Kennedy Peak

2,703m (8,868 ft)

A trek up the dirt road/track leading to the summit from Kalay-Tiddim road, Sozang village takes between 2 and 3 hours.

There is no exclusive hiking trail leading up to the top of Kennedy Peak. There is, however, a dusty dirt road, which is paved in some areas and turns into more of a gravel dirt track later on. 

The area is well known for its flora and fauna. Going up the dirt road, you will likely see flowers, butterflies and other wildlife. 

The road splits at a point called Kennedy Junction. One-half of the fork leads to a town called Teddim, and the other half leads up to the summit. 

The last section just before the summit is a bit rougher than the rest of the track and is the only section that can’t always be driven up.

At the summit sits a big silver cross, a gold pagoda and a TV station tower nearby. 

If you happen to be at the summit at night, it is a great place for astrophotography. The early mornings also reward campers with a sea of clouds and a view of the sunrise over the surrounding mountains.

The way down is steep and rocky.

This area has short, warm and cloudy summers and short, cool, dry and clear winters. In between summer and winter is an active rainy reason.

The best time to visit Kennedy Peak for clear skies and comfortable temperatures is between mid-March and mid-April. However, if you want to see the rhododendrons and Sakuras, you’ll have to plan a trip for December, which tends to be colder and drier. 

Between the end of March and the beginning of June is usually the warm season with daily average high temperatures above 27°C (81°F). The cool season is between late November and very early February with daily average high temperatures of below 22°C (72°F).

The rain comes between mid-May and late September with an 18% chance or more of any given day being a wet day. July is the rainiest month with an average of almost 10 days of rain. The drier season is between late September and mid-May. The month with the least rain is January with an average of less than a day of rain in the month.

You won’t need any specialised equipment to go up Kennedy Peak. You could probably do the hike in sandals, though sneakers are recommended.

There are no special facilities on the mountain, though you may encounter locals along the way selling food and drink and other goods. Take some water and snacks with you.

Though not absolutely necessary, it is probably better to take a guide, especially considering the remote area and historical political tension in the area. Tracks left by Mithun (or Drung ox) can also potentially confuse trekkers about which route is the correct way to go.

Kennedy Peak is part of the Chin Hills, in the Arakan Mountains, Falam District, Chin State, Myanmar. The closest village is the Tedim township which dominates the Tedim road. 

The nearest international airport is Mandalay International Airport and it takes about 8 hours by car to get to the peak from here. 

To get to Kennedy Peak, you can catch a flight from Mandalay Airport to Kalaymyo and from there get a private bus to Tedim.

The peak is located in quite a rural area and is the location of a military outpost. There has historically been political tension, and there can often be activity surrounding the mountain due to this tension. It would be prudent to do your research on the current state of affairs in the area before planning a climb.