cheri monastery (located north of thimphu): also known as chagri dorjeden monastery it was founded by zhabdrung ngawang namgyal in 1620 and it was here in 1623 in that he established the first drukpa kagyu monastic order in bhutan. the leader spent 3 years of his life here and regularly returned later in his life. a silver chorten inside the upper goemba contains his father’s ashes. it is about 20 minutes’ drive and and uphill hike of about 1 – 1.50 hrs from dodena. the monastery today is a major teaching centre of drukpa kagyu order.