Kibungan Mountain Range Trek

Don't bother getting your Philippines guidebook – you won't find this place there. As cliché as it sounds, Kibungan really is the country's best-kept secret for hiking and trekking. Few places in the Philippines have rocky mountainsides as dramatic, rice terraces as well-kept or flora as rich as those of Kibungan, and no other place has all these elements in one area. Kibungan's rivers, rice terraces and forested mountains come together to create stunning scenes that can make anyone a good photographer. You would think that such a gorgeous place would be mobbed by visitors but there are hardly ever any tourists in sight.

The Kibungan mountain range is what all of the Cordillera was before the age of modernization and mass tourism. There, locals still trek an hour each way every day to get to and from their rice paddies that are carved into mountainsides. People drink straight out of rivers and use caves as burial sites. One can stare out into the distance and see nothing but mountains and small villages, with no roads or cities as far as the eye can see. Kibungan is not easily accessible, and that is what preserves its magic.

This trek is not easy. It involves long rides, all-day hikes on moderate to steep terrain and bare essentials camping. Porters help us carry our load but they can't carry people up mountains, so fitness and hiking experience are required. If you are an avid hiker or simply an active traveler looking for something truly special, this is definitely the trip for you.

Highlights and activities

• Three days of challenging hiking through the most scenic mountain trail in the Philippines.

• hiking / trekking

1. no image

   Day 1: Trip to Baguio

   We meet in Manila in the evening and take a 6-hour overnight bus to Baguio.

2. 

   Day 2: Ride to Kibungan and start of trek

   From Baguio it is another 4 hours to the town of Kibungan. The road to Kibungan is winding and sometimes rough, but it is very scenic. We get to Kibungan in mid-morning and after meeting our local companions we drive 15 minutes to the trailhead and start trekking.

   Our trek is a circuit of the Kibungan mountain range that takes us up and down several mountains. The fun begins with a steep downhill hike and in the distance we see rice terraces carved into mountainsides. At the bottom of the downhill trail is a river that we cross via a hanging bridge. The area around the river is cultivated with rice and we hike along the edges of the paddies. The most challenging part begins at a gully that goes up a mountain. The views on that section are spectacular, with mountains, streams and rice terraces merging beautifully to form a stunning landscape. Once we reach the top of the mountain, it is a short hike to our first campsite.

3. 

   Day 3: Mt. Oten

   Today we hike up to the highest point of our trek, Mt. Oten at 1886 meters above sea level. At the top is a tropical pine forest where we can find interesting flora, such as pitcher plants. The trail down from Mt. Oten takes us alongside other mountains with dramatic rock walls and caves with coffins, the traditional burial place of the area's people. We then hike back up another mountain, passing through a forest of giant ferns. At the top is a great view of valleys and mountainsides with rice terraces. There we make our second campsite.

4. 

   Day 4: Back to Kibungan town proper

   Our last day in Kibungan begins with a long descent through a pine forest that takes us to a valley filled with rice paddies and lined all around by mountains – perhaps the most scenic place of the trip. We hike along the rice paddies and cross a couple of hanging bridges over rivers then make the final uphill hike back to the town of Kibungan. There we can sample the local coffee, grown in backyards of our companions.

   In the afternoon we make our way back to Manila and arrive there late in the evening.

This adventure is offered during the dry season of November to May. Contact us to schedule your Private Tour.

Includes

• All land transportation for the duration of the trip.
• Guiding service.
• Porter service.
• 5 (5) meals: dinner of Day 2 to breakfast of Day 4.
• Tent and sleeping pads

Excludes

• Sleeping bag (not necessary --- fleece blanket is sufficiently warm and easier to carry)
• Personal trekking gear (backpack, hiking shoes/boots, poles, etc.)
• Travel insurance.
• Tipping. Tips to restaurant waiters, local guides, etc. are not expected but appreciated. Your trip leader can suggest an appropriate amount. Also, if you are happy with the service of your Trip Leader, a tip at the end of your adventure will be greatly appreciated.

• The physical demand of the trip is very high, with each day involving three (3) to seven (7) hours of hiking on moderately hilly to steep terrain.
• You will need to carry a backpack with trail water, trail snacks and your personal belongings (clothes, personal medicine, etc.) Porters will carry your camping equipment and food. Treated drinking water is available at every campsite.
• Campsites are very rugged, with no toilets or running water. You will need to dig cat holes to do your business. 
• Yellow fever vaccination is required for entry to the Philippines if you are coming from a yellow-fever infected country; if you are not, this vaccination is unnecessary. The following vaccinations are recommended:
  • Hepatitis A and B
  • Typhoid
  • Japanese encephalitis
  • Measles, mumps and rubella