04/09/2026
Dochula Pass dates back to the 15th century, when Lama Drukpa Kunley, famously known as the Divine Madman, wandered through these mountains, subduing negative forces with his flaming thunderbolt of wisdom. Later, a stupa was built here, it is an ancient highway travelled by people and animals on foot for Hundreds of years.
When motorable roads were introduced in Bhutan, the route followed the ancient trail over Dochula. It was then a single-lane,considered a two-way road, and the journey to Punakha took almost 4 - 5 hours. By 2013, the road had been widened for two-way traffic, reducing the journey to around 2–2.5 hours.
Following the 2003 operation led by His Majesty the Fourth King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, against insurgents in southern Bhutan, Her Majesty the Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck initiated the construction of the 108 Druk Wangyal Chortens in 2004.
The 108 chortens were built not to celebrate victory, but to honour the lives lost during the operation and to overcome negative obstacles, bringing peace and prosperity to the world.
On a clear day, especially in winter and early spring, the permanently snow-capped peaks of the Greater Himalayas and the highest unclimbed mountain in the world Gangkar Punsum 7570 meters / 24,836 feet high can be seen from Dochula. These magnificent mountains have served as a natural barrier between Bhutan and Tibet since time immemorial.
