Travel Myanmar: Why travelers visit Nat Ma Taung (or) Mount. Victoria, Chin State

The entrance of Nat Ma Taung, also known as Mt.Victoria

The reason is that there are a lot of interesting places and things along the route. Most travelers go to Kanpetlet and proceed to Saw via Bagan (Nyaung U) and Chauk crossing the Mighty Ayeyarwady River over Anawrahta Bridge and then take the route to Seik Phyu – Kan Zun – Ma – Saw – Kanpetlet. They have to drive over 10 miles from Seik Phyu to Saw Intersection and drive on for 59 miles to reach Saw and take another 13 miles drive to Kanpetlet. On the way to Saw from Seik Phyu, travelers have to pass through several villages in the dry zone and pass through Tha Byay Protected Area. Then they have to continue through the mountain side villages and Nat Pan Sanctuary. Along the route, there are NagabwatTaung Camp, Thone-Lel-Phy village, Pyone Camp lying far from each other between protected areas and sanctuaries. When it gets closer to Saw, they can see some teak plantation fields and after passing through Thee-Gone village and Min-Lel village, they get to Saw.

The trip from Saw to Kanpetlet is a 13 mile hiking trip. Kanpetlet is a town situated in the Chin Hill range at 4560 feet above sea level. Even though it is only 80 miles away from Seik Phyu, as it is in Chin State, its geographical features are quite different. The temperature there is much lower and the climate requires the travelers to wear coats and warm clothes.

In the surroundings of Kanpetlet, pine trees can be seen everywhere and visitors can get a sense of a hill town. The uphill road from North-East tip of Kanpetlet goes down at 8000 feet camp at Nat Ma Taung, passing through Aye Camp, Masheyaw, Wanchi Creek, Pyay leading towards Mindat.

Most travelers who visit Nat Ma Taung climb up the mountain on foot. Some go to 8000 feet camp from Kanpetlet by car, which is 10 miles away, and take a hike, which takes about 1.5 hours (which is about 2000 feet away) to the peak of Nat ma Taung. Now most travelers go the peak by car or motorbike.

On the way to Nat Ma Taung from kanpetlet visitors can stay at Mount Oasis Bungalow Hotel, Pine Wood Villa, which have existed for some years and a newly built Sky Palace Hotel. There is another hotel, which is under construction and almost finished, between Pine Wood Hotel and Sky Palace Hotel. After Sky Palace Hotel, there lies Kyat Chan Village at 4mile and it is crowded with visitors.

After Kyat Chan village, one can enjoy the usual scene of forests and mountains except that some trees have been felled due to road expansion. During blossom season of orchids, one can observe various types of orchids grown on the big trees along the road. During blossom season of rhododendron, one can see red rhododendrons in full blossom grown on very tall trees and white rhododendrons on the ground can be seen.

One can also see local birds flying to and fro on the way. Within the area of 9 mile at the height of 7000 feet and 8500 feet of Nat Ma Taung, two rare (endangered) bird species – Burmese Tit and White-browed Nuthutch can be found.

Out of 6 bird species (endemic birds) that can only be found in Myanmar the above-mentioned two types of birds can be found in Nat Ma Taung Area, Chin State and keen Ornithologists and birdwatchers come to Nat Ma Taung to see these birds. If one starts an uphill climb near 10 mile at 8000 feet camp, he can enjoy the picturesque scene of trees big and small and beautiful naturally grown plants in the form of flower garden in ever-misty surroundings on the mountain range.

Beautiful Gray Bushchat and Eire-tailed Sunbird can also be seen at the height of 6000 feet and 8500 feet. As this area is an unspoiled one, rare bird species, orchids, plants and flowers have yet to be explored and discovered in this area. Biologists can also discover insects, butterflies and other small species and birds here.