My first-ever solo trip took me to Mount Pinatubo—stunning crater views, adventure, and unforgettable moments. Curious how I navigated it all alone? Read my blog!

Disclaimer: All views expressed on this blog are my own based on my own experiences and do not represent of any entity with which I have been, are now or will be affiliated

July 09, 2022
Lipa, Batangas

Date of Trip: July 08, 2022

I’ve always wanted to climb Mount Pinatubo. Since I began mountain climbing in 2015, I’ve wanted to see this volcano. After so many years of waiting, I was overjoyed to finally witness its jaw-dropping container lake. This is a trip I will never forget.

Mount Pinatubo is an active stratovolcano located four hours from Manila. It is located at the crossroads of the provinces of Zambales, Tarlac, and Pampanga. On June 15, 1991, it was also renowned as the world’s second greatest volcanic outburst of the twentieth century. The eruption destroyed crops and killed hundreds of thousands of people.

More than two decades after its devastating eruption, Mount Pinatubo is now a popular tourist destination, with visitors enjoying 4×4 tours, dirt bike rides, hikes, and even a spa made from lahar deposits.

Restrictions

Tarlac is accepting leisure travelers provided that they follow the standard health protocol. To hike Mount Pinatubo, you have to submit photo copy of your vaccination card and Identification Card.

Getting Around Mt. Pinatubo

I booked a tour from Byahe Ni JhayRick, it’s owner, Jay, was very accommodating and responded to questions. It was a very smooth transaction having them as my organizer for this trip.

*While my first trip with this organizer to Pinatubo went smoothly, my second trip to Mt. Pulag was so disorganized that I had to be switched to a different organizer without a proper hand over.

Budget

I allotted Php4,500 for this vacation, which covered round-trip van transportation, 4×4 ride, and tourism fees to visit Mount Pinatubo (but not lunch, shower expenses after the hike, or tips).

You can stock up on groceries before you take off, or at the summit of Mount Pinatubo. But if you’re trying to save money, I recommend bringing your own food.

Best Time to Go

The best time to go is during dry months – December to May. But you can also explore it all through out the year just make sure to pay attention to weather reports, especially if there are warnings of typhoons near Mount Pinatubo or in Manila as heavy rains can cause lahar floods and landslides.

It rained when we went here but we were lucky rain stopped and it was sunny all through out the trip.

Language

People speak Kapampangan, Tagalog and Katutubo.

July 07 (Friday) 11:00pm, Mall of Asia

After a gathering with my coworkers and the newest members of another team, I returned home to freshen up before meeting Waldin, one of the trip’s organizers, at Mall of Asia. I did all of this by myself. This trip’s pick-up time was close to midnight so that we could begin our ascent of Mount Pinatubo at first light. I went on a hike with three other solo travelers (JM, Carla, and Celine). We spent around seven or eight hours on the road from Manila to the base of Mount Pinatubo. It took so long because of all the stops we had to make.

July 08 (Saturday) 5:00am Mount Pinatubo Jump-off Sta. Juliana Capas, Tarlac

The six hours flew by since I slept the whole time, like I typically do when traveling. At around 5:30 a.m., after registering at 5:10 a.m. and having our temperatures monitored, our 4×4 vehicle pulled up. I couldn’t have been more psyched to be riding a 4×4, and the trip did not disappoint, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding lahar river beds, grasslands, streams, lava canyons, and mountains.

We had a 2-hour 4×4 excursion and then went on a climb to the crater lake, which was well worth the effort. Our hike lasted for about two hours. The ascent is roughly 7 kilometers. At 10 a.m., we reached the peak and I beheld the tranquil, azure crater lake below. The sulphuric acid released by the volcano has made swimming unsafe. The photographs don’t do justice to how stunning it actually was. We spent an hour lounging on a picnic blanket and eating the Php50 hotdogs we got at the corner store. The wind was gentle, and the lake was still; it was a wonderful day.

We began our descent at 11:00 a.m. and returned by 4×4 at 1:00 p.m. When I slept for two hours in a 4×4 ride, I realized I was quite daring. I was exhausted after the hike, so it didn’t matter how bumpy the road was. We arrived at the jump off point about 3:30 p.m. I ate again after freshening up (shower prices are Php50). We left the jump site at 4:00 p.m., and I arrived in Manila at 9:00 p.m.

Visiting Mount Pinatubo was a fantastic introduction to Philippine culture, geography, and adventure. I plan to visit again to take advantage of their lahar spa and relive this exciting experience.

Love,

Maria,sometimes,Niskie