Paro Chele La Pass Alpine Trek
Drive and trek to Chele La Pass — at 3,988 meters the highest motorable pass in Bhutan — where alpine meadows burst with blue poppies, rhododendrons, and primulas, and on clear days the view stretches to Jomolhari and Jichu Drake towering above 7,000 meters.
- 1
Paro Town Departure
Begin the drive from Paro town through the upper valley, climbing steeply through blue pine and fir forest as the valley floor and its patchwork rice fields shrink below.
- 2
Rhododendron Forest Belt
Enter a belt of dense rhododendron forest that blooms red and pink in spring — one of the most spectacular natural displays in Bhutan, the trees draped in moss and lichen.
- 3
Alpine Meadow Viewpoint
Above the treeline, open meadows offer the first clear views of the Himalayan peaks to the north, with Jomolhari (7,326m) dominating the horizon on clear mornings.
- 4
Chele La Pass Summit (3,988m)
The prayer-flag-festooned high point of the drive, where wind rattles thousands of colored flags bearing mantras skyward and 360-degree views span across two valleys and toward Tibet.
- 5
Blue Poppy Meadows
Bhutan's national flower, the Himalayan blue poppy (Meconopsis), grows in these high meadows — rare and striking, blooming in June and July between patches of snow.
- 6
Descent to Haa Valley View
The pass straddles two worlds — Paro Valley to the east and the more remote Haa Valley to the west, a restricted area where traditional Bhutanese life continues with minimal outside influence.