Trekking tour day 2: Descent into the Paro Valley via Bhutan's landmark, the Taktshang Monastery

After a long night, we start our descent towards the valley after breakfast in the dining tent at 7:30 AM. I must admit, the descent is very exhausting for me, as I barely slept due to a cold during the night. We steadily hike downhill, crossing and soon we reach another monastery where monks meditate for three years. On the way down, we can observe Langurs (a genus of primates in the group of slender lorises) sitting in trees and snacking on berries. They are gray-white, beautiful, and impressive. Among the locals, they are considered bringers of luck.

After a good 2-hour walk, we finally reach the legendary Tiger's Nest, the landmark of Bhutan. Still far above the Taktshang Monastery, as the Tiger's Nest is officially called, we have to descend to the main path down into the gorge in order to ascend to the monastery on the other side again. The most strenuous part of this hike on this day.

Upon arriving at the monastery, the spiritual atmosphere of this traditional site immediately fills us. Upon entering the monastery, we must surrender our mobile phones as photography here is strictly forbidden. It is here that Guru Rinpoche meditated for a long time in a cave that is only opened to visitors once a year. Rinpoche was the one who brought Buddhism to Bhutan. According to legend, he arrived at the sacred place riding (or flying) on a tiger, hence 'Tiger's Nest'. This monastery is an important part of the Buddhist faith and tradition in Bhutan and holds a very high importance.

In 1999, the monastery was almost completely burnt down, apparently due to the many butter lamps. Other legends suggest that a young monk who lived there at the time, tasked with guarding the monastery, stole traditional art objects and then set the monastery on fire. Whatever the truth is, the monastery, so important to the Bhutanese, was completely rebuilt within 4 years under the 4th King. Today, the landmark of Bhutan shines in its old glory.

The further descent is not easy, but for the hikers coming up, some of whom appear visibly unaccustomed, the steep ascent in the midday sun seems to be an even greater ordeal. After approximately two more hours, we arrive at the parking lot, where we collapse into our driver's car, visibly exhausted.