This sacred Buddhist site, also known as Taktsang Monastery, was built in 1692 surrounding the cave where Guru Rinpoche first meditated. It sits precariously above Paro Valley at 3000 meters. One of thirteen Tiger’s Nest caves of historical Tibet, this monastery was used by many different groups for meditation.

Reaching the monastery is doable for most, with a leisurely hike taking in the scenic views of the valley, passing by many prayer flags and there is a half-way stop for you to catch your breath and enjoy the view of the monastery from here.

This iconic landmark and religious site caught fire in its main building in 1998, destroying paintings, artifacts, statues and valuable manuscripts. While Tiger’s Nest Monastery is the draw card for many tourists to Bhutan, it is still functioning as a monastery today.