Tiger's Nest

 From the beginning of the trip I knew that the final day was reserved for those who wanted to hike up to Tiger's Nest.  This monastery on the edge of a sheer cliff is probably the most recognizable emblem of Bhutan.  The red roofed, white walled structure is accessible but only if you are willing to spend several hours hiking up to it.


Because of the Global Peace Festival, there were lots of monks making pilgrimages to it along with the standard tourists, etc. that are attracted to the challenge.  There's a cafe 2/3 of the way up which was my goal.  I think to do the final third to the top observation point is a pretty steep climb considering I have another week before going home.


To be clear, there are many hikes in the US that are longer and at higher elevations than Tiger's Nest.  The draw is the boldness of building such a structure against all the natural impediments that faced the builders.


Our intrepid group of 8 plus our trip leaders and Bhutanese guides set out around 12:30 to begin our ascension.  The path is pretty wide and the surface is hard packed dirt so the trail really isn't the challenge.  It's a mixture of steps and inclines weaving up through the forest with brief portions exposed to the sun.  As we got higher up we had to take more breaks to catch our breath.  Once I spotted the cafe I found my second wind and practically ran (that's a bit of an exaggeration) to get to the cafe for my reward of hot tea and a plate of very delicious sugar cookies.  


We spent quite a bit of time admiring the view and waiting for the three that went all the way to the top.  If you wanted to actually go to the monastery you have another 800 steps down then back up past a reportedly beautiful waterfall, but the upper view point is what photographers are looking for.

The descent was understandably much easier.  The overall hike was about 3 hours for me and something I'm glad I tackled.  Giver more time I might even attempt the top but I doubt I will be given the chance.

Tonight was our final dinner and review.  It's fun to see all the wonderful pictures our group had captured over the trip.  And as usual we vowed to keep in touch and hopefully travel together again.

So until next time, so long and farewell. 

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