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—Tiger’s Nest and Paro:  We get an early start to Tiger’s Nest to avoid the hot sun and any other tourists that may be there.  The morning is spent hiking (or riding horses part way--you decide) up a forested path to Taktsang Monastery, also known as Tiger’s Nest, Bhutan’s most famous and scenic icon. (Robin wrote a story on Tiger’s Nest for Tashi Delek Magazine, which is posted on the Rainbow Photo Tours web site.) The climb is steep and takes about 2 hours to ascend comfortably, but those who want to can ride a Himalayan “bony pony” up (but not down) and we will have our guides to carry our photography gear and urge us on. An important place of pilgrimage and refuge for more than 1200 years, Taktsang Monastery clings to sheer cliffs two-thousand feet above Paro Valley, and from the most popular vantage points on a rocky ledges directly across a chasm from it we will still need a 200 mm lens and a steady tripod to get tight photographs. As of 2004, after the rebuilding from a fire, foreigners have permission to hike all the way to Tiger’s Nest, visit some of the altar rooms and maybe get a grand tour from Lam Renzin, the lama stationed there. We have become friends with Lam Renzin, bringing him photographs from previous visits and other gifts such as a Swiss Army multi-tool.  In 2007 he requested we bring him a pair of binoculars to see who is coming to visit Tiger’s Nest--Robin delivered them in 2008 so he might be watching our ascent.

Tiger’s Nest and Paro:  We get an early start to Tiger’s Nest to avoid the hot sun and any other tourists that may be there.  The morning is spent hiking (or riding horses part way--you decide) up a forested path to Taktsang Monastery, also known as Tiger’s Nest, Bhutan’s most famous and scenic icon. (Robin wrote a story on Tiger’s Nest for Tashi Delek Magazine, which is posted on the Rainbow Photo Tours web site.) The climb is steep and takes about 2 hours to ascend comfortably, but those who want to can ride a Himalayan “bony pony” up (but not down) and we will have our guides to carry our photography gear and urge us on. An important place of pilgrimage and refuge for more than 1200 years, Taktsang Monastery clings to sheer cliffs two-thousand feet above Paro Valley, and from the most popular vantage points on a rocky ledges directly across a chasm from it we will still need a 200 mm lens and a steady tripod to get tight photographs. As of 2004, after the rebuilding from a fire, foreigners have permission to hike all the way to Tiger’s Nest, visit some of the altar rooms and maybe get a grand tour from Lam Renzin, the lama stationed there. We have become friends with Lam Renzin, bringing him photographs from previous visits and other gifts such as a Swiss Army multi-tool.  In 2007 he requested we bring him a pair of binoculars to see who is coming to visit Tiger’s Nest--Robin delivered them in 2008 so he might be watching our ascent.