Monkey trails, freezing lakeside camping, and cold showers—Mt. Tabayoc tested me in every way and rewarded me with unforgettable views. Curious how it all went? 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

March 06, 2023
Pasay, Philippines

Date of Hike – March 4-6
Tabayoc, Kabayan Benguet

This hike started as an invite by an organizer. We were supposed to hike Kibungan in Luzon but was cancelled due to limited attendance in the group so I was invited to join a set of the organizer’s hiker friends to Mt. Tabayoc. I joined them and it was an absolute fun!

Mt. Tabayoc is located in Kabayan Benguet, north of where I live, a part of the Cordillera Region and the 2nd highest mountain in Luzon and 6th highest in the Philippines. It’s elevation is at 2842 meters above sea level or 9324 ft. The meaning of Tabayoc, in the native tongues, is “basin”, probably because of the four lakes in its base: Lake Tabeo, Ambulalakao, Iculus, Detapnaco. We camped at Lake Tabeo, the first lake of the 4 mystical lakes which already sits at 2206 MASL.

March 03, 2023 (Friday)
11:00pm
Meet Up Greenfields, Mandaluyong, Philippines

At 10:30 p.m., I met Peng and a few of his buddies in the Greenfields Parking Lot in Mandaluyong for the first time. The gathering of like-minded hikers was a joy, and everyone I met was pleasant. There were eleven of us total, not counting the van driver. We finally got in the van at around 11 o’clock at night and headed to Benguet. Traveling to Kabayan, Benguet takes around 12 hours, so I slept through the whole thing.

Budget – PHP4,830 for transpo, hike and food expenses

Breakdown of Expenses

Grabcar going to Mandaluyong meet up – PHP250
Hike Expense Breakdown please see above – PHP3420 for 10 people
Breakfast at Igorot Place – PHP250
Medical fees for Mt. Tabayoc hike – PHP150
Badekbek Sulfur Park Entrance – PHP40 (donation)
Dinner at 50’s Diner – PHP350
Grab going back home – PHP370

Accommodation – We went camping, I brought my camping gear – Naturehike Mongar 2 with inflatable camping mattress, camping lamp,trekking sleeping bag for 15 degree Celsius weather only haha

Please note camping fees were already included as mentioned in the link above.

Weather – It is ranging to 16 degree Celsius in the morning to below 10 degree Celsius at night.

Things to Bring:
1. Bottled Water 2L or more
2. Camping Gear (best insulator in a freezing cold)
3. Hiking Poles
4. Bonet
5. Sunscreen
6. Downjacket
7. Heattech
8. Gloves
9. Extra money (no ATM near the area)
10. Trail food
11. Personal care or toiletries (there are near toilets in the campsite, water was freezing cold but you can ask to heat the water for you)
12. Raincoat
13. Headlamp

March 04, 2023
16 degree Celsius
Ballay Village and the Tabeo Trail
Tour Guide – we had 2 female tour guides whom I forgot the names

7:15am – Arrived at Igorot Place to eat breakfast – hotdog, rice and egg, it was okay but food was already cold just like the weather haha!
7:30am – We went to the second floor of the breakfast establishment for our checkup. Hiking Tabeyo Trail or the Four Lakes Trek does not require a medical certificate; however, a medical certificate is required for hiking Mt. Tabayoc. My blood pressure was 130 over 80, what the hell, I must be sleep deprived. No big deal though; I can still go hiking.
7:45 am – Have finally made it to Badekbek Sulfur Spring. This is a stop we’ll be making en route to Tabayoc, and it’s a natural wonder located in Daclan. In Ibaloi, the word for “bubbling” or “boiling” is “badekbek,” which is a fitting description of the mud in the hot spring. It smelled like a rotten egg and the smoke was so thick that you had to wear a mask. The sight of the mud bubbling and the smoke billowing was an entertaining bonus to the adventure.

10:06 am – It was chilly at the altitude of 2206 meters above sea level. We spent the night in a campsite next to Lake Tabeo, the first of Tabeo’s four mystical lakes. This lake is the most convenient to reach because it is located on the main road through Ballay Village. However, visitors should be aware that the roads leading to the lake are somewhat steep, and that there is no public transportation available to the area. Due to the distant location, I was unable to connect to the Internet for two days, leaving me completely cut off from the rest of the world.

10:30am – Set up my tent, it was a unique camping experience beside a clean mystical lake and good thing we had a good weather, it was a great day to camp.
12:30pm – We cooked and ate lunch in the camp site. We had curry chicken, grilled pork and hotdogs.
1:45pm – We had our orientation first and we started trek to the 3 mystical lakes or known as Tabeyo Trail – Incolos, Latep Ngapos, and Bulalacao/Ambulalakaw — including Junior Pulag. We had to bring water because there is no water source in Tabeyo trail, it is restricted for human consumption even in the lakes as it is considered sacred among the locals.
2:30pm – Junior Pulag – It is dubbed as Junior Pulag because of it’s similarity to Mt. Pulag, the highest mountain in Luzon which consisted of mossy trails and grass lands.

3:00pm – Lake Incolos, the lake is actually under the ground so it feels like you are stepping in a marshmallow. I have videos of me jumping and bouncing back but I could not upload videos in this site for now.

4:03pm – Next to marshland Incolos was Lake Latep-Ngapos. It was already misty when we got here as it was already getting late. The mist added to the bewitching feels of the lake.

5:23pm – We arrived at Lake Ambulalakaw/Bulalacao. This is said to be the cleanest lake of Benguet. The locals preserve it that swimming or any form of similar activity is prohibited.

7:30pm – We came back to campsite, I showered to a freezing cold water to freshen up haha! I could not feel my body right after but it was still refreshing.
9:00pm – Lights out and slept.

March 05, 2023 (Sunday)
Day 2 of Hike
12 degree Celsius in the morning
Mt. Tabayoc Trail
Tourguide: Kuya Santiago Ballagan
The temperature dropped to below 10 degrees Celsius last night, making the 15-degree sleeping bag insufficient. Even after layering on three pairs of pants and socks, I felt the chill. When I go camping again, I will definitely bring an insulating mat.

5:00am – brushed my teeth and prepared for our 2nd day hike in Mt. Tabayoc. It was still cold at 12 degree Celsius, I did not want to go on a hike haha!
7:40am – Reached the first view deck, it was continuous assault and I was very tired. I did not expect it to be this effing hard!

8:00am – Monkey trail. Because I had to cling to vines, swing from branch to branch, hug trees, wriggle through branches, and climb over boulders, the route earned the nickname “monkey trail.” Simply put, I used all of my strength on the Tabayoc trail. haha! The trail is enchanting because it is carpeted with moss and lichen, a sure sign that this is one of the Philippines’ best preserved virgin woods.

10:00am – I finally made it to the peak of Mount Tabayoc, and I was totally exhausted. Unfortunately, the summit was obscured by clouds, so I couldn’t take in the full beauty of the hike’s surroundings. Overall, this hike was amazing!

2:00pm – We reached campsite around 2:00pm – ate late lunch, freshen up and break camp.
3:30pm – We left Lake Tabeo, it was super fun adventure!
7:30pm – We reached 50’s Diner in Baguio where we had dinner. It was still cold in Baguio. I ordered Her (the name in the menu) – beef strips, fried chicken, fish fillet and pork. It was a huge serving. I’m good with the taste for the price but not the best I ever tasted in Baguio.

Mount Tabayoc and the Four Mystical Lakes have won my heart in ways I never imagined. It came as a surprise that this mountain was not a popular destination for hikers, as there were less of them there than on other nearby mountains. When I first caught sight of the trail we were about to hike, I told myself that, just like an effing difficult trail, this too shall pass.

Being off the grid made me more in tune with the nature and I was thankful to share the brief moments with it. I always remind myself to break routines and dive head first to new experiences. It was one of the best hiking and camping experiences I had.

Love,
Maria, sometimes,Niskie