Dochula Pass

རྡོ་ཆུ་ལ་

A 3,100-metre pass between Thimphu and Punakha, encircled by 108 chortens and prayer flags, from which you can see the Bhutan Himalayan peaks above 7,000 metres on clear days.

Dochula Pass lies on the road from Thimphu to Punakha at about 3,100 metres, and every western Bhutan route passes through it. The 108 Druk Wangyal chortens were built by the Queen Grandmother, Ashi Dorji Wangmo, in 2004 to commemorate the Fourth King's victory in putting down the southern rebellion and to honour the fallen. They are arranged on the hill in three tiers, and the rhododendron forest behind the chortens is hung with prayer flags. On the hillside opposite, Druk Wangyal Lhakhang (built in 2008) has murals showing the king and soldiers, even airplanes and computers, making it Bhutan's most "modern" temple. On clear days, usually between October and February in the early morning, you can see the Himalayan snow peaks to the northeast, including Gangkhar Puensum (7,570 metres, the highest unclimbed mountain in the world) and a row of 7,000-metre snowcaps. The pass has a café (Dochula Café) where you can sip hot tea while waiting for the clouds to lift, and several hiking trails lead to the Lungchutse temple on the summit (3–4 hours round trip through rhododendron forest). Entry is free and the pass is open all day. It is about 1 hour by car from Thimphu and about 1.5 hours from Punakha. Every year on 13 December, the Dochula Druk Wangyal Festival is held here with masked dances. Allow 30–45 minutes, and try to pass by before 9 a.m. on the way to Punakha to improve your chances of seeing the snow peaks. The pass is 5–8°C colder than Thimphu, so bring a jacket. From March to May, the roads on both sides of the pass are lined with rhododendrons and magnolias in bloom.

Dochula Pass

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Places to eat nearby