Takstang Monasery, considered Bhutan’s most iconic landmark, is a temple complex perched on the side of a cliff at 3100m/10,170ft above sea level. It takes 3-5 hours from the base to reach the complex. It is believed that Guru Padmasambhava arrived here riding a flying tigress to meditate in Taktsang Senge Samdup cave for three years, three months, three weeks, three days and three hours in the 8th century. Guru Padmasambhava is credited with introducing Buddhism to Bhutan and is the tutelary deity of the country. The temple complex was first built in 1692, around the cave by Gyalsey Tenzin Rabgye, the fourth Druk Desi.  Gyalsey Tenzin Rabgye is believed to be the reincarnation of Padmasambhava. It is believed that the builders of this monastery transported all the timbers up to these heights with assistance from dakinis or celestial beings. A fire ravaged the monastery in 1998 and it took the renovation team until 2005 to reconstruct it with the help of a cable lift. Today, Paro Taktsang is the best known of the thirteen taktsang or “tiger lair” caves in which he meditated.