Northern Myanmar

Putao & Myanmar Himalaya

Putao is a small town situated in the far north of Kachin state. Due to its very hard accessibility Putao and its surrounding nature have stayed quite undiscovered and pristine to this date. Putao town is situated in a valley of 457m (1,499ft) and the surrounding area is bordered by China, Tibet and India. The town is split half by the Namlang River and you can see the snow-capped Himalayan Mountains in the far distance. The valley is surrounded by rugged hills which some are covered in thick unpassable jungle. Putao region is also home for the Highest Mountain in South East Asia, Hkakabo Razi that rises up to 5,881 meters (19 294ft). Hkakabo Razi has been conquered by only few mountaineers and the expedition takes at least one month.

Exploring nature around Putao

The nature of Putao valley and the surrounding areas is as pure as nature gets and unique with flora and fauna that can be only found in the region, for example you have a chance to find the enchanting “Black Orchid”. Eastern Himalaya is a true hot spot for wildlife and due to its hard accessibility and uncharted areas scientists are still finding an average of 35 new species a year.  The nature of the area varies a lot due to different altitudes but it is mostly thick with subtropical forests, bamboo groves and sub-alpine species with veins of clear mountain creeks running through the valleys.

Ethnic encounters in Putao Valley & Myanmar Himalaya

Putao and around is habituated mainly by Kachin, Rawang and Lisu ethnic people and determined missionaries have made Christianity the main religion of the area, but in more rural parts animistic believes play still strong role in people’s daily lives. Like all people in Myanmar the locals are friendly and welcome visitors with shy enthusiasm. It is highly recommended to visit some of the surrounding villages as they are still living simple lives undisturbed by western influences. These encounters are great experiences for both sides if they are done respectfully and on terms of the locals.

Activities in the Putao region

Putao is the starting point for all short and long expeditions to the surrounding wilderness. The Namlang and Malikha rivers offer great chances for canoeing or white water rafting. For trekkers there are countless of different treks and routes with different difficulty levels from few days to couple of weeks.  It is also possible to arrange day trips to surrounding villages for the ones that want to stay overnight comfortably in Putao with western comforts such as warm shower.

How to get to Putao?

Like said Putao is the further most town in Myanmar and getting there is not very easy but nowadays it is much easier that few years back.  At the moment Air Bagan and Golden Myanmar are operating between Mandalay, Myitkyina and Putao twice a week. The flight secludes are constantly changing so it is best to check the latest info from your tour operator. Tourist do not need a permit to go to Putao town, but to go outside of town permit is needed and the application process must be made through tour company and the process takes about a week. So basically to see the nature and surroundings you need a permit. There is a road from Myitkyina to Putao but currently foreigners are not allowed to travel on that road.

When is best time to travel to Putao & Myanmar Himalayan region?

The climate in Putao is humid subtropical climate which is monsoon influenced. Putao has three seasons with winter, hot and rainy seasons. The climate gets cooler and harsher the higher you trek and after the snow line temperatures might drop as low as -10 Celsius.

November->February (winter): This is the most popular tourist season with usually clear skies and warm days with cool temperatures after sunset. Average temperature varies between low 3/10 degree and high 20/30 degree Celsius. Temperatures at the snow line (above 3000m) can easily drop below freezing with some snow fall.

March->May (summer): During this season temperatures are warmer with hot and humid days in the valley but still comfortably cool in the evenings. This is the best time to scale the higher peaks like Phangrang Razi due to less snow fall on the mountains.  Average temperatures are 10/15 Celsius for low and 20/35 high. Towards May climate gets more humid and occasional showers can be expected.

June->October (rainy season): Rain fall is almost daily and weather is very humid and temperature varies between low 18/20 and high 28/30 Celsius. This season is still fascinating for those interested in the flora and fauna as the rain make the nature flourish.