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Treks and hikes in south Chin state - Mindat - Kampellet - Mont victoria area - Myanmar |
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Chin state is a perfect place for treks and hiking if you like nature and discover tribes people. Access is easier than in Putao (even if you need a special authorisation) and it is quite "easy" to reach from Bagan (even if it takes 8 hours by car).
You should allow at least 4-5 days for the visit of the south of Chin state, it is a very interesting place, with very friendly local people (as always in Myanmar) that need to see tourist and to get some economic development as well.
Chin village - situation.
The current situation in the remote Chin villages is quite difficult, especially around Mindat and in norht Chin state. Even if you do not travel with us, it is a good idea to bring some warm clothes for the children (especially for winter time, elevevation is between 1700 to 3000 meters, it is very cold in winter). We do not recommand that you bring medecine, as it is always very difficult to be able to distribute them in a safe way in the village (means villagers do not know how to use medecine, and it could be dangerous for them).
If you have a budget, it is better to buy in Myanmar, you will find everything in Yangon .
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Young tatooed Chin girl. It is officially forbidhen by the government but it is widespread in remote village.
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Best time to go in the Chin State. ?
The time is from November to February. Day time is warm (not hot) but nights are cold or very cold (elevation 3 000 meters = 9 000 feet). You must have warm or very warm clothes, shoes etc..
Monsoon: June to Septembre : Roads are in bad conditions, you must rent a four wheel drive, a real one (= expensive to very expensive), you will a lot of rain and mud in the villages. We strongly not recommand to go in this area during the monsoon.
Most of rivers are too deep to cross even with a 4 wheel drive (no bridge), a lot of land slide, avoid rainy season and especially July August.
Dry season : Mars - April - May : This is not the best period. Countryside is very dry, trees lost a lot of leaves, it is still cold at night (March) and there is a lot of forest fire for cleaning land for farmers. If you are interested only by the ethnic part of the trek, it could be ok, if you are planning to see nice forest, green fields etc... it is clearly not the best time to come.
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| What do you need to carry during the trek ? |
(tatooed woman in front of her house) |
Hikking shoes: it is better to have real hiking shoes, in some place it is very sloppy; very strong slope, so it is really better to have real shoes.
In winter (October - February) : warm or very warm clothes (it is really cold and windy), elevation is between 1 700 and 3000 meters, expect 2 C° at night + wind...
Onvernight in villages: take at least a search light, small first aid kit, warm clothes, knife, soap, hand cleaning gel, you may want to have a sleeping bag for the clodest month (December - January).
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For whom ?
Two kinds of people may be interested by the Chin area around Mindat and Kampellet :
- If you are fond of birds, nature, and watching butterflies: In that case, it is better to use Kampellet as base camp. It is easy to do a day (hour) trip in the forest to watch birds and butterflies (especially beautiful in this area). Very little or no physical effort to do.
- People who wants to hike and discover tribes in their villages. LHikes and treks can be more or less difficult but everytime, you will have to walk up and down a lot, so it means you must be in good shape with absolutely no knee or back problem.
- Elevation : from 1 700 to à 3 000 metres with difficult slop (+- 500 to 1000 metres/jour)
- Weather : warm during day time, cold to very cold at night in winter (windy)
- Trek lengh : 1 day to 2-3 nights in the villages.
- Hotel at Mindat : clean, but very very simple, no hot water, shower from a water basket...
- Access road from Bagan : nice, but bad 6 to 10 hours drive.
Access - authorization - accomondations:
- No need any more authorisation
- read our web hotels page for addition information :
- No access in rainy season via Pakkhoku
- Access possible in rainy season via Kampelette but dangerous
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Shaman, Astrologer and the chef of the village
standing in front of the sacrifice post
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Starting point- Access to Mindat or Kampellet:
For all trip in Chin state, Bagan is the best starting place.Le point de départ d'une excursion dans l'état Chin est Bagan.
From Bagan, you can reach either Kampellet or Mindat, then you can do the trek from :
- Kampellet.
- Mindat.
Take a light sport bag for the trek, do not forget sun block cream, and a hat.
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Some possible programs
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(Tatooed woman - Chin group) |
Basic:
- Day 1 : Bagan - Kampellet by car (all the day)
- Day 2 : Mont victoria (mainly countryside, scenic view, no tribes)
- Day 3 : Small walk in villages around Kampellet + car for Mindat
- Day 4 : Day trek around Mindat. Night in Mindat
- Jour 5 : Mindat - Bagan by private car (6 to 8 hours min).
Trek 1 to 3 nights, more demanding:
- 1 to 3 nights around Mindat in the Chin villages, very simple accomondation, step climb.
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If you not feel confortable to stay too long at nigh in villages, you can do 1 night (two days) trek in villages + 1 day trek from Mindat. It is also very interesting and a least you will have one night in the hotel at Mindat..
Difficult or very demanding.:
- 3 nights from Kampellet to Mont Victoria. Nights in villages in the forest between Mount Victoria and Kampellet. It is ver step, very hot below the trees in the forest, very humid.
- Kampellet - Mindat (1 night) : very very step up and down (+- 1000 metre each time) |
Before - after your trek in Chin state.
The most logical starting point for any discovery of the South Chin State is Bagan. Your can organized your trip in south chin state like this :
- Departure from Bagan and return to Bagan.
- Departure from Bagan and return via Pakkhoku Monywa Mandalay.
- Departure fromBagan, Mindat, Kampellet, return via Chauk for a drive to Yangon via Pyay or to the Mount Popa resort (for a rest) before driving to Kalaw or Shan State (Inle Lake, Pindaya)
Chin astrologer
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