Dochula Pass

Dochula Pass sits at 3,100 meters on the road between Thimphu and Punakha, marked by 108 memorial chortens built in 2005. On clear days — most common in autumn and winter — the pass offers a sweeping panorama of the eastern Himalayan peaks including Gangkar Puensum (7,570m), the world's highest unclimbed mountain. The Druk Wangyel Lhakhang temple sits just below the chortens, and a short nature trail loops through the surrounding rhododendron forest. Most travelers stop here in transit, but it rewards an early-morning visit when the mountains are clearest.