Visiting the third highest Mountain in Myanmar which is (10018) feet high, and hiking a distance of 15 miles from the old Kan-pet-let city , or driving 10 miles by car from Kan-pet-city and hiking another 5 miles to the mountain.

Observation of 159 bird species including 5 indigenous species and also Blyth’s Tragopan , a very rare species.

Location
Located between 21 24 N and 93 ‘55’ E in Kanpet –let, Mindut and Matupi Townships of Chin State.

Area
279 square miles.

Forest/Vegetative Types
Hill Evergreen Forests
moist Upper Mixed Deciduous Forests
Pine Forests (above 9000 feet)
Hill Savannah

Wildlife
Mammals such as tiger bear wild board, leopard, goar, serow, gibbon, etc. and 159 bird species, reptiles and butterfly are present.

Access
Yangon to Bagan (320 miles by flight / by car), Bagan to Chauk (18 miles), Chauk to Hsaw (69 miles), Hsaw to Kanpelet (12 miles) by car. Accommodation: Forest guest house & private owned resort can available at Kanpelet.

Mount Victoria for Eco-tourism
Trekking to Mount Victoria, a well-known summit in Chin State (province) of Myanmar, is gaining favor among eco tourists. Myanmar is the ecotourism's delight, too. There are still many pockets of natural beauty with rare flora and fauna where very few have set foot on. Mt. Victoria in Chin State is like a jewel in the crown in this respect.

The 10,200 feet Mt. Victoria in Chin State is snow free the year round although weather can freeze over in the depths of the cold season. Moreover, the mountain is not rocky enough, so climbing it is just ordinary mountain climbing. A person with moderate health and stamina can tackle it. Then an added attraction is it is the only high mountain close to the plains.

The increasingly appreciated Mt. Victoria is a force to be reckoned with in Eco-tourism. Apart from vigorous trekking, its flora and fauna hold a great attraction for foreign tourists. Many species and subspecies exist, some peculiar to this region alone. Mt. Victoria is great for bird-watching and observing butterflies. Those interested in anthropology can study the Chins’ culture to their satisfaction. Then Mt. Victoria is considered to be an extinct volcano, of a very rare kind.

Moreover, the local nationals are known to be friendly and hospitable. All these seem to be guaranteed to elicit a repeat visit.

Due to its unique geographical position, Myanmar is home to more than a thousand species of birds. It has the distinction of being the only home of four species, of which the white –browed Nuthatch (Sitta Victoria) is one. Only a few specialists have seen this bird. 10 to 17 birds of this species were observed, mostly paired, on Mt. Victoria recently.

Present Situation

The Tourism Promotion Management Committee has given guidance that ecotours and culture tours be given priority in development of Myanmar tourism. Moreover, international airports will be extended, and access from across the border has been made easier.

There are now 13 foreign companies and 553 domestic operators in tourism business of Myanmar, most of which have gained a lot of experience on international travel. Officials at the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism are veterans, some having even obtained Master Degree in Tourism. Their know-how is wide and considerable.

Of course Myanmar would like to keep her natural beauty and biodiversity, her nationalities’ culture and way of life as unaffected as possible. Yet requests to visit ecologically attractive regions such as Putao District, Chin State, Mount Victoria, etc. could be considered. Permissions to enjoy or study nature at its best could be given after due scrutiny of applications.