After the 4x4 ride, we were all excited to begin our trek to Mount Pinatubo Crater Lake.
There were so many rocks and stones in various colors and shapes. I found it relieving that I came prepared with my trekking sandals.
But even if you don't have trekking sandals, not to worry because the guides will assist you in every step of the way. They will hold your hand as you cross the river and point out where to step through the rocky trails.
Some of the streams are trickled with minerals:sulfur.
Since the pre-Spanish era until the eruption of Mount Pinatubo on June 1991, Mount Pinatubo and its nearby areas are inhabited by the Aetas. It's quite sad that their population now is only in thousands. They are protected under the Indigenous People Republic Act (IPRA) of 1997.
With the eruption of Mount Pinatubo, the soil became acidic making it difficult for them to farm naturally and organically as they used to. In 1996, the Aetas received a legal recognition of their ancestral domain for Mount Pinatubo. In November 2009, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) issued a certificate of ancestral domain title (CADT) covering Mount Pinatubo.
Tourism in Mount Pinatubo began in 1999 as an alternative source of income for the residents of Capas Tarlac (80% of which are Aetas) and it has won several awards for tourism projects: PATA Gold International Award 2001, Kalakbay National Award 2001 and ASEANTA International Award 2002.
You can see stone balancing arts which are made by the Aeta kids along the trail.
My favorite parts of the trek are the streams.
While many would recommend trekking early to avoid the sun. I think trekking under the sun rays has its benefits such as being able to appreciate the bright and vivid colors of nature.
The sun makes the water glisten...
and the leaves so green.
The clouds are also bluer.
So if its me, I'd rather be exposed to the sun than not to see this kind of beauty. Besides, our Dermplus Moisturizing Sunblock Extreme X80 With SPF 80 and Dermplus Moisturizing Sunblock Ultimate U130 With SPF 13 protected us well from the uv rays of the sun. My yellowish Chinese skin didn't even turn red.
This sign by the rest huts brought us great relief! Knowing how near we were to the Mount Pinatubo Crater Lake motivated us to go on further. We also tried to beat the senior citizen pace but failed. There are rest rooms here and my companions also bought some ice candy (20 php) and Gatorade (100 php).
These rocky steps are beautiful but they really challenged my knees.
We've gone all the way up and this is it... There's a park and portalets making this area the picnic and resting nest for the trekkers.
Just a few more steps down to reach the Mount Pinatubo Crater Lake. Coming on a Saturday, they were already hundreds ahead of us.
When we got done, our Tripinas gave us an quick history of Mount Pinatubo. We were also advised to stay until after noon time because it usually drizzles around 1 pm. A lot of people set up a picnic by the lake and eat their packed lunch there.
It took us around 2 hours to reach here and it's totally worth it!
If you're lucky, the crater water (accumulated rainwater) changes color because of the algae.
After this, it's another 45 trek down where you came from. ;)
Overall, we Travel Tripsters had so much fun reaching Mount Pinatubo Crater Lake! Definitely worth every step. So have fun and stay sunscreen protected!
There were so many rocks and stones in various colors and shapes. I found it relieving that I came prepared with my trekking sandals.
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| Our Tour Guide |
But even if you don't have trekking sandals, not to worry because the guides will assist you in every step of the way. They will hold your hand as you cross the river and point out where to step through the rocky trails.
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| Trekkers giving them candy. I wonder if they know how to brush their teeth. |
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| Happy to see an old Aeta woman. Did you know that the average life span of an Aeta is 27 years old? |
With the eruption of Mount Pinatubo, the soil became acidic making it difficult for them to farm naturally and organically as they used to. In 1996, the Aetas received a legal recognition of their ancestral domain for Mount Pinatubo. In November 2009, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) issued a certificate of ancestral domain title (CADT) covering Mount Pinatubo.
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| Aeta kids playing |
Tourism in Mount Pinatubo began in 1999 as an alternative source of income for the residents of Capas Tarlac (80% of which are Aetas) and it has won several awards for tourism projects: PATA Gold International Award 2001, Kalakbay National Award 2001 and ASEANTA International Award 2002.
My favorite parts of the trek are the streams.
The clouds are also bluer.
So if its me, I'd rather be exposed to the sun than not to see this kind of beauty. Besides, our Dermplus Moisturizing Sunblock Extreme X80 With SPF 80 and Dermplus Moisturizing Sunblock Ultimate U130 With SPF 13 protected us well from the uv rays of the sun. My yellowish Chinese skin didn't even turn red.
These rocky steps are beautiful but they really challenged my knees.
 |
| Hundred steps down and then up |
It took us around 2 hours to reach here and it's totally worth it!
If you're lucky, the crater water (accumulated rainwater) changes color because of the algae.
 |
| Mount Pinatubo Crater Lake |
After this, it's another 45 trek down where you came from. ;)
Overall, we Travel Tripsters had so much fun reaching Mount Pinatubo Crater Lake! Definitely worth every step. So have fun and stay sunscreen protected!
| Mount Pinatubo Crate Lake | ||
| Address | Brgy. Sta. Juliana, Capas, Tarlac, Philippines | |
| Budget Per Person (c/o Trip Pinas) | 1,790 php | Mount Pinatubo Crate Lake Map |
| Payment Options | Cash |
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| Operating Hours | Monday to Sunday: (even holidays) 4 am-7am |
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| Reservation Required | Yes | |
| Contact | ||