View into the valley near Deothang

Unlike Western Bhutan where the route goes over passes between one valley and another, the road here follows ridges almost the whole way and is marked throughout with stone chortens.

The town of Deothang, at 870 metres, holds little of interest today except for a Technical Training College and the road maintenance headquarters for the east. However, up until 1865 there was an important fort standing on the ridge overlooking the road. This fort, known at the time as Dewangiri, was dismantled by the British during the Anglo-Bhutanese War of 1865. The British suffered a crushing defeat here and when they recaptured Dewangiri they hurried to destroy all trace of their earlier humiliation.