Located at the foot of the Himalayas, Putao is the northernmost town in Myanmar. Reachable all year around only by plane, it serves as the starting point for trekking and hiking tours through local villages and is home to tribes including the Lisu and Rawang. In the surrounding mountains many rare species of animals can be found, making this area particularly attractive to bird watchers. This region of the Himalayas is one of the last areas of subtropical rain forests. Putao is also the starting point for treks to the Mt. Hkakaborazi, with an elevation of 5,881m (19,295 ft.) the highest mountain in Southeast Asia.