Of Love and Pancakes: Mt. Pinatubo Trek

Mt. Pinatubo should be your next destination! It's lots of fun. The experience is superb!

I went there with my boyfriend and his cousins. It was my welcome gift for him. I was surprised that everyone wanted to experience Mt. Pinatubo as much as I do. I have planned for the tour for more than a month before his vacation here in the Philippines and it was a roller coaster ride with just the bookings (please see my post about Ensogo vouchers here). So after the disaster with Ensogo, I found out that it was so easy to book with the locals in the area. Lucky enough, my officemate went there weeks before our desired date so she gave me the details of the tour and her contact person.

Details are as follows:
1. Tour Package - Php 1,700.00 / head, with packed lunch at the crater and pancit for merienda (snack) after the tour
2. Contact person: Ms. Lorena - 09494111619

Please inform Ms. Lorena that you have read my post about the tour and tell her that you got her details through me so you'll get the same package ... Roella Cruz :)

Other tour operators would tell you that 1 group is equal to 5 persons for you to be able to get the tour package of Php 1,500.00 / head without lunch and merienda as you should accommodate one 4 x 4 vehicle. With Ms. Lorena, we were 7 in the group and she gladly gave us the above cited package with two 4 x 4 vehicles - overriding the supposed minimum of 5 persons per group per 4 x 4 vehicle and we had two tour guides. :)

All was set. We left at around 5:00AM and we arrived at the pick up area around 6:45AM after we got lost. LOL. You should be there before 7:00AM or you would be late and wait for the 4 x 4 vehicles (if there are still any).

Ms. Lorena approached us super fast because there were lots of peeps already lined up for the I-forgot-all-those-permits-stuff and she was there beside me and assisted me with signing up. Then she called for two 4 x 4 trucks and we were lucky enough that our group got two wonderful sturdy looking white trucks.

The trip started there. Long and bumpy road. Across little sapas (streams) and along big rocks. We stopped at an area to take a breather and take some pictures. The long and bumpy ride ended at a certain point where everyone has to walk. This was the most challenging part. There was sand, and wind, trees, rocks and rocks and rocks, and sapas that we had to cross. My rubber shoes were wet and I had to remove my socks. It was tiring and fulfilling at the same time.

It is a different kind of experience. It was like your walking in an endless road and you ask yourself "Okay, where is that crater?!" LOL.

We had two stops, to drink and take a bite. Then go again. Bring at least 1.5 liters of water per person and some snacks like cupcakes and cookies.

So to cut the story short, we reached the crater! Yay!!! There were already a lot of people there. Some were swimming, others riding boats and some resting and just enjoying the majestic crater of Mt. Pinatubo. Scroll down below for the pictures. :)