Tiger's Nest Monastery & Drukgyel Dzong

The Tiger's Nest Monastery is possibly the most famous in Bhutan, having been founded in the late 1600s, and perched on a high rocky ledge 900 m above the valley floor allegedly at a place where Guru Rinpoche rested, travelling on a flying tiger.

The monastery suffered a disastrous fire in April 1998, but great efforts are being made to repair the extensive damage.

From the parking area it is a two-hour walk, mostly through coniferous forest, up a steep path to the viewpoint from where there are spectacular views of the monastery.

Drukgyel Dzong is situated some 15 km (10 miles) north of Paro, close to the side valley where the Tiger's Nest Monastery is located. It was built in 1649 to protect the country against threatening Tibetans. One feature of the fort is a false entry to lure invaders into an enclosed courtyard, which along with other tactics helped the Bhutanese protect their country successfully through the 17th century.