Karlo Pacana
Sirao Peak in Cebu City
HELLO STRANGERS!
We’re off to Mt. Kan-irag also known as Sirao Peak or the recently christened Pedro Calungsod Peak within the Queen City of the South situated 750 meters above sea level.
Behind the scenes
Though the destination is our target, what’s more important is the journey towards this challenging hiking trail.
Fatigue setting in
The meet-up is at JY Square Mall in Lahug, Cebu City. The event was sponsored by Jah Zreal via Facebook. This is a chance to meet new and interesting people in Cebu City.
One of the many canyons
Rocky trail
There are two options to reach Sirao Peak. The easy trail via Ayala Heights in Busay can take about two hours while the difficult trail via Brgy. Budlaan can take about five hours.
The trail from Kabang Falls
Trekking time depends on the group’s pace and since the majority of us were first-timers, we started around 10am, the jump-off at Brgy. Budlaan and reached Sirao Peak at about four in the afternoon.
Under the scorching heat
We passed through Budlaan River, it’s very rocky all the way to Kabang Falls. Though a quick dip under the scorching heat would be nice, sadly, Kabang Falls dried up when we came to visit.
Candid shot at the grasslands
We just decided to have some refreshments and ice candy near Brgy. Sirao’s basketball court. We had our lunch under the shade of a nipa hut a few meters away. This was where the first #hugot moment happened when Vertical Horizon’s Best I Ever Had played on the speakers. One trekker shared her story about her past love experience which everybody was able to relate to.
Half-rainy and half-sunny
Back to the trek, we passed through slippery mudpaths, knee-high grass and concrete bridges. We then took a rest from time to time usually on a cliff or under the shade of a big tree.
Getting to know each other
I was not prepared for the level of difficulty of this trek. After climbing more than a hundred steps, I was exhausted. My legs gave in and my muscles were sore. We decided to rest a little bit. Good thing, our friends have first aid and after applying a pain killer ointment to the affected area, I was ready to continue the journey.
Priceless view in Sirao Peak
After a few more steps, we reached the peak. Seeing the happy faces of your trek buddies after a successful climb is priceless.
Resting under the shade
Stopover on a cliff
Despite the perilous journey, the view at the top is worth it. There’s never a better icebreaker than doing and achieving things together. That is why, by the time we reached the peak, it felt like we were already long-time buddies. Talking about our past relationships, the team #HugotSiraoPeak was born.
Groupie before descent
We went down after the sun set and were in Ayala Heights in a few minutes. There was a mini-carnival since the fiesta was coming. We tried our best to hitch a ride but after a few attempts, we settled to pay for a v-hire all the way back to JY Square Mall.
The improvised walking stick is very helpful
Overall, it was a challenging yet rewarding day-trek experience!
Together, let’s FIND THE OTHERS at kingofsinulog.wordpress.com. Later strangers!
