Mt Ugo - Itinerary and Expenses 2020 | The Happy Trail

-- Mt. Ugo --

LLA: 16.31916°N, 120.80166°E, 2,220 MASL

Itinerary Highlights

Meet up Victory Liner Kamias, wait our 11:00 pm trip to Aritao and make ticket reservation from Baguio to Manila through Premier Card.

The first comers @Victory Liiner Kamias

Around 5:30 am we arrive at CCQ Bus Stop at Aritao and as usual nag lugaw/mami kame pampainit ng sikmura.

CCQ Bus Stop, Aritao

Day 1

6:40 am touch down at Kayapa Town Hall and they have a brewed coffee (Unli) as a welcome drink for hikers and locals.

Kayapa Town Hall

Register, 2 cups of coffee, buy food for packed lunch and rock na! 7:50 am start trek!

The best friends of the mountains

First part simentong hagdan :D

Then totoong trail na , pero assault :D

First photo session..

Me

Lisette

Jep

Jen

First take five: Me, Jen, Jep, Aki, Lisette and Jonille

Resume trek!





9:50 we have reach this sari-sari store with invincible goods, a little rest and photo ops, assault na ulit!





I've been here in 2016, I said to my first timer (here at Mt. Ugo) co-hikers that this was a four hours of a gradual assault, pero sabi nila hindi daw yun gradual :D because we're already exhausted pawis na pawis at puro stop for our lungs to recover.

We're ahead one hour in our planned itinerary, the lead group reached Indupit Village around 10:00 am.

We immediately buy super cold 1.5 coke ang sarap-sarap and also bangus, lumpia atbp chichirya na maraming betsin, 90's food ika nga, reminded us of our chilhood.

El paborito de pancit canton

After eating our packed lunch and coffee time we resume the hike around 12:00 pm.

Mukhang nakakatakot sa sitio na yan ahh

Most of the trail after the Indupit village

1:00 pm we stopped in this popular waiting shed, they offer their own native coffee Arabica, native fruits and the overlooking view of Mt. Ugo. Siempre photo ops, coffee break again.

Coffee

100 pesos per pack

Jepoy

Me and Jen <3

Lisette w/ her itlog and brewed coffee

2:20 pm we arrive at Domolpos Elementary School and this will serve as the camp site, we opt to stay one of the classroom and make paluto for our dinner (Tinolang Manok), day two breakfast (Longsilog), day two pack lunch (Pork Adobo).

Domolpos elem. school is just in foot of Mt Ugo

Kids playing

We have so much time to chill or whatever na pwedeng magawa doon.

Jen and her buddy chilling outside

We opt to rent kutson at 50 pesos na sa umpisa pinagdudahan pa ng mga kasama ko na ang ending nagrent na lahat dahil sa comfort.

Our room

Highlight din ang pagka ingay-ingay at madrama naming katabing classroom na pinag isteyan din ng ibang group of hikers, they make us no choice but to listen to their loud voices and stories at nakatulog lang kame nun natapos na nilang i-share ang kani-kanilang madramang buhay pag-ibig around 1:30 am.

I asked Ma'am Norma (one of our tour guide) why it's now prohibited to set camp in the campsite, she then answered 'basura' at'naiwang mga bote ng alak' sa campsite.

Day 2

2:00 am wake up alarm, called Ma'am Vangeline for our breakfast to serve and packed lunch.
3:30 am all is set and we start the ascent. The dark night, super cold weather and the strong wind. Kahit assault almost hindi kame pinapawisan sa sobrang lamig.

Past 5:00 am arrived at the campsite and it's too early yaayy so lamig we almost couldn't feel our hands, the grass are wet so we can't sit. Around 5:40 am we start to see the sea of clouds.

5:40 am

And then start na ng photo ops sessions...

I feel we are blessed because despite of the upcoming storm Tisoy, still the weather is very good.

7:00 am arrived at summit, we have a partial clearing but we didn't manage to get a photo of the cordillera mountains.

2X2 picture of Team Singhot

7:30 still it's freezing cold and we start the descent after the photo ops.

Marker at the campsite

Descent from the summit

Along the trail

8:00 am take five after the descend from summit and wait for the others to regroup on this big pine tree.

After that start na ng what I called 'Happy Trail of Mt. Ugo', kase naman super chill nalang puro pababa na, maganda ang trail at super ganda din ng surroundings so mag eenjoy ka talaga. Bonus pa yung good weather.

Along the trail madaming groups of cows and one group is gathered at the gate, basta derederetso ka lang and don't stop, one cow has approached us and I immediately blocked him with my trekking pole, we worry about our one companion just behind us baka 'di siya makadaan at ayun na nga, but one of the trail runners passing helped him to pass, that trail runner guy is like a Cow whisperer he is commanding the cows and we thanked him. Same situation happened to our other member but thank God nothing happens.

First group cows

Eto yung sa may gate, medjo aggressive sila

""Baka" naman pede pong makidaan?
#Cowcowtakot" - Lisette

Jep, di makadaan medjo trip siya nun brown na baka :D

Before 11:00 am nakarating na kame sa Lusod village, sa wakas long rest after that almost 7 hours of hiking. At nawala na yung freezing weather

Si big doggo

At dahil sa freezing cold weather kanina parang galing sa freezer ang packed lunch namin na pork adobo I ate it anyway dahil sa gutom pero we also opt to paluto pancit canton.

Before 1:00 pm the group has made a tough decision, pasundo nalang sa KM3 :D

We leave Lusod village with a hot weather, it's a mixed excited and sad feeling kase matatapos na ang paghihirap at the same time matatapos na rin ang aming adventure.

Me, Jen, Lisette

Jen, Chelsea, Lisette

Chelsea and Aki

Wayback 2016 Chelsea got me a stolen shot at na-feature sa isang #SecretPlacePH post at sabi ko ulitin yun shot, same spot pero different angle.

2016 X 2019

Around 3:00 pm our adventure in the mountains of Nueva Viscaya and Benguet has ended, wash up, chichat of our experiences at KM 3.

We stop at Tinongdan, Itogon Brgy. Hall to register, taking a group photo and avail their free brewed coffee.

Congratulations for scaling Mt. Ugo traverse via Kayapa to Benguet :)

Team dinner at Baguio city. mentioning our bill 3,300++

Our last stop is Café by the Ruins to chill and kill some time, coz we have to wait for our 11:00 pm trip bound back to Manila.

My coffee family :D

Natuwa ako sa LGU ng Kayapa at Tinongdan para sa free unli brewed coffee nila. :)

Thanking God for make us safe the whole travel, for the good weather and good food.

Mount Ugo is one of my favorite mountain to hike because of so many reasons. I met true hiking friends and super thankful for that, the trail is exhausting but offers beautiful views from Kayapa to Benguet, the locals are very kind, the mountain itself has his own history. And this time I am with my buddy and reunited again to Team Ugo friends.

Photos credit: Jen, Chelsea, Jep

Tips:

- Always plan your itinerary if your going DIY and have a plan B incase
- Make advance booking reservation prior to your trip
- Make sure you have a tour guide/contacts and have validation or reviews
- The best time to hike in Benguet is from November to March - for a cold weather and sea of clouds
- Always bring extra cash or emergency money for unplanned expenses

Be a Biyahero:

- Always practice LNT (Leave No Trace) principles
- Buy their local goods
- Respect the place and locals
- Avoid tawad to locals as much as possible if your buying, parang tulong n'yo narin sakanila
- Don't say bad words

-- Mt Ugo Itinerary 2020 --

Day 0
21:00 Assembly at Victory Liner Kamias
04:00 ETA at Victory Liner, Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya (CCQ Bus Stop)

Day 1
06:00 ETA Kayapa. Registration at PNP Station. Breakfast
08:00 Start trek
11:00 Indupit Village – 1st water source, Lunch
12:00 Resume trek
15:00 ETA Domolpos Village,  Set camp

Day 2
03:00 Wake up, Breakfast, Break camp
06:00 ETA Campsite, photo ops
07:30 ETA Summit
08:00 Begin descent
11:00 Lusod Village, Lunch
15:30 Kawayan Village, Quick break
16:30 Arrival at Waiting shed KM 00
18:00 Tinongdan Brgy Hall. Wash up
19:15 ETD from Tinongdan Brgy Hall going to Baguio via chartered jeep
20:30 ETA Victory Liner Baguio. Dinner
22:00 Home Bound

Mt Ugo Expenses

Bus MNL - Aritao - Baguio - MNL: 985
Van: 2400
Registration Fee Tinongdan: 200
Registration Fee Kayapa 135
Guide: 2000 / 2 guides, 2 days
Food: 300/3 meals

Our contacts

Ms Jean (Kayapa Tourism)
0910 618 1910

Maam Naty T (Domolpos School Stay)
0912 302 7126

Vangeline (Food Paluto)
0946 340 4032

Our Guides:
Ms. Norma - 09460442852
Sir. Lopez - 09094407109

Thank you for reading and enjoy our video ! :)

The Team: Lisette, Chelsea, Angelica, Cheska, Aki, Jonille, Noel, Jen, Jehp, Jep

Thank you guys for the great adventure. Hungry for more.