Paro (Tiger's Nest), Bhutan

Summary

Airport Rating *****
Reception of locals *****
Cost: ££££

• The gateway to Bhutan and home to the world-famous Tiger's Nest Monastery 
• More tourist oriented than other Bhutanese cities which makes things a little more expensive
• No issues in the city or surrounding areas as a Sikh
• Main Sights: Tiger's Nest (Paro Taktsang), Chele La Pass, National Museum of Bhutan, Rinpung Dzong

Beautiful Bhutan

This is the first in a trilogy of articles looking at my trips to Bhutan. Each article will cover a different region in the country, and we start with Paro, the gateway to the country, and the home region for the world-famous Paro Taktsang, or Tiger's Nest.

When I first told people that I was travelling to Bhutan, a lot of the responses were along the lines of "where?" I'm not surprised, it's not a country we hear much about, particularly in the west.

Bhutan is a landlocked Himalayan kingdom in South Asia, bordered by India to the south, east and west, and China (specifically the Tibet Autonomous Region) to the north. There were, at one point, four Himalayan kingdoms, but China took over Tibet, India took over Sikkim, and so today only Nepal and Bhutan remain independent Himalayan states.

Sandwiched between two giants, Bhutan looks small on a map, but in reality, it's not much smaller than Switzerland. And much like Switzerland, its terrain is dominated by steep mountains, deep valleys and fast-flowing rivers. Elevations range from around 100 metres above sea level in the southern foothills to over 7,500 metres in the high Himalayas. 

Historically, Bhutan developed as a collection of valleys governed by regional leaders and Buddhist monastic authorities. Tibetan Buddhist influence became firmly established from the 8th century onward, with monasteries and dzongs (fortress-monasteries) forming both religious and administrative centres. In the 17th century, Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal unified the country under a dual system of governance combining spiritual and temporal authority. This system evolved over time, and in 1907 the Wangchuck dynasty was established, creating a hereditary monarchy. Bhutan maintained relative isolation during the colonial period in South Asia, entering into treaty relations with British India and later with independent India, while preserving internal autonomy.

Bhutan spent a lot of its time closed off to the world. People in Bhutan only got televisions in 1999, and the country only started opening up to foreign tourists in the 1970s and even then with strict quotas in place. Even today, the country focuses on "high value, low volume". This means it charges tourists a Sustainable Development Fee which has changed over time but it is around £100 per night per tourist. The fee funds free healthcare, education, infrastructure, environmental conservation and cultural preservation initiatives within the country. This means that while last year France got around 90 million tourists, and nearby Thailand got around 33 million tourists, Bhutan received just 0.2 million.

It's a country that not many people get a chance to visit!

Modern political reforms accelerated in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The Fourth King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, initiated decentralisation and introduced the concept of Gross National Happiness as a development philosophy emphasising sustainable growth, cultural preservation, environmental conservation and good governance. Today, the GNH is one of the things Bhutan is most famous for with a society built around different facets of happiness. It's a country committed to sustainability, with laws around protected areas and forest cover, and it tries to act as a custodian for important ecosystems on this planet.

Bhutan’s population is roughly around 800,000 people, although emigration is high without about 20% of all Bhutanese living outside the country, mainly in Australia. Dzongkha is the national language, and Vajrayana Buddhism (predominantly Drukpa Kagyu and Nyingma schools) is the state religion, though the constitution guarantees freedom of religion. The majority of the population lives in rural areas, though urbanisation is gradually increasing, particularly in Thimphu and other cities (which I will cover in the following articles). Traditional dress, known as gho for men and kira for women, remains widely worn in official settings, and you see them being worn pretty much everywhere in a work capacity.

Landing in Paro Airport

Paro Airport is known as the most challenging airport in the world to land. Only about 50 pilots in the world are licensed to land there, and all fly for one of the two Bhutanese airlines. What makes it so challenging is that pilots have to fly through a valley, surrounded by mountains, while making an almost blind final approach to the runway which means pilots need to be familiar with the terrain and area. Most flights land early in the morning to avoid foggy or windy weather later in the day.

It's definitely not a landing for the faint hearted, but I thought the approach from Lima to Cusco was scarier (you can read about that here). There are definitely moments in the approach here where it looks like a wing could clip a mountain or a tree, and the twists and turns through the valley are pretty intense. But I found the descent into Paro more beautiful than frightening and definitely one of the best approaches to an airport that I have ever seen. I've now landed in Paro twice, and one both occasions, during landing, the PA system in the plane played soothing music which I thought was pretty cool.

Connections to Bhutan aren't great, but if you're lucky enough to fly in from Dubai or Nepal you get an excellent view of Mount Everest. During my flight, the pilot announced when we got to Everest and pretty much everyone on the plane went to the left-hand side to get an incredible view of the mountain. It's one of the most surreal experiences that I've ever had on a plane.

The airport itself is small but beautifully decorated. Immigration was straightforward with a visa, and passing through the airport takes a matter of minutes if you're carrying hand luggage only. The luggage claim section is very cool with a small model of famous monasteries in the middle. I also had no issues flying out as a Sikh, the security line is small and short, and it was easy enough to get through.

Downtown Paro

Paro is a super small town (they all are in Bhutan), and it's located about 2,200 metres above sea level, not enough to get altitude sickness, but enough to make strenuous exercise a little bit tougher. The town lies within a broad, fertile valley carved by the Paro Chhu river and you can see farmland on either side of the river.

The layout of downtown Paro is compact and linear, organised around a small number of primary roads that run parallel to the river. Buildings are generally low-rise, most of the buildings that I saw were two to three storeys, and built in traditional Bhutanese architectural style. There are building codes in place to ensure that all new (and old) buildings should be built in a similar style with whitewashed walls, painted window frames, and sloping roofs which gives the town a beautiful, uniform feel. 

Many of the shops in Paro cater to visitors but there are also a lot of retail shops, cafes, restaurants, and a handful of bars. There are local markets selling fruit and vegetables and the whole place felt magical. It still has that sense of community that pretty much every other major tourist city in the world has lost to globalisation.

​While everything works on digital payments using QR codes, only some shops accept international credit and debit cards and so, while for locals everything in digital, for outsiders it is important to get a little bit of cash, and you can easily do so using the various cashpoints / ATMs dotted around the city. There are plenty of food places but its important to be careful. I had a very short 24 hour sickness after eating out, and while I had now issues across the rest of the cumulative month I spent in the country, it was a reminder to just be careful.

People are very friendly, and English is widely spoken and understood, especially by the younger generation. Most people don't bother you, but are very happy to help if you have questions.

The city centre is small and walkable, in fact, from the air you can see just how small of a footprint the main part of the city occupies, but there are things to do further out from the core of main downtown and so you can easily spend a few days there.

National Museum of Bhutan (Ta Dzong)

One of the most famous monuments in Paro, located a short distance (by car) outside the main downtown and on one of the mountainsides is the National Museum of Bhutan, also known as Ta Dzong. The building was originally constructed in 1649 as a watchtower to defend Rinpung Dzong (a monastic fortress) below. Its strategic position on a ridge provided surveillance over the Paro valley and surrounding approaches. The structure’s thick stone walls and small windows reflect its defensive purpose. In 1968 the building was converted into the country’s first national museum. The adaptation preserved the external form while modifying the interior to accommodate exhibition galleries.

Ta Dzong’s architectural form is distinctive even within Bhutan, there aren't many buildings like this around. Unlike the rectangular layout typical of dzongs, it is circular and multi-level, rising several storeys with inward-sloping walls. The interior contains a central tower core with surrounding gallery spaces arranged vertically. The views of Paro from outside the museum are extraordinary and it's definitely one of the most memorable national museums that I have ever visited - not so much for the exhibits, but more for the architecture and location.

That being said, the museum’s collections cover a broad range of Bhutanese cultural, religious and historical artefacts. Exhibits include paintings, bronze statues, ritual objects, textiles, weapons and natural history displays. There are some religious disp[ays on the state religion, Vajrayana Buddhism which is very interesting and include some incredible quotes of Buddha. Some galleries focus on the evolution of Bhutanese monarchy, including photographs, regalia and personal items associated with successive kings of the Wangchuck dynasty. There are also coins, banknotes and Bhutan’s famous postage stamps. There is a room full of natural history exhibits with stuffed animals. It's like the British Museum, Natural History Museum and the V&A all rolled into one.

It's a very nice, small museum, you can do the whole thing in less than 90 minutes with time to spare to check out the view from the outside. Entry is about ​£5 and it's well worth the cost of admission.

Rinpung Dzong

A short distance below the museum stands Rinpung Dzong which was built in the 17th century under the leadership of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, who unified Bhutan. It was constructed on the foundations of an earlier monastery. Positioned on a promontory overlooking the Paro Chhu river, the dzong commands a prominent view of the valley. Its thick whitewashed walls, red upper bands and intricately painted wooden windows reflect classical Bhutanese fortress architecture.

Rinpung Dzong serves both administrative and monastic functions, as do other dzongs in the country. It houses the district administration offices of Paro as well as a monastic body. This dual role reflects the historical system of governance in Bhutan that integrated religious and temporal authority. The dzong’s interior is organised around courtyards, with temples, administrative rooms and monk residences arranged along the perimeter. There are two access points, one which is a cool walk from the city below across a wooden bridge which spans the main river in the city and then a series of stairs up, while the alternative entrance is a short walk (or drive) down from the museum and directly into the dzong.

The inside is beautiful, but this was the last of the three regional dzongs that I visited, and to me it was also the least impressive (I'll write about the others in subsequent articles). There are still timber beams, whitewashed walls, a central tower that rises above the courtyard and contains important shrines, with monks, and administrators walking around the complex, and there are definitely some gorgeous murals, but it felt a little smaller than the others that I have visited in the country. That said, watching the birds lands on the roofs while seeing monks clad in red walk around the complex was a great experience.

Chele La Pass

Bhutan is a series of mountain peaks and valleys so if you get car sick it can be a bit of a tough trek to get around from place to place. Inevitably, if you want to cross a region, you'll have to go up a mountain before you come down into the valley on the other side. Paro has a couple of these passes but by far the most spectacular is Chele La Pass.

​Chele La Pass is situated at an elevation of around 4,000 metres above sea level and it connects Paro District with the neighbouring Haa District in western Bhutan. The pass forms part of the Black Mountain range.

The road to Chele La ascends gradually from Paro valley through dense blue pine and rhododendron forests. As altitude increases, vegetation transitions from temperate woodland to alpine shrub and open meadows. Near the top it was cold, icey, and snowy during my trip. The road itself is paved but narrow in sections, with steep drop-offs and limited guardrails which means that avalanches and rockfalls can happen from time to time. As the winding road headed toward the summit I saw horses, cows, and eventually, yaks! One of the more famous and beautiful animals in the country.

Reaching Chele La there are clusters of prayer flags mounted on poles and strung between trees. These flags, bearing printed Buddhist mantras and symbols, are placed by individuals and groups seeking blessings or marking significant occasions. You see these on mountains across the country and I think they look spectacular. 

On clear days, Chele La has views of several high Himalayan summits, including Jomolhari, which rises to over 7,300 metres near the border with China. Visibility is highly dependent on weather, and I must have got lucky because views towards Haa Valley as well as the Himalayas was incredible. There is a small tea stand and bathroom facilities, and there is one very impressive chorten (the Bhutanese version of Buddhist stupas) but otherwise it is you and an incredible view.

I did a small walk up past the chorten toward a second summit and here I could massively feel the altitude, every step had me out of breath in ways that I wouldn't have felt a couple thousand metres lower in Paro. But the air felt crisp and the experience was indescribable. 

Paro Taktsang (Tiger's Nest)

Without a doubt, the crown jewel of Bhutan is Paro Taktsang, commonly known as Tiger’s Nest Monastery. It is one of Bhutan’s most recognised religious sites and it's a monastery built on a cliff face approximately 900 metres above the floor of the Paro valley, at an elevation of around 3,120 metres above sea level. The monastery complex is built into rock ledges and caves on the upper slopes of the Himalayas overlooking Paro. Its position makes it visible from various points in the valley, where it appears attached directly to the vertical cliff.

Honestly, it is one of the most incredible things I've ever seen and experienced in my life.

The site’s origins are associated with Guru Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rinpoche, who is credited with introducing Vajrayana Buddhism to Bhutan in the 8th century. According to tradition, he meditated in a cave at this location after arriving on the back of a tigress, giving rise to the name Tiger’s Nest. While the current structures date primarily to the late 17th century, earlier meditation caves at the site are believed to have existed for centuries. A fire in 1998 caused significant damage, and extensive restoration was undertaken to preserve the complex using traditional construction methods.

The drive to the base area from Paro is relatively short, about 20 minutes. You can take a ride on small horses if you wish, but they will only take you up about halfway. Most people walk, and there is a well-defined path that ascends through pine forest and rocky terrain. The round-trip distance is roughly 6 to 7 kilometres, depending on the route taken within the complex with an elevation gain of around 600 metres.

The climb is physically demanding due to the gradient and altitude. It was definitely harder than I thought it would be but I managed it in a couple of hours and so did many people of all ages. So, while it's physically demanding, it isn't a technically challenging climb. The path consists of compacted earth, stone steps and switchbacks. I think once you get over the initial shock of the incline and prepare yourself for a more demanding climb (which is what happened to me), things get a little easier.

There is a cafe about two thirds of the way up which is a nice place to rest and there are some great views of the valley and the monastery from there. After the cafe, the trail descends slightly before rising again along a series of stone steps carved into the cliff. The final approach includes crossing a narrow bridge adjacent to a waterfall that drops into a ravine below. This section involves steep staircases both descending and ascending before reaching the entrance. This can be a little tricky but the views from the top of the stairs are the famous ones you see in my photos and on the internet. Seeing the monastery from the ridge opposite is extraordinary and I just cannot begin to imagine how it was built and how it is still maintained to this day. Much like Machu Picchu, it's one of the few places that looks better in real life than it does in the photos.

At the top, the monastery complex comprises several temples, meditation caves and residential quarters for monks. The structures are interconnected by narrow stairways and passageways built into the rock face. You have to store bags and cameras before entering the inner temples in some lockers and you get searched to make sure you aren't taking phones up with you, photos are strictly prohibited.

Inside there are many temples and spaces that contain statues of Guru Rinpoche in various manifestations, as well as images of other Buddhist deities. Wall paintings depict episodes from Buddhist teachings and Bhutanese religious history. It's like being transported into another world.

The original meditation cave, regarded as the holiest part of the site, is incorporated within the complex. This cave is accessed through a temple chamber and is used for ongoing religious practice. To get to the main shrine, you descend through new darkness inside a small tight cave using a series of makeshift ladders. It's genuinely a little scary and if you're claustrophobic, I can't imagine you enjoying the experience, but I thought it was incredible. 

Nearby is a very small gap, barely enough for a person to get through, but if you do, you end up basically overlooking a sheer cliff face. I did it, and it was an intense experience, not one that I would recommend to most people and definitely unsafe. 

Back inside the main complex I spent time going through each individual temple, seeing some fantastic views of Paro valley and mostly just thanking the essence of existence for giving this poor kid an opportunity to experience some of the most magical, wonderful experiences in the world. This is very much near the top.

Would I recommend visiting Paro?

Yes, but with caveats. It isn't cheap because of the tourist fee (although if you're from Panjab and other areas in the subcontinent this fee is waived), and you need guides pretty much everywhere you go. If you want to travel between regions, you need to let authorities know beforehand and while the country has opened up, things still remain tightly controlled.

But, if you make it here, you will find the most beautiful country in the world. Whether it's the people, the food, the culture, or the landscapes, rarely do some many positive elements come together as they do in Bhutan.

In subsequent articles to be published over the next couple of months, I'll share a little more about other parts of the country including some of the most unforgettable temples and monasteries that I have ever seen in my life.