12 Things To Do in Sagada, Mountain Province

Sagada is one of the places in the Philippines that many people want to visit because it has various sites and tourist spots. The activities such as trekking, climbing a mountain and spelunking in the cave are consumed a lot of energy. So, make sure you have the strength and energy when traveling to Sagada.

Here’s my list of 12 things to do in Sagada, Mountain Province.

Cave Connection: If you want challenging activities during your stay in Sagada. Then, indulge yourself to a very exciting and yet worth trying experience. The Cave connection is to entry at Lumiang Cave and exit at Sumaguing Cave. It takes four hours of spelunking and you will enjoy the rock formations inside the cave. Don’t forget to hire a guide, it’s required indeed. They will help you make the journey easy. This interesting and superb activity will surely make your Sagada adventure a memorable one!

Trek to Marlboro Country and Blue Soil Hills: You will see a grazing wild horse and I saw one during my visit when you reached the summit of the Marlboro Country. The view at the peak is fascinating where you can see the sea of clouds. The changing color of the skies is amazing. The heat of the sun will warm up your body as the sun rises. The pine trees, wild strawberries, and flowers will greet you along the trail going to Blue Soil Hills. It’s indeed a beautiful terrain!

Pongas Falls: If you are having fun and wanting to explore more in your Sagada adventure. Then, include Pongas Falls to your bucket list.  Getting to the falls will require you to pass by the small village in the valley. Every local you meet will greet you and smile back to you. And, you will see many rice terraces along the way. Perfect experience!

The Hanging Coffins and the Echo Valley: This is one of the famous attractions in Sagada and it is an easy trek to viewing the area. Some tourist will take down to get close to the hanging coffins. The guide will explain to you about the history of the hanging coffins and the culture itself. The place is quite crowded where every person taking selfies with the coffin. Some people enjoyed shouting with all their heart out in the echo valley. It is because when you shout the voice bounces off in the limestone walls and you hear it repeated.

Bomod-ok Falls: If still have the energy to walk, and then go ahead to the most visited falls in Sagada. The waterfalls stand at 200 feet tall that splashes down to the cold and freezing pool. It takes about one hour to get to the falls. The trail is up and down, up and down. It also passes through the villages and rice fields. It’s a long walk to the beautiful Bomod-ok Falls! 

Kiltepan: Your Sagada adventure will not be completed without witnessing the sunrise over in Kiltepan. This is one of the reasons why tourist flocked in Sagada. The sea of clouds while seeing the enchanting sunrises. When I have time to go back in there again, I will definitely include this place as I was not able to get here.

Mt. Ampacao: After visiting all tourist attractions in Sagada. If you have spare time and still have the strength you can hike to Mt. Ampacao. It’s 1889 MASL. The mountain offers a beautiful view of Sagada. There are two landmarks of this mount; 1) the ranch –some hikers mistakenly call it as the summit, 2) the peak of the mountain.

Lake Danum: On the other side of Sagada, you can visit this lake where you can catch for a good photography with a reflection of the water. You can also take a picture of a sunset at the close by a hill.

The Episcopal Church in Sagada: All activities that you have done on your Sagada trip. You will not forget to visit and thank Him for all the strength and guidance during your stay. The Saint Mary Virgin is the main Episcopalian church in Sagada. 

Sagada's Native Dishes: The native dishes of Sagada that you should try are the Pinikpikan and Etag. Pinikpikan is just like a Tinola (the tagalong of chicken soup), but the taste of it is definitely unique from the Tinola because of the presence of Etag (a smoked and preserved pork).

These are my unforgettable memories in my Sagada escapade. Have you been in Sagada?

Mt. Ampacao Traverse to Lake Danum

On the third day of our Sagada Escapade, after quick lunch we immediately change our clothes and meet Joey, our guide. We are all tired from our activities earlier, but we still pursue our mission for that day.  We began to walk heading to the jump-off site of Mt. Ampacao. It’s in Ambasing Elementary School.

It is one of the must-visit tourist spots in Mountain, Province. It offers a superb view of Sagada and surrounding villages.

Background

The mountain is located in Sagada, Mountain Province; it is 1889 MASL, two hours to reach to the summit which offers a beautiful scene of Sagada. The jump-off is at Brgy. Ambasing.  There are two important landmarks of the mountain; the first one is ranch which some hikers mistakenly call it as the summit, and the second is the peak of mountain.

The first summit is the ranch where you can pitch tent here if you stay overnight. However, additional thirty minutes going up to the peak of Mt. Ampacao. It’s a concrete trail and there’s a part also that are rocky. Pine trees are everywhere throughout the trails which give common shade that helps hiker not feel the heat of the sun. The weather, obviously, is still cold which I truly like during the climb.

It’s around one to two hours trek depending on the pace and another twenty to thirty minutes from the ranch to the summit. It has a Smart Cell site at the peak of Mt. Ampacao, which is denoted that it is the highest point. You will see the panoramic view of the mountain at the summit. It is truly wonderful! It features the Mt. Sipsipitan, Mt. Polis, Bessang, and Mt. Tirad.

Then, we back to ranch and take the trail to Lake Danum to catch the sunset, but unfortunately we didn’t the catch sunset. Traversing to Lake Danum is another two hour trekking. Then, returning to town proper by foot.

Getting there

Ambasing Elementary School is the jump-off point of the mountain. It is easy to follow the trail that hiring a guide is an optional. But, if still need a guide, and then visit Saggas office near junction of Sagada in the two main roads of Sagada. For us, we hired a guide because we traverse from the summit to Lake danum.

First thirty minutes is on a concrete road and another thirty minutes of walk across the rough and rocky roads. Reaching to the summit is very easy though there are some part of the trail became steeper and steeper.

My heart is beating and I felt that I can't make it any longer on the grounds that the trail got to be steeper and steeper. Obviously, I can make it to achieve the summit! The views are really refreshing.

More photos here...

Itinerary

02:00 PM – Meet the guide

02:30 PM – start walk to the jump-off, Ambasing Elementary School

03:30 PM – arrived at the Ranch, taking photos

04:00 PM – arrived at the peak, take snacks

04:30 PM – back to Ranch, and then trail to Lake Danum

05:45 PM – arrived at Lake Danum

06:15 PM – back to town proper

Guide Fee: 600php

And this is my 13th conquered mountain! Hooray!

Happy climbing!

Marco

My Four Days Adventure in Sagada

It is the 5^th Class municipality in the Mountain Province, Philippines. The population is around 11, 244 people according in the 2010 census.  Sagada is famous for its hanging coffins and other tourist destination like; mountains, spelunking in the cave, waterfalls, rappelling, rock climbing, and visiting historical sites.

Sagada is located 275 km North of Manila and 140 km away from the city of Pines, Baguio City. It is bordering to Bontoc, the provincial Capital.

I’ve been in Mountain Province four years ago and I still want to visit and explore the place. When my travel buddy informs me that they will have an adventure in the province, I immediately filed vacation leave and join them.

Day 1

Wednesday night of February 26, 2014; I met them at the Victory Bus Terminal – Cubao, bound to Baguio City. It’s a six hours’ drive from Manila.

We arrived at five in the morning and ride a taxi going to Dangwa Terminal right away. The first trip bound to Sagada is exactly six in the morning. It takes another six hours.

Lumiang Cave to Sumaguing Cave

We were in Sagada at around twelve in the afternoon. We checked in at the George Guest House and we ate our lunch before we start our tour. Afterwards, we contacted our guide for the day then; proceed to our first activity which is the cave connection, Lumiang to Sumaguing Cave.

It was my first time to do the cave connection and I’m having fun doing it.  Caving is really more fun in the Philippines! That’s our first day end.

Day 2

We started our second day with Pinoy breakfast. Then, we’re excited and ready for our tour. We met James, our tour guide. Our activity for today is trekking. We started to trek at exactly seven o’clock in the morning heading to Marlboro Country, and reached the summit around nine. We then took some beautiful picturesque landscape and mountains. After minutes, we’re bound to blue Soil. There are many pine trees, wild strawberries, and flowers along the trail. It’s truly awesome! However, we arrived at our next stop at around lunchtime.

Trekking from Marlboro Country to Blue Soil to Pongas Falls

We agreed to continue our hike after our lunch.  We traverse mountains going to Pongas Falls. It’s another hour to be counted before we can reach the falls.  We are so fortunate because we are the only tourist in the falls –it was so nice! We stayed there for a couple of hours. However, you can get to the falls you just need to pass to the village, hanging bridge, and the rice fields. It was a very tiring day, but the hardships are worthwhile.

Day 3

Its freezing cold in the morning and it’s hard to get up from the bed, but we have to because there are many activities that we need to do today. Another day to explore and to enjoy!

We maximize our time on the 3^rd day of our adventure here in Mountain Province. We went to jeepney terminal after our breakfast. The first trip bound to Aguid is nine in the morning. So, before that, we decided to visit the Eco Valley and Hanging Coffins. And, we visited the church as well!

Bomod-ok Falls

Next stop is Bomod-ok Falls, upon arrival we registered right away and pay five hundred pesos. A guide approaches us and she will lead us going to the falls. The sun is already up by this time and we started trekking by then. The trail is going up and down and passes in the rice fields. It takes about thirty to forty five minutes walked when you get to the falls. It was already jumped-pack with different tourists from different places and countries.

We go back to the town after an hour.

wild strawberries and flower

We had a quick lunch at House of Pinikpikan and then, met Joey afterwards, our guide for today. It’s already two o’clock in the afternoon when we start our hike to Mt. Ampacao. Well, another heart-pounding activity! We passed by the village, across mountains, and encounter wild flowers. The trail is easy from the start, but then again, when moving up to the peak. My heart is pounding and I felt that I can’t make it anymore. Of course, I can make it to reach the summit!

Reaching Mt. Ampacao

We’re struggling because it became steeper and steeper until we meet the summit around four in the afternoon. From the summit, we back to the trail to traverse going to Lake Danum. We are all in a hurry to catch the sunset at the lake. But, sad to say, it was already six in the evening by the time we’re in the Lake Danum.

Day 4

It was very tiring in the 3^rd day of our adventure that’s why; we fail to catch the sunrise in the morning at the Kiltepan. Sigh! Better luck next time guys!

Catching the sunset

Lake Danum

It’s our last day and for today, we are just roaming around the town. Buy pasalubong and souvenir items! And, went back to Baguio City by five in the afternoon!

It was super fun and exhausting adventure, but the memories will always treasure! And, looking forward to see you again, Sagada!

More photos here...

So, how about you? Did you have any adventure for today? How was it?

Thanks for dropping,

Marco