Bhutan - Where Happiness is Measurable – Part 3

Overcoming a 500 metre elevation gain is not something we are used to

The first morning in Bhutan was magnificent, as we were staying in a hotel nearby the centre of Paro, and therefore the view out the window was even more magnificent. Although the Tiger's Nest was not visible from the window, I knew in which direction it was located and therefore watched the clouds with unease, which were gathering in that direction. But neither clouds nor rain would prevent us from visiting and conquering it.

At breakfast, we listened once again to what we already knew, namely that a 6 to 7-hour long hike to the Taktsang Phalphug monastery, as the Tiger's Nest is officially called, awaits us. After a hearty breakfast, when I did not resist either greasy or sweet food for a change, knowing that I would burn it all while climbing to the top, we headed to the parking lot at the foot, but the altitude of the parking lot already suggests that overcoming the 6-kilometre-long path is going to be anything but a piece of cake.

When the promised 500 metres of elevation gain becomes 800 metres

The parking lot, from where the hiking trail leads, is located at an altitude of 2,650 metres above sea level, and to the monastery, which is located at 3,120 metres, a 3-kilometre-long well-maintained path leads via the highest point at an altitude of 3,150 metres.

Of course, the math holds true and the highest point is separated by exactly 500 metres of altitude difference, but the path to the monastery also descends in certain parts, so from the parking lot to the monastery we gain a total of 680 metres of altitude and lose a total of 120 metres. On the way back we lose the exact opposite of 680 metres and gain 120 metres of altitude, which means that we gain and of course also lose a total of 800 metres of altitude on a 6-kilometre-long hike.

The 800 metres of elevation gain would not have been such a feat if we had not been at an altitude of between 2,650 and 3,150 metres above sea level, where the air is thinner and the oxygen content is between 14 and 14.5%, which is significantly less than we are used to, since at an altitude of around 300 metres it is as much as 20%.

The Tiger's Nest should have been visible from the parking lot, but because of the annoying clouds, it was only visible here and there. But even this did not deter us from our firm decision to get to the monastery.

Origin of the name Tiger's Nest

The legend of Taktsang (Tiger's Nest) is almost 1,300 years old, when Guru Padmasambhava chose a cave on a steep rock face in 747 to meditate and rode a tigress to tame the evil spirits in the place.

This tigress is said to be Yeshi Tshogyal, the wife of Guru Rinpoche, who transformed into a fearsome animal to subdue the spirits and to carry Guru Rinpoche from Singye Dzong in eastern Bhutan to Taktsang on her back. Given this explanation, it is especially wise for men in the company of women to remain silent and change the subject of conversation as soon as possible.

Guru Rinpoche then performed a meditation and appeared at the same place in eight incarnated forms. Taktsang thus became one of the most important Buddhist holy places in the Himalayan Buddhist world.

He meditated in the cave for three years, three months, three weeks, and three days before subduing evil spirits and hiding deep treasures for the benefit of sentient beings.

Temple history

The first temple was built by Sonam Gyaltshen, a Nyingma Buddhist master, in the early 16th century at Taktsang Pelphug.

In Taktsang, during the Tibetan War that lasted from 1644 to 1646, the Zhabdrung and his Nyingmapa teacher, Terton Rigdzin Nyingpo, first performed a ceremony invoking Padmasambhava and the protective deities. The Zhabdrung instructed Gyalsey Tenzin Rabgye, who later became the fourth venerable ruler of Bhutan, to build a temple of the Eight Manifestations of the Guru there. Construction work began in the 10th month of the Year of the Water Monkey (1692) and the two-story temple was completed in 1694.

The temple has undergone several improvements throughout its history, until 1998, when Taktsang was damaged in a tragic fire, which was not the first and was followed by an extensive reconstruction, which was completed in 2005 and was led by the fourth King of Bhutan, His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck himself. But even in the fires, it is a miracle, as the talking bronze statue of Guru Sungjonma is the only object to have survived both fires unscathed. It would probably be blasphemous to point out that bronze does not burn, but let's leave it at that.

Currently, there are four temples surrounding the main temple, Taktsang Lhakhang. All the buildings in the complex are connected to each other by stairs carved into the rock.

A prayer wheel is in the courtyard and is spun by resident monks every day at 4 am to mark the beginning of a new day. The interior of the temples is also decorated with details that reflect the Varjayana Buddhist tradition.

When you run out of fuel

After overcoming a total of 680 metres of ascent with less and less oxygen in the air, we somehow managed to reach the viewpoint at 3,150 metres above sea level, and that was when the guide said out loud for the first time what I had been thinking all along the way – that he did not believe we would be able to do it. From the viewpoint, we were only a few hundred metres away from the Tiger's Nest, but also a few hundred steps down to the bridge and then a few dozen more to the entrance to the temple complex, where photography is not allowed, and so I had to imprint the memories all the more strongly in my memory.

Apart from the historical and religious significance of the temple, it is not much different from the others, and therefore, for us non-believers, the most fascinating view of it is from the viewpoint, to which a few dozen steps down and a few hundred up led in the opposite direction.

And this climb, although the last on the entire route, was the most strenuous. But not strenuous in terms of fatigue, but because we simply ran out of fuel. When I sat down and rested, as I was barely catching my breath, I counted my heart rate and surprisingly it wasn't much more than 100 per minute, but at this altitude and with 14% oxygen in the air, you run out of energy and so we rested a few times on this shortest stretch.

Lunch above the clouds

On the way back from Tiger's Nest, we stopped at a restaurant at an altitude of just over 2,900 metres. Since the weather was nice, we enjoyed traditional Bhutanese food right on the terrace overlooking the already conquered Tiger's Nest. After such a strenuous hike, we would have liked different food, but this time we had to settle for meatless dishes.

Despite the capricious weather that tested our determination to conquer Tiger's Nest in the morning, it ended up rewarding our efforts with beautiful views from both the viewpoint and the restaurant terrace, where despite the location, they did not exaggerate with the prices. In short, something we have yet to learn in Europe, because there or anywhere else we would probably be ripped off for lunch at such a high point.

Farewell to Bhutan and reflections for the future

It is precisely because of the importance of Tiger's Nest that I have already described some of the sights we visited after returning from Tiger's Nest in the previous part, as Tiger's Nest is the gem with which it makes sense to end the travelogue. At the same time, I cannot fail to thank Sithar from the Yak Travel agency, because his guide and driver made an already wonderful destination even better, especially considering the fact that we wanted and managed to see and experience in two days what normally takes three to five days.

But despite all the enthusiasm and competence of the agency and the guide and driver, Bhutan remains a rather expensive destination, as independent discovery is not possible at all, and flight connections are limited and not exactly cheap. But regardless of the price, Bhutan is definitely worth visiting, because it's not just about getting to know another culture, religion, and history, but above all, getting to know yourself, because you involuntarily wonder whether what we rush after and strive for in the Western world really represents happiness, and whether there is any other path in life than the one along which huge billboards and advertisements that scream from screens and radios lead us to shopping malls – or rather sanctuaries of consumerism.

With this thought in mind, I say goodbye and hope that you will also find the time, stop for a moment, and check if there is any other path besides the one along which the signposts and beacons of consumerism are leading us.