Mount Makiling is a tourist spot in Laguna. The name was inspired by a famous Filipino folklore of Maria Makiling. A girl who was believed that went to the forest but did not come back and the people call her “the guardian of the mountain” and so they name the mountain, Mount Makiling.
Mount Makiling has a humble height of 1, 090 meters above sea level. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology declared that the volcano is an active volcano. The mountain is within the care of University of the Philippines, Los Baños. The mountain was declared as a Natural Park on 1993.
3 Trails to Mount Makiling Peaks.
1. University of the Philippines Los Baños Trail
This is the easiest trail among the 3. UPLB trail is the most popular and frequently taken trail going to the peak of the mountain.
2. Makiling Philippine Arts Center Trail
3. Sto. Tomas Trail
This is the most difficult and less established trail among the 3.
Mount Makiling Images:
puting bagwis – flickr (embedded image)
vera’s eyes – flickr
tony hidalgo – flickr
How to get to Mount Makiling:
How to get to the mountain depends on what trail you want to take.
1. University of the Philippines Los Baños Trail
- Take a bus going to Sta. Cruz, Laguna.
- Drop off at University of the Philippines Los Baños Jollibee.
- Ride a jeepney going to the UP campus.
- The trail is the same trail taken by vehicles to go up the mountain so it’s an easy trail for some trekking adventure.
- Just a few steps from the entrance, you will need to pay Php 5.oo. Along the way you can find some stores and picnic grounds. The road ends in Malaboo Camp where you are allowed to set up your tent.
2. Philippine Arts Center Trail
The trail is a difficult one. Later on, it joined the University of the Philippines Los Baños Trail in the way to Peak 2. Although Philippine Arts Center Trail can still be accessed. The trail is near the Makiling National Park Reservation of the Boys Scouts in the Philippines.
3. Sto. Tomas Trail
- Take a tricycle going to Barangay San Bartolome.
- Tell the driver that you want to drop off to the trail going to Mount Makiling. You will see a resort named “Almeda”. There you can locate the way to the mountain.
Mount Makiling is very famous to Filipinos especially it is included in a famous folklore that have been passed from generations to generations. If you happen to visit Laguna, do some trekking adventure in Mount Makiling.
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Featured Image Credit: The root directory of the image shows internal error message. Google Image
