If you are in Myanmar and if you have an adventure spirit, hiking is highly recommended. Mountains here are enriched in wildlife and mesmerizing to explore not only the Mother nature, but also the culture and traditions of the local ethnicities. As we all know, Myanmar is one of the countries overflowing with wonders of nature. Myanmar geographically slopes from north to south, from an elevation of 19,296 feet or 5,881 meters at Mount Hkakabo Razi (highest peak) in the extreme north to sea level at the Ayeyarwady and Sittang river deltas, and forms a shape of a lady dancing or some says, a kite with a long tail. There are varieties of mountain ranges on the northern and western sides of the country waiting for you to be explored. So, here are some tips and tricks for Hiking in Myanmar:

1. Make sure you have the essential gears

A good backpack:

Having a nice backpack is a necessary companion for hiking. There are many types of backpack depending on the duration of hiking trips. Capacity for backpacks is expressed in mostly ‘liters’ in Myanmar and sometimes in ‘cubic inches’.
1. Daypack – If you are going on a one-day hiking trip or day hikes (not planning to sleep on the mountains), daypacks are way to go. Daypacks are normally up to 40 liters and prices are approximately around 40000 MMK.
2. Overnight packs – If you are planning on more than one-day hiking trip, you need more capacity than a daypack. Overnight packs hold 30 – 50 liters and prices range normally around 70000 MMK. Overnight packs are widely used and recommended for beginners.
3. Weekend packs – If your hiking tip is going to last for a week, weekend packs should be considered since they can hold up to 70 liters. Weekend packs might not be a wise choice to buy if you are new to hiking.
4. Extended trip packs – These backpacks are designed for extreme hiking trips like snow mountains which might last up to even a month. The capacity of extended trip pack is over 70 liters and if it is your first hiking trip, this is definitely not the one for you.

Choosing the right backpack is important since there is a research that a good right backpack lasted up to eight years of best companion for hiking. So what are the things you have to look for in a good backpack?
1. Water-resistant material, 100% waterproof is not necessary still you need to make sure when it rains the material won’t stay wet long and semi-waterproof. Trust me you will not want to sleep in a wet sleeping bag or soak in wet clothes after the hike.
Tip: There is nothing wrong with buying extra backpack cover and neon colored covers are highly recommended in order to keep connected with your team even on misty hike. You would also like to secure the backpack cover with clips since you might be caught up in windy situation during the hike.
2. Lockable zippers, if you are bringing your expensive photography equipment on your hiking trip, you might want to look for a backpack with lockable zippers to secure your belongings.
3. Multiple compartments, a good backpack must have multiple compartments so that you can break up your things into sections which requires you for easy accessible.
Tip: Try putting your clothes and things in multiple waterproof zippers in order to get well-organized and waterproof at the same time.
4. Internal fame, majority of backpacks nowadays are internal frame packs which means the support rods and frame are built into the backpack and hidden. Make sure the frame is composed of a carbon fiber or tough plastic to make the backpack lighter, comfy on your back and more durable.
5. Padded hip belt, shoulder straps and back, in order the backpack to be comfy for long hikes, hip belt, shoulder straps and the back have to be padded creating an ease while carrying. A lumber-shaped pack helps distributes weigh more evenly protecting you from getting back pain, and a small space between your back and the bag allowing air to move through and keep you slightly cool.
6. Front loading, allowing you to zip open the face from the side creating easy accessible compared to top loading which makes difficult to get stuff especially at the bottom.

A nice pair of hiking boots: