Mt. Sembrano Day hike + Manggahan Falls + Windmills

New Year, new experience. This time we planned to conquer Mt. Sembrano located at Brgy. Malaya, Pilillia, Rizal. This last January 24, 2016. Most of our hiking buddies for this hike is first time hiker. So, for them not to experience very hard trail, we decided to climb Mt. Sembrano.

This time, we rented a jeepney to drop us to Brgy. Malaya. at 5am. We (all my friends who lived in Taguig) meet up at Jollibee Lower Bicutan since the driver of the jeepney lives also in Taguig. Our pickup point only is on Jollibee Lower Bicutan and on Robinsons Cainta. 6:30am., we arrived at the Robinsons Cainta to pick up my friends who lived far from Taguig.

going to Mt. Sembrano

It was a very long ride going to Pilillia, Rizal and our first stop over is in the Pilillia windmills and took photos. It is very refreshing as you feel the cold breeze blows. After taking pictures, we head up to Brgy. Malaya. We arrived at the Brgy.by 8:45am.and starts to register and pray before the trek. The officials told us to hike the mountain without the aid of the tour guide because there are guides along the trail up to the summit. The trail is very wide at the first part and after an hour, we reach the campsite and took a rest and after that we continued trekking.

at Pilillia Windmills

start trekking

Reaching the Manggahan Campsite, you’ll need to register again and pay 10pesos for the entrance. What’s good in here is that, they offered us fresh buko juice worth 20pesos. After taking rest again, we head up to the first summit. But the trail becomes difficult and more difficult as we go through because of the muddy and steep trail. You need extra careful because you might slip and fall to the bangin. As we keep on going, the trail becomes too steep because of its 45 degrees slopes and started to feel pain on my knees.

at the campsite

Together with my 9 friends, we reach the 1st summit. From there, I can see already the view of Laguna Bay and the 2nd and 3rd summit (there are 3 summits in Mt. Sembrano). We took a rest before going to the 2nd summit and have lunch. After taking pictures and video, we continue to trek to the 2nd summit and have lunch together with my friends. After taking lunch, we laid on the grassland and took a nap while the cold wind blows and it makes us unwind and stress-free for a while.

at the first summit

at the second summit

at the third summit

the view at the peak

After that, we head up to the final summit. The talahibs are itchy but it adds a challenge along the trail going to the summits. Finally, I and my boyfriend reached the summit first among in our group. And it’s so wonderful seeing the creation of God 746 meters above sea level. I’m always amazed by the view at the summit in any mountain I conquered and I know there is more in other mountains that I will conquer someday. After taking pictures and watching the view of windmills from afar and the Laguna Bay, we have to go down to Manggahan Falls to freshen up. I found it difficult doing down because of the 45degrees slope of the trail but with the help of the grass, it made me easy to go down.

me at the summit

going down with the grass

We took our rest as we arrived at the Manggahan campsite and after having some rest, we went to the Manggahan Falls to refresh. The falls is not as big like the other falls. The water there is so cold that will make you freeze but it will refresh you. We enjoyed swimming there also.

freshen up in manggahan falls

After refreshing at the falls, we went back to the campsite and clean up before going down. We need to pass again to the muddy and rocky trail of the mountain and my whole body starts to ache and I really feel the pain as I make steps.

trails of Mt. Sembrano

At 6pm., we finally arrived at the Brgy. and wait for our friends who cleans up their selves at the Brgy.’s bathroom. At exactly 7pm, we depart from the Brgy. Malaya and back to Manila. It was very wonderful experience I want to treasure and every mountain I conquer gives me an ultimate experience and given a chance to witness God’s creation that only brave people can see above sea level.

ITINERARY:

0500 meet up at Jollibee Lower Bicutan

0530 depart from Taguig

0630 arrival at the Junction (Robinsons Cainta)

0800 arrival at the Pilillia Windmills and take pictures

0845 arrival at the Brgy. Malaya and registrer

0900 start trek

1030 reach the campsite

1200 reach the 1st summit

1230 reach the 2nd summit, have lunch

1330 reach the 3rd summit, rest, take pictures

1500 arrival at Manggahan campsite and falls, swimming

1630 depart from the campsite

1800 arrival at the Brgy. Malaya

1900 head back to Manila

2030 arrival at the Junction to drop off my other friends

2130 arrival at Taguig

Budget:

230php (3800php/16persons) – jeepney rental

20php – donation

10php – entrance at campsite

20php x 2 = 40php – buko juice

TOTAL: 300pesos

Contact: 09982359377 (Jeepney driver)

Mt. Pamitinan Day hike + Wawa Falls

Last November 14, 2015, I and my engineering friends decided to conquer Mt. Pamitinan located at Brgy. Wawa, Rodriguez, Rizal (formerly Montalban). It was my first hike and I want to share my rocky experience there as a first timer mountaineer.

We meet up at Jollibee Cubao, Farmers by 6am. And bound to leave by 6:30am. But due to late comers, we depart at pass 7am. We decided to rent a van going to Brgy. Wawa since we are only 12 in a group.

arrival at the Brgy. Wawa

We arrived at the Brgy. Wawa around 8:30am. And met our tour guide Kuya Orly. And he suggested to divide us into 2 groups coz he said if we're above 10 in the group we'll pay 300 pesos for registration only but if not above 10, we’ll have to give only a donation. So we got another tour guide, Kuya Nestor. After we registered, we change clothes at their comfort room rentals and as we finished, we pray and start trekking.

as we finished to register

For us to reach the starting point of the mountain, we need to cross the hanging bridge. I felt the excitement as we're crossing the bridge going to the mountain, looking at the scenic view of Wawa River and the twin mountain, the Mt. Pamitinan and Mt. Binacayan.

at the hanging bridge

the view of Mt. Pamitinan from bridge

We plan to do the caving first, at the Pamitinan cave, but unfortunately, the cave is closed due to high level of water inside because of the rain. As we head up to the mountain, I didn't expected that the trail would be a bit hard but challenging for me as a beginner. Those jagged edges of rocks, thorny vines and high rocky parts that requires you to do rock climbing or bouldering. You really need to concentrate in all your moves and take care of yourself as you go through to the slopes that are almost 75 degrees inclined.

start of trekking

I found it hard because I really need to extent my legs in doing rock climbing and I need to use gloves because of those thorny limestones. As we reached the first peak, we took a rest before going to the second peak (there are 3 peaks in the mountain). On the second peak, after taking pictures, we took our lunch together with our tour guides. I felt the cold breeze under those rocks where we used to have lunch. After we ate, we head up to the third and final peak.

the trail

For us to get into the summit, we have to do rappelling. It took us time going to summit because we waited for the other group to go down before we can climb. At first, I was hesitant to head up to summit because I’m so afraid. The slope is almost 90 degrees and it’s so high but my boyfriend told me to do it he said I might regret it if I will not go to the summit. And so I’m finally convinced by him. 

As I go up holding the rope, I was so scared that I might fall. After doing the rappelling, finally, I’m on the top of the mountain!!! The view is so breathe-taking. Seeing the 360 degrees view of Sierra Madre makes me thank God for His beautiful and wonderful creation 426+ MASL. My difficulties and struggles going up to summit is all worth it. The sad part is when we’re on the summit, the sky becomes dark suddenly and the raindrops starts pouring. So, we only took some pictures and go down immediately.

at the 1st summit (I'm afraid to go there that's why I use the photo

of my boyfriend. hehehe)

 

at the 2nd summit

the spot where we took our lunch

at the 3rd summit

Going down with those thorny limestones and very high rock formations is not very easy. It needs you to focus yourself at the same time be careful in every step you make because it’s like “isang maling hakbang mo lang, goodbye Philippines ka na”. So be very careful in going up and going down if it is your first time too.

the different view from the different summits

the view of Sierra Madre

At 3pm., we arrived on the Brgy. Wawa to have some meryenda and took some rest. After 30mins.of rest, we head up to the Carugo Falls or what they called, Wawa Falls. Reaching the falls and seeing the view of it makes me amazed and the feeling of cold breeze embracing you makes me feel relax and refresh. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the chance to swim on the falls because there’s so many incident of drowning there. So, our tour guide, Kuya Orly, suggests to swim on the safe side, which is in Wawa Dam located at the top of the falls. We really have fun swimming on the Dam because of the cold water and the running water going to the falls. You just have to go over with the flow of water and go back again for you not to reach the falls.

at wawa falls

enjoying the dam

That spectacular experience: hiking at Mt. Pamitinan and swimming at the Wawa Dam makes me feel unwind and wanna go hiking again by 2016.

Here’s our itinerary:

0600 assembly at Jollibee, Cubao Farmers

0700 ride a van going to Brgy. Wawa

0830 arrival at the Brgy. And register

0900 start trek

1030 reach the 1st summit, take pictures

1230 reach the 2nd summit, lunch

1400 reach the 3rd summit, take pictures

1500 arrival at Brgy. Wawa, meryenda

1600 arrival at the wawa falls, swimming

1730 depart at the falls

1800 arrival at the Brgy. Wawa, clean up at Kuya Orly’s home. (He offered us to clean up and use their bathroom so that, we will not have to pay for the comfort room rentals in the Brgy.)

1845 head back to Manila

2000 arrival at Cubao Farmers

Budget:

75php x 2= 150php (900php/12person) - for the van rental

2php- entrance fee

10php-donation

10php (120php/12persons) – for cottage rental

150php (1800php/12persons) – tour guide fee plus tip

Total: 322php

Contact: 09253694371- Mang Danny (Van Driver)