A few miles north of the Punakha dzong is one of Bhutan’s modern marvels of Buddhist architecture: Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten. Built under the direction of the Queen Mother in 2004, this chorten (aka stupa) is intended to ward off evil spirits and stand as a symbol of universal peace. We hiked across the river suspension bridge covered in prayer flags to the mountains tiered with rice terraces. We stopped to take countless photos of the little waterfalls flowing between paddies, spin massive prayer wheels, and chat with friendly farmers. The royal family also hikes this trail as an annual pilgrimage to evoke the deities.
