8 Days Putao Mountain Trekking Tour

Breakfast and depart by jeep/truck to upper Shangaung (17 km, approx one hour) on a rugged road. Shangaung has two separate villages and inhabitants by both Lisu and Rawan tribes. Your adventure starts as we get off the jeep and start trek to Wasandum (20 km, approx 6 hours) trek through Mt. Shangaung at 4468 ft, 1362 meters. Pack lunch on the way and continue the trek to Wasandum. The first 10 km will be straight up along the trail winding up to the top of Mt. Shangaung from then the trail goes all the way down to Wasandum. This will be the testing journey for you as you have to ascend from 1060 meters up to 1362 meters and then descend back to 860 meters. Wasandum is a small Rawan village situated by Namro creek. Check-in at the guest house and those who wish to wash up may go to Namro creek to do so with crystal clear water. Dinner and overnight at Wasandum guest house are dormitory-style.

Breakfast and leave the village for your today destination at Ziyadum, through relatively flat land with just a few ups and downs. At first cross Namro creek to Awadum (7.4 km, approx 3 hours). Awad is mainly inhabited by Lisu and separated into two by a large paddy field. Here we cross a suspension bridge that spans Namlang creek to Kalang (4.8 km, approx one hour and thirty-minute). Lunch stop and continue trek to Ziyadum (6.4 km, approx 2 hours) through deep evergreen forests. Ziyadum, situated at an altitude of 3440 ft, 1048 meters is the most northwestern and last frontier village in the Putao region, mainly residents are the Rawan tribe. It is recommended to visit Ziya creek for a fantastic sunset view with blazing snow Mountains in the west which spark in to a steady flowing Ziya creek. Dinner and overnight at the Ziyadum guest house are dormitory-style.

Breakfast and relax through the day. You may simply sit by the Ziya river and enjoy the mountain views, listen to the birds call, fish iced-water fish in the river, or take a day return trip to Chaungsone (9.6 km, approx 3 hours) through the deep evergreen forest with plenty of bird life. Here you may have an opportunity to socially interact with local hunters, medicinal plants and roots seekers, etc on the way. Pack lunch at Chaungsone camp and afternoon return to Ziyad. Dinner and overnight at Ziyadum guest house.

Enjoy another lazy morning and after an early lunch bid farewell to the locals and head back to your today’s destination, Awadum crossing suspension bridges and through beautiful evergreen avenues. Dinner and overnight at Wasandum guest house.

Having left the wilderness behind and returned to the clutches of human civilization. As soon as we start the trek goes challenging uphill to the plateau of Mt. Shangaung, before continuing rapidly downhill to Shangaung where our jeep meets us and takes us back to Putao. Pack lunch on the way. Enjoy a farewell dinner with our fellow group members, including leaders, porters to commemorate the experience that we’ve shared for the past week in this unique part of the world. Overnight at Putao trekking house.

Breakfast and visit Putao market and leave by jeep to Naungkhine (22.4 km, approx one hour). Cross 211 meters long Malikha suspension bridge on foot to Machanbaw, a small administrative town beautifully set up with colonial style. Visit the charming town following a visit to the so-called “stone dragon” park which should take an approx 20-minute walk. Return to Naungkhine where your jeep awaits you and take you to Mulashidi Lisu village (35 km, approx one hour). Lunch stop and visit the attractive Lisu settlement and another suspension bridge across the Mula river. Enjoy beautiful surroundings often back-drop with snow-capped mountains in distance. Later we return to Putao and check in at the hotel. Dinner and overnight at Putao trekking house.