I've mentioned Mt. Daraitan in my previous posts, but I never really thought it would be my first adventure for 2016.
I've been a jetsetter for a couple of weeks, flew to and from Manila, and continually gazed at the lovely mountains of Rizal from outside the plane's window. I wondered when I could try the mountains of the said province.
Little did I know that one of my mountaineer friends (whom I've met in my Mt. Pinagbanderahan trek), had plans of doing a Mt. Daraitan climb on the same weekend I got back in the metro. He is one of those people who got addicted to climbs ever since he started, and not even a knee injury can stop this guy. Way to go, Karl!
So this is how it looks from the summit. Lovely, isn't it? With how the river flows and forms like a heart, it's just truly fascinating. But as to how we got there safe and sound is a much more challenging story.
Our meeting place was at McDonalds Katipunan at 2:00 AM on what could be another adventurous Sunday. We left for Tanay, Rizal around 3:00 AM. We had two cars on convoy, four pax in each car. Thanks to Waze, we found our way to Brgy. Daraitan two hours after.
We immediately registered and Kuya Rudy (our guide) did a short orientation. We started our trek at 6:00 AM. Just as soon as we started, it rained and it never stopped raining even until we reached the summit. The trail was extremely muddy and I had so much difficulty getting fog off my pair of eyeglasses. We were all wet for the whole duration of the trek. Not to mention, the wind was also making it so cold for us to climb Mt. Daraitan.
After several stops, it took us 3 hours to get to the summit. From there, we saw a lovely view of Tanay, its neighboring towns and the Sierra Madre mountain range. Rizal mountains are known for their rocky trails and summits. Mt. Daraitan had something to boast for that matter. Sharing this moment with me are Karl (guy with the red cap) and my new friends, Banjo, Edison, Francis, Chelsea, Marvin and Leanne.
Needless to say, I have that fascination for taking selfies on summits. The height doesn't seem to scare me just yet. There's always that excitement I feel when I'm up there. All the pain on the legs, the mud on my shoes and the cold didn't mean anything anymore as soon as I set my sight on what the view from the summit had to offer.
We spent an hour at the summit. It was highly congested and it was difficult to take group pictures without any photobomber joining the moment.
We took the traverse trail to Tinipak River, and was twice as difficult to trek downwards with all the mud. It took us 2 hours and a half to finally reach the river.
And what was once an item on my bucketlist was finally right before my eyes. Tinipak River was beyond words. It was as breathtaking as the pictures I saw on blogs. The river was said to be the cleanest in the region. No doubt that it is!
We spent another blissful 2 hours in the area, just listening to the water gushing in between rocks and feeling the breeze through our hair. It's something not often experienced in the hectic life I have in the city. I took quite some time to cherish the moment.
Daraitan had so much to offer. Not only does it boast of its lovely landscapes, it is also home to kind and friendly locals. And also a lovely location shoot for Coco Martin's Ang Probinsyano. That's another trivia.
I'm blessed to have shared this experience with my new friends. Shout out to this amazing group--Leanne, Francis, Banjo, Karl, Chelsea, Marvin and Edison. I believe this won't be the last time I'll be trekking with these guys.
High five for more adventures!
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ACTUAL ITINERARY
2:00 AM - Meet up at McDonalds Katipunan
3:00 AM - Left for Brgy. Daraitan, Tanay, Rizal
5:00 AM - Arrived at the jumpoff | Registration at P20 | Parking fee at P50
6:00 AM - Start trek | Guide at P500
9:00 AM - Arrived at the summit
9:45 AM - Started trek along traverse trail to Tinipak River
12:30 PM - Arrived at Tinipak River | Registration at P20
2:30 PM - Left for the jumpoff area | Wash-up at P20
3:30 PM - Left for Manila
4:00 PM - Food trip at Tanay | Budget at P150
7:00 PM - Arrived at Manila
Total budget for the entire trip: P500
Definitely worth it!
Visit the Pinoy Mountaineer website for more details about the Mt. Daraitan and Tinipak River dayhike. PINOYMOUNTAINEER.COM - Mt. Daraitan + Tinipak River
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