Bhutan: Dochula Pass & 108 Druk Wangyal Chortens

Dochula Pass is a mountain pass at 3,140 m (10,300 ft), and also 108 108 Druk Wangyal Chortens (or stupas) built by the queen mother in honor of her son, the forth king of Bhutan who led Bhutanese soldiers to a victory in 2003 in military operation against Assamese insurgents from India. The chortens sit on a hill with panoramic views of the distant Himalayas. There is also a temple here and a festival takes place once a year. The chortens are built in a traditional Bhutanese style with flat square tops. They are built in three layers, the first lowest level layer has 45 chortens, the second has 36 and the top layer has 27. In the middle, there is 1 last big chorten.