Cheri Monastery is located north of Thimphu at an elevation of 2850meters. It takes nearly 30 minutes of car drive(15km) and 45-60 minutes uphill hike to reach the monastery. It is just opposite of Tango Monastery It is also called Changri Dorjeden Monastery. It sits on a hill above the end of the road at Dodeyna It was established in the year 1620 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. It was at the Monastery that he established the first Drukpa monastic in 1623. He also spent three years in the monastery for retreat. The place is good for hiking and check-out retreats and meditation centers.
According to history, the place was first visited by Guru Padmasambhava in the 8th century. In the 13th century, Phajo Drugom Zhigpo also visited the place to spread the Drukpa Kagyu sect in Bhutan. In 1705 Umze Peljor, the 7th Druk Desi retired to Cheri Monastery who he lived until his death in 1707.
After reaching the road point you can see a Bhutanese wooden bridge on the left side of the Wangchu river bank. you cross the bridge and start uphill hiking, the trail leads up to the Monastery. The hike takes nearly 45-60 minutes. You can spot many small built houses nearby the Monastery, which are all meditation caves for lamas.