Compensating for our postponed and anticipated climb at the famous Mount Pulag, my officemate and I still decided to gave in to our itchy feet’s desire to see nature by visiting two of the lesser known mountains found near the area.
Mount Yangbew and Mount Kalugong are among the handful of must-stop destinations in the municipality of La Trinidad that boasts of scenic views and nature-filled experience to visitors. Aside from the usual trails and breath-taking sights, these beginner-friendly mountains also offer unique experiences that you won’t get in other mountains. Curious to know what these are? Read on to discover what these two La Trinidad mountains have to offer!
Disclaimer: This post hasn’t been updated recently, hence, some information may be outdated. I highly encourage to check reliable sources for updates.
Our day started when we arrived in our first destination for the day which was Mount Yangbew‘s jump-off point at around 5:30AM to catch the day’s sunrise. At its foot, we were welcomed by a steep paved road that leads to the mountain’s trail where an overlooking view of La Trinidad can be seen along the way. Since the sun wasn’t up at that time, we needed to do our climb in the dark while catching our breaths in between. At around 6AM, we reached the summit where we were rewarded with a scenic view of rolling grassland and a backdrop of the early morning sky. Adorning this beautiful scenery were enormous rays coming from the rising sun.
Being my first time to catch a sunrise on top of a mountain, I was in awe with the beauty of the scenery and the place that I couldn’t stop myself from snapping photos of the picturesque moment.
On our lower left side, we got to see an overlooking view of a part La Trinidad while on our north and rightmost sides were sights of the nearby mountains in the area. We also got the chance to see the West Philippine Sea located below and the the rare sea of clouds from afar in a lower mountain that was surrounded by it. Aside from the mountainous sights, there are also limestone formations open for photo ops and horseback riding services which is another activity in the area. Camping is also allowed that comes with a corresponding fee.
My favorite moment in the place was when the sun started rising from the east while the moon was still in sight in the west. It felt like a rare moment which literally put us in the middle of the two that don’t usually see each other. The morning sky’s beautiful gradient of blue, yellow, orange and purple was another thing that I love in our visit which was eventually replaced by the sun’s golden light when it fully rose.
After almost one and a half hours of exploring the summit and paying the environmental fee to one of the officers in area, we traced our steps back to the trail where we were able to clearly see the not-that-easy path we’ve taken earlier in broad daylight.
Upon reaching the main road, we took a jeepney going to Tawang’s barangay hall to reach the jump-off point of our second destination which was Mount Kalugong. In case jeepneys are not available, the place can also be reached after a 10-minute walk.
There are actually two trails going to Mount Kalugong and for our ascend, we decided to take the less established one that is near to Mount Yangbew and starts at Tawang’s barangay hall. Here, visitors are required to register and pay a PhP30-environmental fee (in case visit to Mount Yangbew hasn’t been made) before climbing the mountain.
The second trail is more established and starts off at the corners of Halsema Highway and Kalugong Road beside Benguet Memorial Services. This path is more accessible to public transport and passes through a neighborhood before reaching its summit. We tried this trail on our way down back to Baguio and also proved that this way is easier and takes lesser time to finish.
The less established trail going to Mount Kalugong starts off with a very steep paved road that leads to Tawang Cemetery. After passing by at this small burial ground, we were welcomed by an unpaved rust-colored trail that offers an overlooking view of nearby barangays and handful sights of towering pine trees. At the end, we reached a quiet camping site composed of several lodges set in the center of the forest where an entrance fee of PhP100 was collected from us. After this, we went to the nearby Mount Kalugong Kape-an which is the mountain’s well-known dining spot and where we took our breakfast for the day.
A quiant and cozy coffee shop set in a traditional cabin lodge, Mount Kalugong Kape-an quietly sits at the top of La Trinidad and prides itself with an overlooking view of the latter to dining customers.
Aside from its house recommended coffees, the place also serves a handful of breakfast dishes to go with the cups of Joe and homemade cakes for visitors who would like to have some quick bites. The coffee shop is adorned by various coffee-related materials such as books, mugs and machines and observes a self-service policy. Price ranges from PhP60 to PhP135.
After almost two and a half hours of walking and hiking, we decided to fill our grumbling stomachs with the place’s Waffle with Bacon and Egg (PhP125) and Arabica Coffee (PhP60). Not long after finishing the foods we ordered, we found ourselves outside of the café again and headed to our final destination of the day which was Mount Kalugong’s summit.
Relatively smaller compared to Mount Yangbew’s summit, the top of Kalugong is filled with limestone formations in which the overlooking view of La Trinidad can be seen. From here, one also gets to see the entire stretch of the famous Strawberry Farm located below and the national highway leading to Baguio City. Extra caution is advised in climbing the rock formations as the limestones can become too sharp and may tear one’s palm. There are also gaps in between the rocks which also needs attention which may cause slipping and other unwanted accidents.
After several minutes of staying and gaining ample experience of Mount Kalugong’s summit, we traced our way back to the trail and headed to the main road by taking the mountain’s established path. Several minutes later, we found ourselves inside a jeepney and en route to the Strawberry Farm to buy some souvenirs and to officially seal our visit in La Trinidad. It was also during this short jeepney trip when a local asked us if we’ve been to Mount Kalugong before answering her with a yes and realizing how locally popular the mountain is.
Tips:
- In case you want to commute going to Mount Yangbew’s jump-off point, jeepneys bound for Upper Tomay are located behind Baguio Centermall and in front of Baguio City Hall.
- After paying the environmental fee at Mount Yangbew’s summit, ensure to have a copy of the entrance ticket as proof of payment and registration because it will be presented to Tawang’s barangay hall before climbing Mount Kalugong.
- If you want to have a nature-filled experience, take the less established trail going to Mount Kalugong.
- Mount Kalugong is privately-owned, hence, it cannot be visited before sunrise because of its operating time that starts at 6:30AM.
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