Mt. Makiling Traverse Itinerary: day hike

We're on top of Los Banos!

Hiking, Mountain Climbing | Mt. Makiling (Maktrav) Traverse Itinerary

Jumpoff: Barangay San Bartolome, Santo Tomas, Batangas City

Trail end: UPLB Campus, Los Baños, Laguna

1103 MASL (Peak 3); 1092 MASL (Peak 2)

Specs: Strenous trekking, boulder rock sections, rain forest, wild flora and fauna, limatiks (tropical leeches), UPLB, mud spring, hot spring side trip.

Trekking time: 11+ hours

Notes:

. Mt. Makiling Traverse or MakTrav is preferably done as a day hike by mountaineers for several reasons: to keep a light load, maintain a fast pace and avoid camping out in the mountain’s limatik-infested forest.

. To go to Sto. Tomas in Batangas, take any bus bound to Batangas or Quezon. Many bus companies have their terminals in Gil Puyat/Buendia LRT area and EDSA. If you’re coming from South, you may catch these buses in Alabang area.

. Bus fare from Gil Puyat/Buendia is about P110.

. The trike fare from the Public Market to San Bartolome is about P50-P80.

. Registration fee in Barangay San Bartolome is P20.

. The trek starts on a dirt road that leads to the mountain foothills. The trail narrows down quickly as you begin ascending.

. You can have packed lunch along the trail, preferably in the flat area of Melka’s Ridge. If you have extra time, you can push for Peak 3 and take your lunch there.

. You will need to manage through tall cogon grass (some crawling) and then over rock faces (haring bato). Stationed ropes are available but be sure to check for their safety and try not to rely your entire weight on them.

. From haring bato, it’s a whirlwind trail to Peak 3 an area that’s commonly overlooked because it’s small and unassuming.

. Peak 2 is a slightly larger campsite. Limatiks start appearing from this part of the trek.

. From Peak 2, the trail is a long gradual descent to UP Los Banos.

. Limatiks are small and vicious so be sure to wear long socks/leggings/arm warmer/closed shoes. But still, even with these precautionary measures, limatiks still manage to cling and suck from the trekkers. In that case, just wait it out or use alcohol spray on them.

. It will probably be dusk when you pass by the flat rocks of the stream before getting out of the ‘wilderness area’ be extra careful since that area is slippery.

. Once you reach UPLB grounds (concrete road in College of Forestry), head towards the main road and wait for a jeepney. You may also opt to walk all the way to the gate to warm down your muscles.
. Buses pick up passengers from Olivarez Mall until about 7:00PM; you'd have to take a jeep (P8) to Los Banos Crossing to catch a bus any later than that.

Options:

. Most climbers take their breakfast in Jollibee in Sto. Tomas, but to save on food expenses, you can also bring packed breakfast and eat it in San Bartolome Barangay Hall.

. There is another trail to Melka’s Ridge, passing by a goat pen.
. Be on the lookout for clean water source along the trail in case your water runs low.

. If you have extra time and sunlight, you can take a quick side trip to the mud spring before proceeding to UPLB gate. You should find a trail sign that leads there.
. You may pass by another registration booth in UPLB side of the mountain, so that's another P20.
. Side trip idea: Los Banos/Pansol hot spring pool. Public pools have very reasonable rates. These are mostly found on the main road, along the jeepney line.


Budget: around P500 per pax from Gil Puyat/Buendia
Budget estimate for 4 people
440 Bus to Sto. Tomas
  80 Trike fare
  80 Barangay San Bartolome registration
600 Food share
  80 UPLB registration (just in case)
  64 Jeep
440 Bus to Manila
200 misc

Register here.

Warm up: approaching the mountain

Rest stop at the kubo; yours truly, still hungover :p

Great from Batangas side.

Gapang gid! Crawling through cogon grass area.

Sweeping view! Approaching haring bato

Pitcher plant refreshment! (No, don't drink it!)

Peak 2, i reckon...

Stream, it's all walking distance from here...

UPLB campus

Mud spring (taken during a different climb)

Itinerary and expenses recorded on June 2011.
Credit to Larry De Jesus and Migs Creencia for some of the photos on this post.