XXIX 2 Sonam, Gantey, Bhutan Bhutan’s verdant valleys filled with fluttering prayer flags are surrounded by the high, snow-peaked mountains that have helped isolate the country for much of its history. The Tiger’s Nest is a monastery perched precariously on a sheer cliff high above Paro valley. Everywhere you go there are Buddhist temples and monasteries filled with the sound of mantras and the scent of incense.