WHAT TO EXPECT WITH OUR MT ULAP HIKE?
If you have signed up for a private day tour, you’ll be picked up from a pre-agreed location — around midnight if coming from Metro Manila, or around 5 AM if coming from Baguio City. For joiners day tour, your pick-up time and point (usually starting around 10 PM for the first pick-up) will be clearly indicated in your confirmation email. There will be a quick breakfast stop in Baguio city before proceeding to the registration site at Brgy. Ampucao in Itogon where your dedicated guide will be waiting for you.
After some introduction and a few reminders on climbing etiquette, you will commence your hike starting at Tomtombek. Brace yourself for a steep walk up to the first view deck. Once at the view deck, give yourself some time to take in the sights before continuing your trek. For the most part, the walk will be on a pine tree-lined trail, naturally decorated by purple-colored melastomas, sunflowers and wild raspberries (sapinit). Every now and then, you will cross some wooden gates that were meant to contain cows that roam around freely in the mountain. The landscape is so pretty that before you know it, you already have Ambanao Paoay aka Peak 1 (1788 masl). Continuing from here, you will reach Gungal or Peak 2 (1814 masl), arguably the most photographed* spot in Mount Ulap. Walking for another kilometer from Gungal, you will reach the peak of Mt. Ulap (1846 masl). Take note of the pitcher plants growing close to the old border stone. Visibility here varies widely - one minute you have a sweeping view of Baguio City, then a few moments after you are enveloped in a thick fog you can hardly see anything. From this point, hiking will be all downhill (literally). Take extra care when going down especially when the visibility is poor. You don't want to bump into a grazing cow. You can have your lunch break at one of the make-shift carinderias before you continue your 2-km descent. After about an hour, you will finish your traverse and exit at Sitio Sta. Fe where your return vehicle awaits. You may use the toilet facility at the exit to freshen up before you board your land transfer and return to Baguio. Once there, feel free to have a celebratory dinner before heading back to Manila. If you opted to camp overnight, departure from Manila or Baguio City can be scheduled much later. Tents are included in the package, and your guide will assist you in setting them up. You are most welcome to bring your cook set to prepare your meals, or you can buy cooked food from the eateries near the campsite.
