Take the risk, Follow the Path: Sagada Adventure Itinerary

(Sagada, Philippines) The beauty of Sagada is startling. If you’re an adventurer and nature-lover at the same time, then there’s probably no better destination. Whether you want to go spelunking, hike down a waterfall, tackle challenging trails on a mountain, or simply appreciate culture and nature, Sagada has everything an adventure lover could ask for.

Our team arrived in Sagada around 10 in the morning and before we started our first activity, the first thing we did is try the strawberry and wild berry ice cream. Sooooo refreshing!

Here are our 3-day Sagada Adventure Itinerary highlights:

Day 1: Spelunking in Lumiang to Sumaguing Cave

When visiting Sagada, exploring some caves is an activity that shouldn’t be missed. There are two options for Sagada Spelunking; the first is the Cave Connection (enter Lumiang Cave and exit at Sumaguing Cave) while the other is the Sumaguing Cave tour. We chose the Cave Connection since we are looking for more fun and adventure.

After our tour guide lit the lamp up, we started the spelunking activity. At the Lumiang Cave opening, some Coffins and human bones welcomed us as Lumiang Cave used to be a burial place, which brought excitement and hesitation.

As we pass by the caves, we engaged in rappelling and rock climbing, crawled through small holes, and walked through pools of cave waters. It is advisable to wear proper attire since the entire area was a bit challenging.

This activity is truly tiring and scary because of some “buwis buhay” parts of the cave but in exchange for all the weariness, we had a glimpse of different natural rock formations each with different stories, all told by our tour guides.

After 5 hours of endless walking and crawling with strong will and determination, we finally finished the spelunking activity to our hearts’ content.

Day 2: Hike down to Bomod-Ok Falls

Located at the northern tip of Sagada in Barangay Fidelisan is the fascinating Bomod-ok Falls hidden behind the rice terraces and valleys. It is referred to as the “Big Falls”, standing at approximately 200 meters high.

We met our tour guide to Bomod-ok Falls at the jump-off point in Barangay Bangaan. After some briefing and safety tips, we started to hike down to the base of the waterfall.

The trek down to the falls was easy since the path is already made of concrete. We were blessed to witness the beautiful scenery of the rice terraces and native villages by simply walking along the trail. Our guide kept on reminding us not to take photos while walking since the path is narrow and there are cliff parts on the route.

After an hour of long hike, we finally reached the fascinating Bomod-ok falls. As expected, the water in the falls is freezing cold but people were really tempted to take a dip the moment they arrived at the place because of its clear water and enchanting view. It’s one of the highest falls I’ve seen in my life and its beauty is truly rewarding.

Come lunch time, we decided to hike back up, but this time using a different route from what we took going down. Hiking up was difficult since we took the traverse route, but the trail was shorter compared to the trail down the falls.

As we reached the small lot near Aguid Road, we rented out a jeepney to bring us to the starting location. We decided to take the top load and take another look on the beauty of Pide and Fidelisan rice terraces. This place is a treasure that must be preserved.

Day 3: Trek to Marlboro Hills down – Kaman Utek

Kiltepan is the most famous spot in watching the sunrise in Sagada because of the movie “That Thing Called Tadhana”. Since Kiltepan is popular and is the common itinerary among Sagada goers, we decided to break the norm and take the road less travelled – the Kamanbaneng Peak which is often referred to as “Marlboro Country” by the locals.

We started hiking at dawn, around 4:30 AM. It was dark but the forest sounds were soothing and calming, releasing the stress from daily routines. The rainfall the night before made the trail wet and squishy, some of our members slipped in the mud but that did not stop us.

It took us around 45 minutes to reach the summit and the view we witnessed was stunning in all its form. The 360 degree view of the surrounding areas of Mountain Province makes it a better alternative, in my opinion, to the often crowded sunrise viewpoint at Kiltepan.

The sunrise was above the ocean of clouds and it was a breathtaking scenery. We made sure to capture the view not only by the photos and videos we took but through our eyes. This is my favorite part of our trip, I just wished I have a cup of hot chocolate while watching the sunrise. (though there are vendors on top of the hill selling coffee, lugaw, bottled water and the likes)

Then the cows came on the scene, all set for their morning routine. It was captivating to see them on their grazing land.

After enjoying the breathtaking view of sea of clouds, we continued the trail on the way to Kaman-Utek or Blue soil hills. The trek itself was very fascinating because of the evergreen landscape, forest scenery, and the limestone cliffs.

After almost an hour on the trail, we found ourselves in an open field beside a picturesque limestone cliff often called as “Kaipitan” by the locals. We were enticed to take some rest and have a jump shot in this beautiful landscape.

And after half an hour, we reached the intriguing Blue soil hills. It was said that the color of the soil is due to its composition, which is heavy on Copper Sulfate. At a closer look, the soil’s color is quite bluish-green and it turns to a bluer shade when the temperature is cooler. Amazing!

To sum it up, Sagada is one of the breath-taking tourist attractions in the Philippines perfect for all adventure seekers. 3 days is not enough to see all its beauty, but we will surely come back despite the long travel.

Also Read:

• Hanging Coffins of Sagada : A dying Igorot tradition
• Sagada Budget Travel Guide
• Top Things to do and See in Sagada for First-Time Travelers
• 5 Reasons why you should visit Sagada

Do you have a Pinterest account? Please pin this post.