South East Asian Trips

The Kakaborazi Trip

Mt. Kakaborazi lies 180 miles north of Putao, the northernmost district in Kachin State as well as in Myanmar. Mt. Kakaborazi is 19,351 ft above sea-level and the highest mountain in Southeast Asia.

There are many ways to reach Mt. Kakaborazi from Putao. A convenient way is to go from Putao to Machanbaw by car, an hour's drive for fourteen miles. After crossing Maylikha river over a suspension bridge, the town of Machanbaw is reached, where there is the Gubar guesthouse for overnight stays. Beyond Machanbaw, the journey continues for 39 miles by hiking and trekking up and down the hills, through thick woods and deep forests, across the scenic Kachin landscape endowed with rare flora and fauna to the town of Naungmon, the northernmost town in Myanmar 1,798 ft above sea level. Between Naungmon and Mt. Kakaborazi are only small hamlets and cabins until the basecamp at the foot of Mt. Kakaborazi is reached.

The round trip of Putao - Mt. Kakaborazi - Putao takes 40 days, provided that each camp is reached according to schedule. Bypassing the camps along the trip will reduce the duration to about 34 days. It is important to carry two extra days' worth of supplies and to find sufficient number of carriers, otherwise the trip will be delayed.

The best time to start the trip from Putao to the foot of the mountain is in early September. For mountain-climbing, the best starting time is during the last week of July. In climbing Mt. Kakaborazi, each excursion team should comprise at least two groups with the tourists going in the latter while the leading group carries the supplies. It is necessary to make preparations in Yangon a week in advance. Experienced climbers can reach the top and be back to the base-camp in 12 days. However, it is important to note that the weather at the top is always changing from hour to hour,

The Phonganrazi Trip

Mt. Phonganrazi in the northwestern part of Putao township, Kachin State, and is the most accessible and most convenient snowcapped mountain in the region for climbing. Rising 11,500 ft above sea level, Mt. Phonganrazi is usually covered with ice and snow for about eight months a year, except in August and September. The trip to Mt. Phonganrazi is 61 miles from Putao. The first 14 miles from Putao to Upper Shankaung village is a motor road while the rest of the trip has to be made on foot.Ice covers the ground three miles from the top. If the weather is favourable, trekkers can stay atop for about 1 to 1½ hour. The round trip from Putao to Mt. Phonganrazi and back to Putao takes 12 days for an average climber.

Lisu and Rawan tribes live in the region although the majority of the people are Rawans, who earn their living by doing hunting and hillside cultivation. Almost all the people in the region are Christians.

As in Kakaborazi, the weather in the region is unpredictable, and it should be noted that there is no month without rain,

Lonkrumadin

Similar to Mt. Kakaborazi and Mt. Phonganrazi, Lonkrumadin is a snow-capped mountain in Kachin State in the north of Myanmar near the border with India. It has a height of 10,450 ft above sea level. It can be reached from Putao which is 725 miles by air from Yangon. Porters and guides must be hired, and the trekking takes about two days to Nanzin Village, the last human settlement on the way to the peak. The weather in the area is usually fierce and heavy rain can be expected all the year round. Along the way, there are streams to cross that would require building temporary suspension bridges. These streams can pose great difficulties to climbers especially after torrents of rain. It can take even experienced climbers about eight days just to reach the top from the nearest village even in the case of experienced climbers,

Nat-Ma-Taung (Mt. Victoria) Trip

Nat-ma-taung or Mt. Victoria, named after the British Queen, is 10,500 ft high and situated in Kanpetlet township in southern Chin state. It is the highest mountain in the western mountain ranges of Myanmar as well as the most famous peak in the Myanmar Arc, a branch of the Himalayan Ranges. A national park of the same name has been declared around Nat-ma-taung. Nat-ma-taung can be reached via Mindat, 91 miles away from Pakokku, and a one day trip by car. From Mindat, trekkers can climb a steep road for 11 miles to Aye camp, 5700 ft above sea-level, crossing a stream over a suspension bridge along the way. It takes six to nine hours to get to the camp. From there, the journey to the top of the mountain is 12 miles and takes another 6-9 hours. The complete round trip (Mindat - Mt. Victoria - Mindat) takes four days for average trekkers.

Another route is via the town of Kanpetlet in southern Chin state. It is a more convenient way as tourists can drive to about 3 miles from the mountain top within a day via Bagan - Chauk - Seikphyu - Saw - Kanpetlet, crossing the Ayeyawaddy River over a bridge. The whole trip, Yangon - Nat-ma-taung - Yangon takes 3 days.

Nat-ma-taung region is inhabited by a number of ethnic Chin tribes such as Pwin, Makan, Yaungtu, Yindu (Daing) and Upu. Most of the Chins follow Christianity but some are Buddhists and traditional animists.

The weather around Nat-ma-taung is extremely cold during December and January with the temperature falling below 3°C and 8°C (sometimes even to 0°C). Whenever there is low barometric pressure in the Bay of Bengal, rain usually falls on Nat-ma-taung so it is advisable to bring a raincoat.