Tango and Cheri Monasteries Hike
Tashi Wangmo • June 6, 2020
Gateway to Spiritual and Nature, Tango and Chari Hike
To escape the bustling city and hiking to the Tango and Cheri Monasteries located north of the city is a peaceful getaway. The monasteries are located on adjacent hills and it is about 30 minutes drive through the rural settlement and along the fast flowing Thimphu river.
It is best to visit the Tango Monastery first and from the base it is about 45 minutes hike through a well paved pathway to the Monastery. The monastery is built on a rock that looks like a horse head, hence the name Tango meaning ‘horse head’.
Historically the Monastery holds a significant place in Bhutan as the first ever teachings of the Drukpa Kagyu flourished from this place and credited to the great saint Phajo Drugom Zhigpo. The Drukpa Kagyu is a branch of the Tibetan Buddhism that flourished in Bhutan as the dominant sect and state religion till date. Phajo Drugom Zhigpo was a Buddhist saint revered as an emanation of the Buddha of Compassion (Avalokitesvara) and he and his descendants played an important role in shaping the history of Bhutan.
The Monastery currently serves as the University for Buddhist studies for monks where English language is also taught as a minor subject. In and around the monastery the monks will be busy with their daily routine while some will be curiously waiting to have their photographs taken and exchange a few words with visiting guests.
After completing their university studies the monks enter into meditation for 3 years, 3 months and 3 days at various mediation places across the country and one of them being at the Cheri Monastery located opposite to Tango.
The hike to the Cheri Monastery is about 1 hour from the base after crossing the cantilever bridge covered by vibrant prayer flags making it a perfect spot for great photography. Unlike the Tango Monastery, Cheri Monastery is a complex of meditation houses (huts), with the small huts strewn all over the hillside. The only sound heard is of the river splashing down in the valley and of the chirping of the birds only. The goral or mountain goats can also be seen grazing on the edges of the mountains. Such atmosphere will encourage you to meditate here for a while and enjoy the serenity.
The excursion of Tango and Cheri Monasteries is best experienced with a picnic lunch by the river side.
Through this undisturbed tropical, sub-tropical and Alpine regions of virgin forests, waterfalls and lakes, highland nomadic villages, undisturbed nature and views of the Greater Himalayas and Snow Capped Peaks, Bhutan offers some of the best trekking experiences all year round.
The view from there is the panoramic sight of almost all the tallest Himalayan Mountain of Bhutan like majestic Gangkar Puensum, formidable Table Mountain and Tiger Mountain. As it is located at the top, the view of the Himalayan ranges is better than anywhere in the area, even as compared to famous Dochula Pass.
For Bhutanese, Gross National Happiness means a good government that creates an enabling environment for people to pursue happiness in a meaningful way. The result is a country at peace with itself, and people at peace with themselves!
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Clinging on a huge rock towards the north end of the Tang valley lies the Thowa Drak Hermitage just like the famed Tiger’s Nest Monastery in Paro. From the valley or road point it is a stiff 3 hours hike uphill through the serene and peaceful forest. Sweeping views of the Tang valley and the landscape can be enjoyed along the way with a bird’s eye view from the main site.
A quick visit to the Swiss Cheese Factory and Brewery is a refreshing alternative after visiting many temples and religious sites in the Bumthang valley. The Factory was started in the late 1960’s by a Swiss national Mr Fritz Maurer who visited Bhutan and settled in Bumthang.