Mt. Apo is a dormant stratovolcano in Davao Region, Mindanao and it measures 2,954 meters above sea level. It is dubbed as the "bubong ng Pilipinas" because it is the highest and the father of all the mountains in the Philippines. Its circumference stretches to two provinces in the southern Mindanao region, the provinces of North Cotabato and Davao del Sur. Though this mountain is considered active, trekking on its terrain is safe and can provide a package of remarkable experiences and photos to be shared. Below are the list of Things to Remember: Description, Height (MASL), Trails, Campsite, and Difficulty:
HIKING GUIDE | DAY 1 | 9:00 AM: Our journey started at the water reservoir, the jump-off. It was an uphill trek passing by the community and their vegetable plantation. Two hours from the jump-off, on a continued ascent, we reached the trail which is the start of the actual ascent to Tinikaran, the first camp. On this part, the uphill trail continues enclosed in a healthy forest, with mosses and ferns hanging on trees, with the visibility of lichens on the boulders and trees, and with the birds singing their lullabies - it was really a trek through a jungle trail.
ON THE TRAILS OF MT. APO: We reached Tinikaran Campsite at 2:30 PM. It is also known as Camp 1 and is part of Sibulan, Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur - 5.45 kilometers away from the summit. The campsite isn't wide but can accommodate a few tents. The area is surrounded with countless flora which preserves the tranquility. This spot is also prominent for having a wealthy bio-diversity that only exists on rainforest. There are monkeys playing while the birds are singing lullabies. Our first day ended with darkness and rain showers with a very cold wind. On the other hand, the sound of the insects and wind made us fall sleep.
DAY 2 | 4:30 AM - Second day started. As we turned on the lights and prepared for our breakfast, the monkeys started their new day stealing our stuff. Waited for the golden sunrise to contrast the cold breeze. Had our breakfast and break camp. Started our ascend at around 9 AM. From Tinikaran Campsite, the healthy ecosystem and great wildlife on the terrains are noticeable. On this part, the trail isn't just about an uphill ascend, it also includes hopping on and off the boulders and bending your body back and forth because of the trees blocking the trail.
THE SULFUR VENTS: We reached this area at around 11:30 AM. Apo is a dormant volcano and the vents on the ground with steam and sulfur coming out gives another challenge. The steam smells like mud - a powerful smell of mud! Despite that, the area can still be a perfect backdrop for photo ops because of the yellowish color covering the the rocks and boulders. This adds to the unique experience.
It was a long expedition of trekking and hopping on and off the rocks and boulders after the sulfur vents area. Though the boulder trail is a bit interesting because of the gigantic walls made of artistic rocks and a pile of boulders, I can personally compare it to the limestone walls in Greece (photo above). Also, the cute and colorful wild berries by the trails are another interesting discovery. Then, the next part was an assault on cogon grassland, which served as our campsite.
COGON GRASSLAND - We finally reached the campsite around 4:30 PM. The weather wasn't good, the wind was strong and very cold. Plus, the strong rain showers added a bit of a challenge. Not exaggerating but when it strikes my skin, it feels like blades slashing. Anyways, we set up our camp and prepared our dinner while there's sunlight. Had our dinner and socials inside the tent. And we call it a day!
DAY 3 - We were unable to take a complete eight-hour sleep because of the cold weather and the noise created by the strong wind. It was still early but everyone was up, so we started a conversation while the campsite was surrounded by darkness. Waited for the sunrise. Prepared and had our breakfast. And ascent to the summit.
From cogon grassland, the trails are uphill and the terrain is rich with dwarf trees, wild berries, lichens on the rocks and some other plants - proof that this mountain still has a virgin and wealthy ecosystem. Also, this mountain has several peaks, therefore, the trails are a combination of uphill and downhill. We got a glimpse of the golden sunrise but wasn't enough to see the beauty that surrounds this giant. Descent to cogon grassland and explored the wide area.
FROM COGON GRASSLAND TO LAKE VENADO TO AMALCIGA CENTURY TREE AND BACK TO THE JUMP OFF | It was around 9 AM when we left cogon grassland to descend. If our Day 1 and Day 2 were all uphill, Day 3 is purely downhill. On this part, the terrain is abundant with flora such as wild orchids, mosses and ferns hanging on the branches while the birds were tirelessly singing while we were passing by. Another hard part was the downhill trail to Lake Venado, though, the panoramic sceneries are spectacular. Had our lunch by the lake at around twelve noon. Started trekking and reached Amalciga Century Tree at around 2:30 PM. Continued trekking to Sibulan Jump Off. Unable to track the time because my gadgets were all empty bats. Hopped on the motorcycle and headed back to Sibulan Brgy. Hall. Tidy Up. Ate a lot and headed back to Davao City for our side trip to Isla Reta, Talicud Island, Samal.