Mundo Perdido

Mundo Perdido, the lost world, is a limestone massif near Ossu in eastern Timor-Leste rising to around 1,760 metres, with forest on its slopes that holds several of the island's endemic birds and a plateau top that gave it the name. The climb goes up from the villages with local guides. It is one of the better birding areas in the country and among the last substantial forest blocks. Timor has around twenty five bird species found nowhere else, and several of them occur on this massif.

What you actually see

• The limestone massif - the block rising to around 1,760 metres.
• The forest - one of the last substantial blocks in the country.
• The endemic birds - Timor species found nowhere else.
• The plateau top - the flat ground that gave the mountain its name.

When to go

May to November is the dry season and the practical window. The rains from December make the climb difficult. Early morning is best for birds.

Honest expectations

The route is unmarked and a guide is essential. The climb is steep and takes most of a day. There are no facilities on the mountain.

Nearby

Ossu is below, and Viqueque is south.