My Birthday Hike @ Mount Pamitinan Montalban Rizal

Hi Guys! It's good to be back! I've been really busy this past few months and I haven't been able to update my blog.. Anyways, I'm writing about my birthday hike with my friends last March 2, exactly my birthday... enjoy reading polks! :)

I've been wanting to hike for so long... I just don't have the time and maybe the courage to even start planning about it. And then a few weeks before my birthday, I really felt like I needed to accomplish something I've been longing to do at least before I turn 24, and hiking was the first thing that comes to my mind, so I spent hours searching about the nearest mountain to hike in our location and of course a simple path specifically for a beginners like me. :)

What can I say? Seems like Rizal won the internet! I was bombarded with a lot of reviews about hiking in the mountains of Rizal, there are mount Binacayan, Pamitinan, Hapunang Banoi and a lot more, during my research I also found the most recommended tour guide of my fellow bloggers whom they called Kuya Ronald, which I found to be true, he is indeed the best tour guide you can find in Montalban Rizal, you can text or call him at his number 09124496971.

A week before our hike, I already contacted kuya Ronald to make an arrangement, we are a group of 8 and all of us are beginners. :) I first plan to have a twin hike of mount Pamitinan and Hapunang Banoi, pretty tough for a beginner huh? Hahaha.. so he told us that we should be there by 6am or earlier so we can make a twin hike and he also told us that a group of 8 should already have a 2 tour guide but since he can manage it, we just have him.

It was 5:00 am when we depart from Manila through a Motorcycle, yes.. we are a total of 4 motorcycle with 2 people in each, it was a quick ride and we arrived at Brgy Wawa to meet kuya Ronald and register at their Barangay Hall, we paid 50php each for their hiking fee. Also, if you are looking for some hiking gear, there are stores at the front of the Barangay Hall that sells a very affordable hiking gear, I got a gloves for only 40php.

So we start our hike, we pass through some houses of people residing there and they are very hospitable especially with the hikers, every resident we bump in to will always greet us and give a big smile, some will also say "Ingat po!", that was really refreshing and amazing, though we know that Filipinos are really hospitable.

We pass through a wooden bridge, and climb up to a never ending stone stairs, kuya Ronald says it was a warm up, but I was already too tired and my sweat is all over me.. poor me! (All of us are first timers but we did not even bother doing an exercise, days before the hike as a preparation, we did not even have a complete sleep the night before.. we trust our strength too much! Hahaha.! Wag kami tularan) We are just starting when I realized It was not really for beginners, we are not even in the junction yet but my legs is starting to ache, considering the bags full of food that each of us is carrying (takot kame magutom so ayun! Hahaha) Anyways, despite of being tired and almost giving up, our hike was full of fun and jokes, laughing while climbing is one of the hardest thing I've done but definitely one of the happiest moments I can keep.

It was around 9am when we reach the junction, there are kubos you can rest and some store where you can buy some foods and refreshments, luckily its weekday so there's just a few groups of hikers we can see unlike during weekends where there are a lot of hikers and you have to wait in a long line to have your picture taken in the beautiful spot of the mountains. We rest for a bit and leave our bags at the kubos carrying only our valuable things and some water (another great thing when there are only a few hikers is they will let you leave your bags at the junction).

It was a real relief leaving our bags in the junction as I can't think of how we can climb up if we have those, in a really rocky path to reach the summit. It was not like the first part, it was not too tiring (or maybe because we already have a warm up) but the path to the summit is too rocky where you really have to use both of your hands to pull yourself to the other side, sometimes you won't even know where to step, good thing kuya Ronald is there to guide us in every way. Some rocks are really sharp so it is really advisable to wear gloves (I've read this in some reviews already so I bought mine in one of the stores in front of the Barangay Hall).

It was already slightly raining when we reach the summit, it was truly fulfilling! We take every shot we can in almost all the spot there is, kuya Ronald is such a photographer, he knows where the good angle is and he is even instructing us of a good pose, I shall say he is a total package, by the way, although I brought a first aid kit, kuya Ronald or I think all of the guides there carry a first aid kit in case of emergency.

And of course! My Buwis Buhay Pose! :)

After taking too many pictures and feeling the amazing breeze of the summit until all of us are satisfied, we went back to the junction to eat our lunch. (In case you want to know, we have rice, daing na bangus, adobong baboy and maling for our lunch..we even have a coffee after.. hahaha) Anyways, since we are too tired and we don't even have much time, we are not able to do a twin hike, and I was really satisfied already. :)

After resting a bit, we climb down back to the Barangay, I thought this will be easier but its not, my legs are cramping already, they said its because we have a little long rest so we can now feel our muscle aching.

Anyways, we just check out from the Barangay Hall so they will be inform that we successfully finish our hike.

Going to the Wawa Dam was really part of the plan and so we went there around 2pm, we rent a cottage, as I can remember for a price of 350php. The water at Wawa Dam is really refreshing and will take away all your muscle pain you acquired from climbing the mountain summit, partner it with some beers and snacks and you can already call it as a perfect get away. Around 5pm when we decided to go home.

And before I even forgot, we paid Kuya Ronald a total of 1,100php. 100php per person as a tour guide fee in climbing and an extra 300php for taking us at the Wawa Dam.

And that's how I spend my 24th birthday, It's indeed self fulfilling and I'll say, this won't definitely the last time I'll be doing this. :)

Thanks for reading and see you on my next post! ciao!