Chumphu Ney is located in Paro district, an hour drive from the capital city. Chumphu Nye is located on a secluded hilltop, detached from civilization. It is located at an elevation of 2800-2900 meters. The total walking distance is approximately 14 km and takes around 4 to 5 hours to reach the monastery depending on your walking pace. The hike will begin at the ‘Zee Go’ opening gate formed by two standing rocks.
The trail is a bit longer compared to hiking up Tiger’s Nest, but it is not as physically exhausting. It is a pleasant hike through an enchanting forest, following a beautiful river until you reach a Stupa (Chorten). The walk is on flat land with little gradient until the last part of the trail at a bridge located at the base of the hill. The last hundred meters incline up to the monastery is fairly steep. During spring season, you can see rhododendron flowers, mountain lilies and other rare floral species blooming beautifully.
The sacred site is popularly known for the floating statue of Dorji Phamo (Vajravarahi). This 3191m statue is inexplicably floating in the air which the visitors can witness upon reaching the monastery. Some visitors test the belief by swiping a money note below the goddess’ feet and see it passing through smoothly. Legend has it that when the statue was discovered from the lake, the statue was only about a foot tall. It is said that the statue magically grew to the present height and was placed in the Lhakhang as the main statue. The lake from where the statue was discovered is above the monastery.
The most enchanting thing about the statue is that it is not a man-made statue but Dorji Phamo herself who turned into this statue. It is believed that prayers and wishes made to the statue are bound to come true.
The temple also has some exquisite wall murals depicting various saints and buddhist masters.
A further 10-minute walk behind the monastery leads to a sacred waterfall (3246m) and a pool connected to Guru Rinpoche.
A typical descent from Chumphu Nye takes about 3 hours.
