Chele La is the highest motorable pass in Bhutan — a 3,988-metre saddle in the ridge separating the Paro and Haa valleys, an hour's drive south-west of Paro town up a tightly switch-backed mountain road. The pass crests in a meadow strung with thousands of prayer flags fluttering in the high-altitude wind, with views north across to the snow-capped peaks of Mount Jomolhari (7,326 m, the second-highest in Bhutan and a sacred mountain) and south down into the rarely-visited Haa valley.
The drive itself is the experience — the road climbs steadily from Paro through pine and oak forest, then switches into rhododendron and dwarf bamboo as you approach the treeline at around 3,500 m. April-May is the spectacular window when the rhododendrons (red, pink, white, and the rarer blue species) flower in solid colour blocks along the road. Stop at the small viewpoints partway up for photographs of the Paro valley spreading out below — terraced fields, the airport runway, and Rinpung Dzong visible from above.
At the pass itself, the prayer flag forest is the photo. Hundreds of thousands of multicoloured Buddhist prayer flags are strung between trees and poles in dense layered curtains — with each fluttering, prayers are said to be released to the wind. The view to Mount Jomolhari (visible only on clear mornings, often clouded by midday) is the headline. Several short ridge walks lead off the pass; a 30-45 minute hike along the ridgeline north gives a small Mahakala temple and even broader Himalaya views.
Most travellers continue down the western side into the Haa valley for lunch at Lhakhang Karpo (the White Temple) or one of the village guesthouses, then return to Paro the same afternoon — a full but rewarding day. Bring warm layers (the pass runs 5-15°C cooler than Paro, and wind is constant) and altitude-sickness awareness — quick ascents from 2,200 m to 4,000 m can cause headaches. Combine with a visit to Kyichu Lhakhang temple en route. A car-and-driver from your Paro hotel is the standard arrangement; expect 4,500-6,500 BTN for the full day.