Mt. Romelo x Buruwisan Falls: Budget-friendly Hike For Only Php 342
By Angel Macaraig - Saturday, February 06, 2016
I was told that Mt. Romelo is a good practice/ training ground for newbie mountaineers, with 2 out of 9 difficulty level record as per Pinoy Mountaineer. I was hesitant at first because it was my first time to hike a mountain, and I might not be physically prepared for such activity. But, who wants to miss the fun? I'm no KJ, so I ended up joining my sisters who happened to be all athletes. So, good luck to my physically fit (???) self!
Mount Romelo x Buruwisan Falls Adventure |
How to get to Mt. Romelo and Buruwisan Falls?
Mount Romelo, dubbed as the "Land of Waterfalls", is located at the southwest border of Sierra Madre, Siniloan, Laguna. To get there, you may choose from the following options:
By Public Transportation
Option 1: Ride a bus bound to Infanta at Raymond Bus Lines, Sampaloc, Manila. The bus terminal is situated near Legarda LRT Station. According to sources, this is the best option!
By Public Transportation
Option 1: Ride a bus bound to Infanta at Raymond Bus Lines, Sampaloc, Manila. The bus terminal is situated near Legarda LRT Station. According to sources, this is the best option!
Option 2: Ride a jeepney bound to Tanay at Crossing, Shaw Boulevard. Alight at Tanay Market, then ride a jeep heading to Famy, Siniloan. From there, you may ride a tricycle to Brgy. Macatad or tell the driver to drop you off at Buruwisan.
By Private Transportation
Option 3: If you're after convenience, you may hire a van or jeepney that will take you to Siniloan, Laguna.
How would you know if you're already there? Just take note of the following landmarks: KIA3 Restaurant and Buruwisan Falls signage.
Heading to the Registration Hall
Before you can proceed hiking, you will be first required to register and pay Php 50 per head at the registration hall of Mt. Romelo. If it's your first time, it's advisable to hire a tour guide which costs around Php 500-600.
Selfie first before anything else! :) LOL |
Our journey to Mount Romelo's Summit
For a beginner like me, the trail to Buruwisan falls was very challenging. It seemed easy for most of my hiking buddies, but the difficulty I encountered was the price I had to pay for not preparing for the activity. The heat was tolerable, thanks to the shade of the tall trees. During the climb, you will encounter short steep portions and muddy soils. By the way, it's not advisable to climb this mountain on rainy seasons, as the trail will be too muddy.
Still not even HALFWAY. Wait, whattttt? I'M NOT YET TIRED OKAY?? Don't judge me, please! Hahaha! |
Hello there horsyyyy! For convenience you may rent a horse that will carry your things to your destination and back. |
Stop over, finally! If my memory serves me right, you will pass by 3 rest stations where you can buy food and drinks! |
According to one of our hiking buddies, it's better if you drink Gatorade, rather than water. |
Say cheese, my beautiful sisters! |
Para sa mga walang awang, nang-iwan sa'kin! Jokeee. |
As much as I wanted to drink buko juice, I opted not to. Hmm. Why? Think about it. Hmm. |
Mount Romelo's Summit
From the registration hall, it took us roughly two hours to reach Mount Romelo's summit. I didn't expect much about it as I was informed that the highlight of this climb is the Buruwisan falls, not the summit. Nevertheless, I felt fulfilled and happy for surviving the first part of this adventure.
View from Mt. Romelo's Summit |
with www.gizguide.com |
With my sisters! |
Buruwisan Falls
It took us more than an hour to reach the camp site. To get to Buruwisan fall's catch basin, you'll need to climb down a steep trail. Just be careful guys, it's kind of dangerous. Climb down slowly but surely!Heading to Buruwisan Falls! |
Nice shot of Buruwisan Falls, credits to Gizguide! |
Buruwisan Falls! |
Buruwisan Falls! |
Hello friends!! |
We decided to head back to the registration hall at around 3PM. If you want to take a bath and tidy up, you may use the registration hall's rest rooms. You will just have to pay an amount of Php 25.
Video (Buruwisan Falls)
Itinerary for Dayhike
5:00 AM: Assembly at Jollibee LRT Legarda Station6:00 AM: ETD Raymond Bus Lines bound to Infanta, Quezon
8:30 AM: Jump off KM3 Restaurant
8:45 AM: Registration x secure tour guide/s
9:00 AM: Start trek
10:30 AM: Reach summit of Mt. Romelo
10:45 AM: Resume trek to Buruwisan Falls
12:00 NN: Buruwisan falls X Lunch
1:00 PM: Relax x swim x photo ops
2:00 PM: Start trek to barangay hall
4:00 PM: Tidy up
5:00 PM: Ride trike to Famy (where you'll wait bus/ van to Manila)
Total Budget/ Expenses: Php 342
Bus to Siniloan: Php 112Registration Fee: Php 50
Guide Fee (10pax): Php 60 each
Bus to Manila: Php 120
Source [1] [2]
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