Summer season is about to end, so our group decided to have one last trip before rainy days arrived. We chose Pinatubo adventure since we were rooting for this trip for quite a while. Upon searching how to save for this trip we ended up getting the package of Kuya Wendell Mercado (0919-608-4313), the President of 4 Wheeler's Club since among online packages i find his reasonable. We are 8 in the group so we divided the expenses resulting to a 1800 contribution per head which comprised of the following:
- 3000 - 4 x 4 that will accommodate maximum of 5 pax.
- 500 - conservation fee per head
- 500 - tour guide fee per 4 x 4
- 150 - Aeta passway fee per head
- 250 - breakfast meal and 2 pcs. Chicken with extra rice for our lunch.
We left Alabang 3 in the morning and arrived in Capas Tarlac 5:30 in time for our breakfast. Mcdonalds in Capas just after the public market passing by a Caltex gasoline station is the common stop over among tourists to Pinatubo where you can take your breakfast or buy some necessities at the nearest 7 - 11. It's 7:30 already when we arrived at Santa Juliana where the tourist center is located. I immediately look for Ate Khey (Kuya Wendell's secretary) who assisted us in the entire registration. Please bear in mind that you must do all you bathroom necessities here since there are only 2 available bathroom areas, one is halfway the trek and the other one is on the crater. After settling our waivers and bills the adventure started.
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| Tourism Center Sta. Juliana Capas Tarlac - drop off point to Pinatubo |
Since we are group of 8, we're divided into 2 4 x 4 vehicles. The off - roading adventure lasted for an hour and you will enjoy a spectacular view along the way.
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| Off-roading adventure to Mount Pinatubo |
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| Off-roading adventure to Mount Pinatubo |
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| Off-roading adventure to Mount Pinatubo |
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| Off-roading adventure to Mount Pinatubo |
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| Off-roading adventure to Mount Pinatubo |
After the thrilling 4 x 4 ride, our trekking started. Our original plan was to take the short route which will last for about 30 minutes trekking, unluckily, that route was closed (just a week ago) when we got there. So we have no choice but to bear with the long route that consumed us to 2 hours trekking. It was quite an exhausting walk (maybe because we have no enough sleep) but very manageable. You can stop whenever you want and enjoy sharing stories with your guide and your trekking buddies.
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| Trekking adventure to Mount Pinatubo |
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| Trekking adventure to Mount Pinatubo |
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| Trekking adventure to Mount Pinatubo |
Finally, after all the tiring walk, this was our beautiful reward.
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| Magnificent Beauty of Mount Pinatubo |
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| Magnificent Beauty of Mount Pinatubo |
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| Magnificent Beauty of Mount Pinatubo |
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| Magnificent Beauty of Mount Pinatubo |
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| Magnificent Beauty of Mount Pinatubo |
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| Magnificent Beauty of Mount Pinatubo |
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| Magnificent Beauty of Mount Pinatubo |
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| Magnificent Beauty of Mount Pinatubo |
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| Magnificent Beauty of Mount Pinatubo crater lake |
After taking some photos, we rest for a while and took our lunch picnic style then descend to Pinatubo's crater afterwards. We lasted at the crater for an hour or 2 and started trekking back 1:30 in the afternoon. Going back was so light and fast that it took as only an hour trekking to our 4 x 4 ride. We arrived at the tourist center 3:30 in the afternoon. We rest for a while then took a bathe in the available shower areas just across the tourist center for 50 pesos per head.
Our Mount Pinatubo trip was an adventure we will never forget since it was our first time to an off - roading adventure using a 4 x 4 vehicle and our first long hike/trek. So much learning and so much beauty. Mount Pinatubo left me in awe wondering how nature and God worked together to create this kind of beauty. A beautiful disaster, indeed.
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| Trekking adventure to Mount Pinatubo |
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| Trekking adventure to Mount Pinatubo |
How to get there:
Via private vehicle
Take the NLEX road until you reached the end road of NLEX which is Sta. Inez exit. From there take the Mc Arthur Highway Mabalacat en route Bamban until you reach the Capas Public Market. Just after the market left turn to a small road to Barangay Sto. Rosario and take 25km of countryside road passing by barangays Aranguren, Cristo Rey, Sta. Lucia, O'Donnell and finally Sta. Juliana where the tourism center is located.
Via commute
Ride any bus en route Pangasinan, Baguio or Tarlac and drop off at Capas Junction. Ride a tricycle just across Mcdonald's Capas that will bring you to Sta. Juliana, the jump off point to Mount Pinatubo
