Discover The Flora And Bird Species On The Tiger’s Nest Monastery Trail, With New Signages Installed
The primary aim is to enable visitors to appreciate the beauty of Bhutan’s nature along one of Buddhism’s most sacred trails.
Rhododedrons seen on the trail to the Tiger's Nest Monastery.
(Source: Tibet discovery)
By Zann Huizhen Huang
Mention Bhutan and the image of the legendary Tiger’s Nest Monastery, nestled atop a cliff, springs to mind. Also known as ‘Taktsang’ by the locals, this cultural icon, steeped in history, is a ‘must-see’ on the itinerary of all tourists.
Exuding beauty in all four seasons of the year, come springtime and the valley below Taktsang is decorated with pretty blossoms.
In the summer, Taktsang dons a new look, surrounded by emerald green valleys.
In autumn, some of the foliage takes on vibrant hues of red, gold or yellow. When winter arrives, this architectural marvel is draped in pure white snow.
Scenic uphill trek to Taktsang
Truly a magical sight to behold, reaching Taktsang requires some effort. Its isolated location 3,120 metres above sea level means that it is only accessible via mountainous paths.
Photo: Zahariz
For most people with a moderate level of fitness, it will take an average of three hours to hike up the approximate 4km trail. It is also possible to do part of this scenic trek on horseback and continue the rest of your journey on foot to Taktsang.
If the hike uphill sounds a bit daunting, you can be rest assured that you will not feel much strain for the scenery along the trail will calm your soul. Along the way, you will pass through a pristine forest of pine trees and other plants.
Colourful prayer flags, chortens (stupas) and prayer wheels dot the landscape as you make your way up. But there is something new to look out for along the Taktsang trail.
Flora and bird species signage put up recently
Nature lovers can now rejoice! With support from the World Wildlife Fund, the Bhutan Ecological Society has installed signages of five species of plants and 33 species of birds on the Taktsang trail.
Photo: WWF/Bhutan
Inaugurated by the Governor of Paro District and the Abbot of the Taktsang Monastery on 19 December, there are a total of 14 signs on the trail which provide information on the various species of flora and birds that can be seen on the hike.
“There are a lot of species of animals and plants in a very small area and this is amazing,” said Kencho Tshering from Bhutan Ecological Society, in a report by BBS.
The project is an initiative of the Bhutan Ecological Society to disseminate information such as the ages of certain trees and bird life along the Taktsang Trail, using infographic signages.
Aim of erecting signages of plant and bird species
The primary aim is to enable visitors to appreciate the beauty of Bhutan’s nature along one of Buddhism’s most sacred trails.
“Every day, thousands of tourists visit Taktsang. Some are interested in bird species and others come to see the trees species. The signage is not just for the tourists though. We want Bhutanese, especially students, to know about our nature and bird species.”
Depending on the season, some of the species of plants that you can see are rhododendron, blue pine, hemlock, Populus and brown oak. Out of the 33 species of birds, 10 are residential while the others are migratory.
Meanwhile, the Bhutan Ecological Society has plans to erect more such signs on other trails throughout the country.
