for some good photos if you have a phone or camera lens with a bit of zoom. Meanwhile, you can buy food, drinks, or souvenirs at the cafe, and there are free bathrooms as well.
