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Size : up to 80 cm

The mountain pit-viper is a terrestial viper that occupies upper-level rainforest. Its base colouration ranges from dark to reddish brown with black splotches and irregular bands across the dorsum. There is a triangular dark patch on the top of the head while a series of three whitish stripes run from near the orbit to the lower jaw and throat. A brown postocular streak connects with the rest of the body.

The irises are grey with a black pupil bordered by red. Neonates are miniature versions of adults with white eyes and more intense colouration. The mountain pit-viper hunts small mammals in the wild but a specimen in captivity fed on quails. Another captive female specimen laid up to 17 eggs which did not survive incubation. This species occurs in isolated pockets of Southeast Asia, in Vietnam, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia and Indonesia (Sumatra).