Northern Philippines Highlights

Kumusta! Welcome to the Philippines. Located on the island of Luzon –the county’s 7641 islands – Manila is the Philippines' lively capital. Your adventure officially starts with a welcome meeting at 6 pm, where you’ll meet your local leader and fellow travellers. If you arrive before then, take some time to explore the city and get your bearings. A walk around Rizal Park, conveniently located in the city's centre, is a great place to start. In the evening, maybe get your group together for dinner and sample some regional specialities, like adobo (pork marinated in vegetables and spices) and buko pie (coconut pie).

After breakfast, dive into a guided tour of multicultural Manila. Taste the different flavours that have been cooking up in the country over the past few hundred years with food tastings in the Muslim Quarter and the world’s oldest Chinatown. Then hop on an eco-friendly bamboo bike and ride around Intramuros – a historic walled area that was constructed by the Spaniards in the 16th century. Enjoy a lunch together and then leave Manila behind and drive to the foot of Mt. Pinatubo for tonight. Arrive in the early evening and you'll stay in a lovely local guesthouse in the countryside with a swimming pool.

You’ll set off for Crow Valley this morning so you can get a view of the crater of Mt Pinatubo. You’ll arrive at the foot of the trailhead by a 4WD jeep. The hike isn’t easy – but the views of the crater lake at the top are definitely worth it. Formed after Mt Pinatubo erupted in 1991, the rainwater lake is framed by dramatic cliffs. Reward your body with a traditional lunch in Tarukan Village with the Aetas, the earliest inhabitants of the Philippines. The chieftain and a local interpreter will join you, making it a unique cultural experience. Do as the Aetas do and eat the meal – which will be laid out on banana leaves – with your hands. Head back to your lovely guesthouse afterwards for another peaceful night in the countryside.

Wake up early and head for Banaue, travelling through rice fields and mango plantations. Break up the drive with a stop in Bacolor – this town was devastatingly destroyed by the Mt Pinatubo eruption. Visit the local church that has been half buried by lahar – yet locals still use it to worship by climbing through the upper windows. Hit the road again before stopping off for lunch at a local restaurant. You’ll arrive in Banaue in the late afternoon, where you can enjoy a free evening before exploring the rice terraces tomorrow. For dinner, maybe ask your leader for recommendations on where to try pinikipan (a local chicken dish).

Jump on the local jeepney this morning to Sadel, where you’ll start the trek through the UNESCO listed Banaue rice terraces. These rice terraces were created by the IIfugao people and can be traced back 2000 years. A feat of engineering, the terraces were crucial to the survival of the people and are now known for their combination of functionality and beauty. Stop for lunch in Batad, where you’ll have the opportunity to talk to local Ifuago people in the village and try some rice activities. Return to Banaue in the late afternoon and spend the rest of the day as you wish.

Travel to Sagada and embark on a half day tour around the town. Your local guide will bring you to some of the key spots, like the Hanging Coffins – an ancient burial tradition where coffins are suspended on a cliff – and the Lumiang Cave – home to coffins over 500 years old. Next, head to the home of famous Spanish photographer Eduardo Masferre, where family members will show you his rare photos chronicling the Ifugao way of life in the 1930s. The afternoon is then yours to explore Sagada in your own way – maybe you’ll check out the coffee plantations (and sample the delicious Sagada coffee), explore local farms, or simply relax and get ready for your next day's trekking.

Get ready for another trek through rice terraces – this time you’ll start in Bontoc and hike along the Maligcong Rice Terrace to Favarey Village. Listen to stories from a Kalinga local guide along the way and find out about their traditions. When you arrive in Favarey, you’ll learn abo ut one pretty unique tradition in the village – the practice of living with deceased family members. Hike back to Bontoc and refuel with lunch before returning to Sagada.