The road between Thimphu in the west and Punakha in the east leads you over the Dochula Pass, a magnificent mountain pass more than 10,000 feet above sea level. This is a must-see stop for tourists to Bhutan, not only for the wonderful views over towards the snow-covered mountains in the distance, but for the 108 memorial chortens dotted on the hilltop.
The pass is also known as the ‘Druk Wangyal Chortens’. Each of the 108 memorial stupas represents a soldier who lost his life in the war of 2003. Operation All Clear was a military operation conducted by Royal Bhutan Army forces against Assam separatist insurgent groups in the southern regions of Bhutan between 15 December 2003 and 3 January 2004. It was the first operation ever conducted by the Royal Bhutan Army.
The mountain pass is approximately 20 kilometers long and runs between Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan, and the town of Punakha, home to another must-see tourist attraction, Punakha Dzong.
Arriving at the summit of the Dochula Pass, one is immediately struck by the cold weather and the howling wind, but also by the sight of the 108 chortens on the hillside. Take some time to explore the chortens and reflect on the sacrifice of the soldiers who gave their lives to defend their country. I found the chortens fascinating and, despite the howling wind and miserable weather, explored the site for around an hour. Once you have finished exploring the chortens, head up to the Druk Wangyel Cafeteria behind the parking lot for some food and some warm tea. Take the opportunity to warm up while enjoying the stunning views over the valley towards the snow-capped mountains in the distance.
After your mid-morning snack, and before you continue your journey, take the chance to visit the Druk Wangyel Monastery, built in honor of His Majesty the fourth Druk Gyalpo, Jigme Singye Wangchuck. The temple was built as a memorial to celebrate 100 years of monarchy in Bhutan. Paintings portraying Bhutanese history decorate the walls of the temple. Some of the paintings include the fourth King fighting Indian rebels in the forest, monks with laptops, and a Drukair plane.
Finally, if time permits, visit the Royal Botanical Park, Lamperi, on the same site as the 108 chorten and the Druk Wangyel Monastery. Wander around the paved paths and explore the 46 species of rhododendron, 18 of which are native to the park while the other 26 species were brought from other regions of Bhutan and planted here. On the day that I visited Dochula Pass, the pathways were under construction and about to be tarred. I managed to place some of my ‘Charles Was Here’ time capsule tokens under the small stones before they were tarred over so these are now safely preserved and may be found by future generations of travelers once the tarred road needs to be replaced.
No visit to Bhutan would be complete without a stop at the top of the Dochula Pass, so make sure that your tour guide includes this on your itinerary. Make sure that you wear warm clothes for your visit as the Dochula Pass is cold all year round. Dochula Pass may be found on Google Maps here.
If you are looking for accommodation in Bhutan, you may want to start your planning in Thimphu by clicking here, although, in all likelihood, you will have to make your reservations through a local travel agent.
I arranged my vacation to Bhutan with Amulet Luxury Travel Bhutan and the tour that I did, called ‘Heart of Bhutan’, many be found here. The owner of the company, Mr Tshering Tashi, has become a friend over the years and I have pleasure in recommending his company for your travels to Bhutan. The links above are offered as a gesture of goodwill to Mr Tshering for the most amazing vacation that I enjoyed in Bhutan. They are NOT affiliate links and I will not earn any commission by you booking through his company.
Our other posts from Bhutan may be found here.
(Visited May 2016)