Mt. Makiling

posted on Monday, March 18, 2024

“...[W]E saw delightful places, charming places, worthy to be inhabited by gods and goddesses. Tall trees with straight and mossy trunks, among whose branches the vines weave most beautiful laces embroidered with flowers, most rare and varied parasitic plants from the threadlike form to the toothed broad leaf, the split or circular gigantic ferns, palms of all kinds, tall and graceful...and this and more we have seen and admired, suspending our march at various times in order to tarry ecstatic...” – Jose Rizal, 1887

These words written by no less than our national hero filled my mind while journeying through the 30 stations of the Maria Makiling Trail early March 2024. It was apparently Jose Rizal’s (childhood) dream mountain, which he finally hiked in 1887.

Soaring at 1090 MASL, Mt. Makiling via Los Baños, Laguna is a minor climb, with a 4 out of 9 level of difficulty. It is an inactive volcano and considered an ASEAN Heritage Park since 2013. It is known for its pristine forest with various flora, fauna, birds and reptiles thriving within its ecosystem.

To schedule a climb, hikers are required to register via this link. There are around 50 local guides in the area and we were assigned to 45-year-old Kuya Pet. Guide fee is pegged at P1,200, for a group of 5 pax. Entrance fee, on the other hand, is P30.00 per pax. We brought our own car and we arrived at the Maria Makiling Trail Station 1 before 6:00 am. After registration, we were good to go.

We were welcomed by a cemented trail up to the Agila Base at Station 11. Don’t miss checking out the ‘Tangisang bayawak’ tree along the trail. It was dubbed as such because monitor lizards couldn’t climb the tree due to its extremely smooth bark. Thus the name, ‘tangis’ which is to cry and ‘bayawak’ meaning monitor lizard. Another must-see is the endangered ‘Jade vine,’ which you can easily spot because of its fallen jade-colored petals along the trail.

The cemented trail was no doubt the perfect warm-up for the remaining 20 stations leading to the summit. I was looking forward to seeing the rare Rafflesia endemic to the Philippines. I have seen photos online but to see it in full bloom (as it only lasts for a few days) would surely complete our Mt. Makiling experience.

And yes, we weren’t disappointed! As we reached Station 14, we spotted a blooming Rafflesia. There were several buds waiting to bloom and we also spotted a wilting one. Whatta view indeed. Just our luck, Ling also saw the very elusive Luzon Bleeding Heart pigeon, which was previously spotted in Quezon last 2023.

From Station 20 onwards, the trail becomes steeper and more challenging. Patience is a virtue while traversing through mud and bouts with leeches. After a total of 9.4 kilometers or 4 hours, Maria Makiling’s summit was upon us. We were simply thankful to witness such beauty in this lifetime.

The biggest surprise, however, was during our descent through Station 17. Maria Makiling gave us yet another chance to see just the perfect Rafflesia---a rare flower in full bloom! No wonder Rizal had only good words to say about this gem of a mountain.

See also our climb up Mt. Apo, Mt. Pulag via Ambaguio-Tawangan traverse, Kibungan Cross Country, Mt. Napulauan, Mt. Purgatory Traverse, Tarak Ridge, Mt. Ugo, Mt. Pulag via Ambangeg Trail, Mt. Arayat, Mt. Balagbag, Mt. Amuyao, Mt. Pigingan, Mt. Pulag via Akiki Trail, and Mt. Timbak.