When we saw the pics of Nadine Lustre, James Reid, and their barkada at Mt. Ulap, we immediately got our Google on. Not (only) because we're such dorks fangirls, but also because we want a piece of that lit view, some peace and quiet with friends, and a perfect excuse to wear our winter outfits. Ha!
Mt. Ulap is located in Brgy. Ampucao in Itogon, Benguet. To get there, you need to make a trip to Baguio and ride a jeep or taxi going to Brgy. Ampucao—it's just 40 minutes away from the city.
Once you get there, proceed to the Ampucao barangay hall complex and pay a registration fee of P100 per head. From there, you can decide among yourselves if you prefer a day hike or overnight camping or if you need a porter to assist you on your hike.
Here are the rates as of February 2017.
Local guide fee (1 guide: 7 persons): Day hike - P600; Overnight Camping - P1,000
Campsite fee (Overnight Camping for group of 10 persons and below) - P800
Porter fee (optional): Day hike P500; Overnight camping P800
Reservations are allowed, too. You can book a slot for your group here:
As for the hike, it takes around 4-6 hours going up, but don't let that number scare you as Mt. Ulap is considered to be a minor climb—perfect for beginners. There are three peaks in this hike: the Ambanao Paoay Peak, Gungal Peak, in which a lot of hikers take pics at the Gungal Rock, and finally, Mt. Ulap.
As expected, the view is majestic and definitely worthy of the 4-6-hour hike. AKA super perfect for your feed!
The view doesn't stop at the third peak, though. Going down is just as interesting. You'll come across three of the Pong Ol burial caves. These caves are where traditional Cordillera burials are held.
And because it's just less than an hour away from Baguio City, you can cap off the climb by eating out and hanging in one of Baguio's many cool (pun intended) spots.
Want to share your trekking experience? Let us know in the comments below!
From The Candy Bulletin Community
