Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Malarayat Mountain Range Traverse (Mt. Malipunyo - Manabu Peak)

Holiday gives us the chance to discover places, mountains and travel around. A year ago, we hiked two mountains in just for one day and now, before 2013 ends we challenged ourselves to do a traverse. This is a challenging and exciting adventure and we felt nervous because we don’t know what will happen during the hike. But, the eagerness is there and we are fully energized that day.  

The Story
Our first traverse is Mt. Malipunyo to Mt. Manabu via Mt. Malarayat mountain range -  it is one of the major features of the Southern Tagalog scenery (also includes; Mt. Makiling, Mt. Banahaw, and Mt. Maculot). 

Mt. Malipunyo is located between the provinces of Batangas and Laguna. It has three peaks with the summit of 1005 MASL, it is sometimes spelled as Malipuño. This mountain is a forested and grassy, even in the summit. Mt. Malipunyo, Mt. Susong Dalaga, and the Manabu Peak are the interconnected destinations. Some part of the trails would be steep, but there are many trees to hold on to, but be careful of the harmful plants.

Mt. Manabu is typically cloudy that gives you an almost wistful air. It is one of the three major peaks of the Malarayat range, the named itself is the abbreviated from the word “Mataas na Bundok”. The trail is easy and is the most accessible mountain from Manila. The very beautiful surroundings and add the spectacular view of the Malipunyo mountain range. You can see the perfect scene!

After our early breakfast, our group rode a bus going to Batangas City and from the bus terminal; we headed to the Fiesta Mall and rode a trike to the jump-off. We meet Mang Mario, our guide for the day. Then, start trekking around six thirty in the morning.
struggling the slippery trail
reached the Peak 1
There are noxious plants and pruritogenic lipa trees which can cause itching. Thorns bushes are also visible in the mountain so be careful to avoid getting injury. It is important to wear clothes that can protect your skin. You can get out of the forest after hour later then passing by the grassland or also called “Talahiban”. The trail, after passing by the grassland, is not less of dangers anymore, but it’s going on a sharp edge. It's very tiring, but after all, you will realized how beautiful the world is.
Mt. Susong-Dalaga

dirty but happy feet
encountered various wild plants
reaching the Manabu Peak

Note: If you are not familiar in the trail, it is important to hire a guide to avoid getting lost here.

ITINERARY:
03:30AM - Assembly Jollibee-Buendia
04:30AM - ETD Jam Terminal (going to Batangas City) 
06:00AM - ETA Fiesta Mall (take trike to Jump off)
06:30AM - Arrival at jumpoff - Start Trek
07:30AM - Arrive at the river, first water source.
08:15AM - 2nd water source 
09:00AM - Arrive at Peak 1
09:30AM – Arrive at Peak 2
10:00AM – Arrive at Peak 3, Mt. Malipunyo Summit, take lunch
11:00AM - Start descent
11:30AM - Arrived at Balete park
12:00NN -  Start descent
12:30PM - River. Water source
01:00PM – Tri-House, rest, take coffee, snacks
02:00PM - Arrived at Biak na bundok
02:30PM - Start descend
03:30PM - Arrived at Mt Maraduhan. Rest
04:30PM - Arrived at Manabu Campsite. Rest
05:00PM - Set foot on Mt Manabu Peak
05:30PM - Start descent
05:45PM - Coffee Break at Manong Pirying
06:30PM - Arrived at Mt Manabu Jump off. Rest. Tidy up
07:30PM - Take tricycle to lipa Bus stop, Dinner
08:00PM - Arrived at Lipa Bus Stop
08:30PM - Take bus to Manila
09:30PM - ETA Manila

Expenses
Bus – 157php 
Trike – 20php
Registration Fee – 20php
Guide Fee – 200php each (we give 100php each as tip for Manong Mario for being nice and kind to us)
Food/Water - 250

Guide contact number: Mang Mario, +63-9994106990


Malipunyo makes my 11th conquered mountain a successful one and it was my second time to climbed Mt. Manabu! Hooray!

Happy climbing,
-Marco

35 comments:

  1. I don't know how you can stand dirty feet. I would have wore hiking boots.

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  2. Kailangan ng palitan ang sapatos sir. :)

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  3. I always dream of hiking a mountain, I dunno If I still able to tick off one of our bucket list.

    Nice capture!

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  4. Am not a mountaineer but I miss hiking, hope to climb again. not the difficult ones tho, just those easy to climb; maybe gulugod baboy, read it's an easy climb. Anyway, thanks for visiting my site while am away Marco. Merry Christmas, happy new year...advance. hehe... ;P

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  5. Mount Malipunyo was a terrifying experience! sobrang hirap! but thank God we made it! thanks for ur blog as well, it has been our guide. :)

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    1. Yay! Congrats, Ms. Armie! Thank you, also! :)

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  6. thank u po sa blog nyo, kc nghahnap po ako ng itinerary na one day hike lng na traverse kc may mga work pa po sa monday, ung iba ko kcng nakita, overnyt... bka 2 lng kming magksama so i think need po tlga namin ang guide

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    1. Thanks, Kath! Hope it would help you. Enjoy and have a safe climb! :)

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  7. hi sir.. may idea po ba kayo how much is the guide fee for the traverse??

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  8. We gave 200 pesos each to our guide (we are 5 members). :)

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  9. advisable lang ang itinerary na ito dun sa mga hiker na hindi full load ang backpack.

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  10. Hello

    I am fond of hiking and I belong to a remote area where there are no roads still so we are always climbing mountains to reach our homes , when ever I go back in holidays I am excited to see the scenery . It is almost the same and the view from the top .... helps to forget about hardships of the path....
    I really liked the pictures and it remind me about my hiking trips
    thank you for a nice share.

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    1. Oh, you are amazing! And i agree on you, we you reached the summit you will feel the happiness!


      I'm glad you like my photos here. Thanks!

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  11. Gud PM po, asko ko lang po kung may nadaan kaung school papauntang Malarayat Range?
    we're planning to do an outreach climb by May, thanks!

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  12. Ang ganda. Sana marating ko rin yan :)

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  13. Ang ganda :) punta ngayon ang brother ko and his friends sa Malarayat. Next time sama ako :)
    Thanks sa pag-share mo, at least, nakita ko ang scenery :)

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  14. We did our 360 Malipunyo to Manabu Traverse Hike yesterday (May 3-4)... It took us 8 hours (11am to 7pm) reached the three peaks of Malipunyo (Peak 1, Peak 2 and the Balete Peak). We did it alone without a guide, at 7pm as we are heading to Peak 3, descending thru "Nampucha Trail", we noticed that we get lost of the trail when we encountered a tree with an "X" mark, from there, we decided to contact our guide Kuya Mario (the coolest guide in town!) informed Him that it seems we got lost of the trail to Peak 3. As we are all tired of the already 8 hours trek, we searched for a flat land to camp but encountered difficulties in finding some, we ended up setting a camp in a bit steep part of the trail beside a river. We told Kuya Mario the coolest guide of the trail we've been through and we are all amazed when He told us that we did is a 360! (we are heading back to the same jump-off site where we start our trek). Kuya Mario advised us to wait for him and he will fetch us and bring us to a safer place to camp as the trail where we erected our tents are cross-ways of wild boar and snakes going down to the nearby river. We slept with us (luckily we have an extra tent) and we'll continue our traverse the following day to Manabu which took another 9 hours. We are able to reach a total of 5 peaks (Peak 1, 2 and Balete Peak of Malipunyo; Biak na Bundok Peak; Manabu Peak). Our original itinerary was to summit four peaks of Malipunyo without Kuya Mario's guidance, he will fetch us early in the morning from Peak 3 and will guide us on our traverse to Manabu but because we've got lost and did the 360 instead trekking up to Peak 3, our original plan was missed. We experienced an absolute adventure we will never ever forget! :)

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    Replies
    1. That's really an extreme adventure! Congrats!

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  15. Team Warsaw po analyst bukas ng image. Godless our trip.

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  16. Nice Blog Sir. Pupunta din kami ng Malipunyo on Sunday. Sana ma-contact ko si Mang Mario. Unattended kasi siya nung tinatawagan ko.

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  17. Hi Sir Marco,

    any update po sa malipunyo? open kaya sya this april 4,2015? thank you.

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