Benguet Archives | Meghy Was Here

Mt. Ulap Travel Guide: A Beginner-Friendly Hike at Itogon, Benguet

Meghy — Sat, 19 Apr 2025 11:43:59 +0000

It’s been a while since the last time I hiked (and camped), and one of the items on my bucket list this year is to be back in the mountains! Climbing Mt. Ulap has been a dream of mine for quite some time now so, I thought that it was about time to fulfill that dream. We decided to climb Mt. Ulap last February, one of the coolest months north, and it was worth all the wait I did all year long.

Knowing Mt. Ulap

Mt. Ulap, located in Itogon, Benguet, is standing 1,846 MASL with a difficulty level of 3/9 making it famous among beginner hikers. And I can attest to that! The trail is easy and manageable, you don’t need any special mountain gear or to do any rock climbing just to get to the summit. The whole trail is about 9 km traversing from Brgy. Ampucao as your entry point to Brgy. Sta. Fe as your exit point.

How to go to Mt. Ulap

Brgy. Ampucao is about 40 minutes away from Baguio City so if you want to do DIY, make your way to Baguio City and ride a jeepney bound to Brgy. Ampucao. But if you prefer a less hassle trip, especially if you’ll be coming from afar, you might want to join a joiner tour like how we did. We are fond of DIY trips but just for this instance, we wanted to book an organized tour for a change.

Recommended tour page: Lakbayan Pinas Travel and Tours

We really had a great time with the group and Kuya Jorge’s service was superb!

Day 1 Journey

We reached Ampucao Barangay Hall at around 7:00 AM, followed the registration process and sent out stuff for porting. Yes, if you want to have a porter to bring your things up to the camping site, that is possible.

15 kg – Php 1,200 (two-way) or Php 800 (one-way)

We had our tent and sleeping bag ported to carry a lighter weight on the trail. The weather seems to be having an intense mood swing, and it frequently changes from drizzling to sunny (vice versa) during the first hour of our trek. Regardless of the weather, there’s no doubt that the view along the trail is scenic, one of the most beautiful trails I have ever seen. The trail is a combination of grassland and pine forest. Navigating your way through the grassland would make you appreciate Benguet’s mountain ridges while steering through its pine forest would make you feel the cool breeze of Benguet.

Ambanao Peak (First Peak)

Gungal Rock (Second Peak)

There were a lot of hikers lining up for a chance to take a photo on the famous Gungal Rock, and we decided not to fall in line anymore. We just took some group photos from afar having the famous rock as a backdrop. We continued our trek until we reached the campsite.

Mt. Ulap’s Campsite 2 is located just below the main summit but we didn’t hike the summit yet as it was scheduled for tomorrow’s sunrise. We left our things in the campsite area and had our lunch in the nearby stores. Yes, you read it right! There are stores just near the campsite and they even call it “Ministop” and “7/11” Haha! Aside from the usual snacks and drinks, they also sell cooked meals. I would say, their food items are reasonably priced compared to the other mountains I visited before.

After rewarding ourselves with a meal, we set up our tent and took some rest. I was really happy this time because it’s been 2 years since the last time I had an overnight camp, and I really missed the feeling of lying on the ground and just being there to reconnect with nature. And there, the time for dinner finally arrived. Our tour package includes both dinner and breakfast. We had our dinner set up outside our tent, and I would say this was more challenging for me than the hike itself! The night weather was so cold, that all of us were shaking and freezing while fighting the urge to make ourselves full for dinner. I made sure to sit in front of the bonfire just to get through dinner, probably the best chicken tinola and adobo just because it was prepared and eaten about thousand miles above sea level. We had a good dinner and got a very good sleep!

Day 2 Journey

We woke up at around 5 AM just to prepare for the sunrise on the main summit. We started our trek at around 5:40 AM since the ascent would only take about 20 minutes. It was still cold and windy, but we really wanted to finish the final summit before it got crowded once again. The sunrise was not that colorful but it was still beautiful and the view is simply breathtaking. After indulging ourselves with a lot of photos and mesmerizing views, we went back to the campsite to have our breakfast. We fixed our tent, cleaned up the campsite, and prepared for our descent.

The descent only took around 2 hours, and the way down is mostly stairs – mind you, endless stairs (haha)! But for me, it is easier definitely compared to the ascent. The exit point was in Brgy. Sta. Fe where you will take another kind of challenge – to take a shower with a very cold water.

Since it’s near Baguio City, the tour includes a quick trip to Baguio where we took a late lunch and bought some pasalubong. If you’re looking for a hike that is beginner-friendly with a beautiful view while enjoying a cool breeze along the trail, Mt. Ulap is the perfect mountain for you. What are you waiting for? Mt. Ulap is calling you!

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Rocky Mountain Adventure Unlimited: Over the Moon Viewing of La Trinidad, Benguet

Meghy — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 08:19:32 +0000

La Trinidad, Benguet is just not about its Strawberry Farms anymore. If you read my previous blog, I featured Mt. Kalugong which I consider as my favorite spot to fall in love with the beauty of La Trinidad. With my recent trip to Baguio, we discovered a new attraction in La Trinidad called Rocky Mountain Adventure. Its main attraction is a big crescent moon with the overlooking view of La Trinidad as a backdrop. Saan ka punta? To the moon! Tara let’s G!

How to go there?

Ride a jeepney bound to La Trinidad/Dangwa/Tomay located across the city hall. Fare is Php 17 and tell the driver to drop you off in Kalugong Road in Brgy. Cruz. From the jump off, you have to walk the very steep Kalugong Road before reaching the Rocky Mountain Adventure registration area.

Rocky Mountain Adventure Unlimited

Trekking may take around 20-30 minutes from the jump off of Kalugong Road depending on your pace. Upon reaching the end of the road, you’ll see three signages, one for each attraction found on the area. One for Mt. Kalugong Cultural Village, one for Tayawan View Deck and one for Rocky Mountain Adventure. Take the path to the right that will lead you to the registration of Rocky Mountain Adventure.

Entrance fee is Php 100 each and you may proceed to the pathway that will lead to its viewdecks. The trail is organized but can still be muddy during the rainy days. It will take you few minutes of descent and ascent before reaching its main attraction, the crescent moon.

The park opens everyday at 7:00 AM and closes at 6:00 PM. We were lucky that we were able to have the place all by ourselves so we were able to take as much photos as we can without waiting for our turns. They also have an available fishing rod that you could use as a prop for your photos imitating the DreamWorks logo.

They also have a store that sells drinks and foods if you want to grab some snacks while being mesmerized by the beauty of La Trinidad right in front of you. A good vantage point to see the strawberry farms and local households of La Trinidad. They also have rock formations in the park wherein 2-12 years old are not allowed to climb while 13-16 years old needs to be supervised by adults. For park’s further announcements and availability, you may visit their official FB page here.

If you’re already on the area, I would suggest also if you could visit Mt. Kalugong Cultural Village located just right across the park. Here’s a detailed blog about Mt. Kalugong if you wish to visit it.

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Atok, Benguet: Northern Blossoms Flower Farm Travel Guide

Meghy — Sat, 06 Aug 2022 06:19:23 +0000

It was few years ago when Northern Blossoms Flower Farm made a social media and nationwide TV craze. It was featured in several TV shows and since then, I did tell myself to visit it someday. Northern Blossoms Flower Farm is located in Atok, Benguet and so far, the most beautiful farm I ever visited my entire life. With its high elevation, colder climate than Baguio City and beautiful flower farms arising on its ground, Atok is now becoming a top destination among Filipino travelers.

Knowing Northern Blossoms Flower Farm

Northern Blossoms Flower Farm is located in the beautiful town of Atok in Benguet. It is a 1.5 to 2 hour drive from Baguio City and a popular go to destination if you are already in Baguio. The farm showcases many variants of blooming flowers such as everlastings, marigolds, snapdragons, hydrangeas, rice flowers and of course, the flower that made this place known to everyone, the cabbage roses! I think many of the visitors, got curious about this blossom that looks like a cabbage with colors and bigger in sizes but actually a hybrid rose. The farm is open from Monday to Saturday from 6:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

Here are the entrance fees:

Adult- P250

Senior/PWD- P200

Kids- P50 (6-10 yrs old)

Entrance fee includes brewed coffee and you can also hire a tour guide for P250 per group. Fees may change without prior notice so you can visit their official FB page for recent updates. Click here.

How to get there?

From Manila, ride a bus from PITX, Pasay or Cubao. Upon arrival in Baguio City, make your way to Dangwa Terminal at the back of Central Mall and look for vans or buses bound to Atok, Mankayan or Sagada. Just tell the driver to drop you off in Northern Blossoms. Fare is P200 and travel time may take around 1.5 to 2 hours.

*There are no buses available yet when we visited Atok early this year (2022), we got to ride a van bound to Atok for P200 each. First trip of van starts to rack up passengers at around 4:00 AM.

Getting around the farm:

We arrived at Northern Blossoms registration area at around 5:45 AM and in our surprise, there’s already a long queue of line for registration. We paid for our registration fees and we opt not to get a tour guide anymore. First stop upon entrance of Northern Blossoms is its greenhouse full of Snapdragon flowers. Then you’ll make your way down to the actual farm and you will be overwhelmed by the various blossoms right in front of your eyes. You’ll get baffled on which flower or point you’ll take picture with as every corner is a picture-perfect spot. Every site is so dreamy and can’t help to be mesmerized by every single detail of it.

It was weekend when we went there and it is understandable that there’s a flock of people all over the place. It was hard for us to take photos by ourselves so if you wish to visit with lesser crowd, I suggest to set your visit during weekdays or late afternoon. It is said that January to April is the best time to visit the farm when its flowers are in full bloom especially the cabbage roses everyone is talking about. I also suggest to wear comfortable shoes as a bit of trekking would be required going around and pathways can be muddy at times. Take your time taking photos with the blooms as there’s a vast number of it all around the place.

There are also resting areas downhill where you can sit for a while and appreciates the mountainous scenery of Mt. Pulag and Mt. Timbak right in front of you. Taking a nice shot would not require much effort as the place is effortlessly beautiful on its own. But of course, don’t forget to take IG-worthy pictures with the cabbage roses!

Right before you exit, you can go inside this area where you can get your brewed coffee. This is also the place where they sell plants in pots if you wish to bring one home.

Overall, it was a fun, dreamy and heavenly experience visiting Northern Blossoms Flower Farm. As any flower would symbolize, it brought me delight and happy times. I would definitely recommend it to everyone and visit it again next time. Nearby attractions within Atok area are Sakura Garden and the Highest Point, which used to be the highest point in the Philippine’s Highway System.

Going back to Baguio City

From Northern Blossoms, we walked to the van terminal going back to Baguio City. Terminal is located in front of Marosan’s Eatery right after the Atok Municipal Hall. Travel may take around another 2 hours back to Baguio.

*On our way down back to Baguio City, we dropped by in La Trinidad to re-visit Mt. Kalugong (a cultural village with a coffee shop on top of the mountain). If you also wish to visit it, here’s the blog link.

Have you been to Northern Blossoms Flower Farm before? Share your experiences below!

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BenCab Museum Travel Guide: Visiting A Scenic Museum

Meghy — Sun, 14 Jul 2019 22:50:58 +0000

BenCab Museum is one of the most scenic museums I’ve ever been to. It’s in the movie “That Thing Called Tadhana” that I first saw the museum and after few years I finally had the chance to see this iconic museum of the country. The museum is owned by our National Artist, Benedicto Cabrera, and this is where he showcases his artworks highlighting the rich art of the Cordilleras. Bencab Museum is located on Km. 6 Asin Rd, Tuba, Benguet about 15 minutes away from Baguio City.

How To Go To BenCab Museum:

In Baguio City, ride a jeepney bound to Asin Rd. Jeepney terminal is located on Kayang Road near Baguio Market. Fare will be P11 and travel time may take around 15 minutes.

General Information:

BenCab Museum is open from Tuesday-Sunday 9am-6pm (last entry would be 5:30pm)
The museum is close every Monday, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Taking pictures with flash and video recording is not allowed.
Entrance fees: P150- General Admission, P120- Student with valid ID, P100- Senior Citizens or PWDs with valid government ID

Getting Around BenCab Museum:

The museum is a four-storey museum underlining several galleries. Each storey has its own viewdeck where you can appreciate the beauty of the forest surrounding the vicinity.

BenCab Gallery– This gallery features BenCab’s own artworks and collections for more than four decades in the art industry.

Cordillera Gallery– This gallery showcases artifacts and items of the indigenous people of the Cordilleras. It also displays the artist’s collection of “bulol” or “Ifugao Rice God” which is a human like figure made of wood to guard rice crops.

Erotica Gallery– This gallery displays art works in form of paintings, sculptures, and drawings with erotic theme. As the advisory reads before entering the said gallery: “This gallery contains works with imagery that may be offensive to minors and certain individuals”.

Philippine Contemporary Art Gallery– This gallery highlights BenCab’s collection of paintings, sculptures and other artworks by other Filipino artists.

On the museums lowest level, you will find Café Sabel which is the museum’s in house restaurant. I love their chic and colorful interior. It is a good place to sit back, relish their foods while feeding your soul with the beautiful overlooking view of their garden, pond and mini forest.

BenCab Museum Eco-Trail Tour:

BenCab Museum offers an eco-trail tour which is basically a walking tour that passes through BenCab’s organic farm and gardens, waterfalls and greenhouses with herbs and vegetables. Along the tour you will be seeing indigenous Ifugao huts, a hanging bridge to pass Sallipan river and enjoy its forested mountain.

You have to pay an additional P150 to avail the eco-trail tour. P120 for students, P100 for Senior Citizens and PWDs and a guide fee of P100 per group of 15 or less.

Have you been to BenCab Museum before? Share your thoughts below!

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Mt. Kalugong Travel Guide: Journey On Its Eco Park and Cafe (Updated 2022)

Meghy — Sun, 07 Jul 2019 16:46:38 +0000

It was my second time around Baguio City and I wanted to visit a place less known by tourists in order to relax and be stunned by a beauty that awaits me on this ‘hidden’ sanctuary. Mt. Kalugong Cultural Village didn’t failed me and actually go beyond my expectation. It is one of the highlight of my Baguio/Benguet trip and I can’t wait to share with you the beauty that awaits you on this place.

Knowing Mt. Kalugong:

They named the place ‘Mt. Kalugong’ because “kalugong” is a local term for ‘hat’ and the rock formations on the peak looks like a hat when you’re down the valley. The place which is located in Brgy. Tawang, La Trinidad is well-known for its rock formations on the top of the mountain with an overlooking view of La Trinidad, Benguet.

How To Get To Mt. Kalugong:

From Baguio City, ride a jeepney bound to Tomay/Camp Dangwa. Jeepney terminal is located in front of Baguio City Hall and it’s the same jeepneys going to Strawberry farm. Just ask the driver to drop you off on the road or jump off going to Mt. Kalugong. Fare is P12.00 each. (Updated fare as of November 2022 is P17.00 each)

Once dropped in Kalugong road located in Brgy. Cruz you need to hike on a very steep road before reaching the eco park. Hiking might take around 30 minutes but it depends on your pace.

Journey To Mt. Kalugong:

Since there is road that lead to the eco park you can use your car going up if hiking is not your thing but be careful as the road is so steep and narrow. From the drop off point in Kalugong road, hiking my take around 20-30 minutes before reaching the registration point of Mt. Kalugong Cultural Village. I was not on my proper hiking get up when we decided to climb that’s why it took us more time before reaching it. The rain just stopped, I was wearing pants and a pair of boots and I was forced to hike on a muddy trail just to reach the registration. Registration fee is P100 per person.

After the registration, there are two roads to take. The trail on the right will lead you to the rock formations and café while the trail on the left will lead you to the park where picnic tables and huts are located. We decided to take the trail on the right first. The trail going up is well-managed as they put tires as stairs but it can still be tricky especially during rainy days as it can be very muddy. You can reach the peak in about 15 minutes from the registration point. Upon reaching the peak you will be amazed by a lot of striking rock formations with an overlooking view of the strawberry farms and local houses of La Trinidad. It’s very risky to take pictures on top of rock formations but if you’re careful and brave enough you could have great shots with its perfect view. For my case, I didn’t took too much risky photos on the rock formations because as what I mentioned earlier I was on my boots and having a hard time walking on the muddy and rocky areas (lol).

*Updated (March 2022)

Upon reaching the entrance of Mt. Kalugong Cultural Village, take the path to the left as the right path now leads to Tayawan View Deck. You will take an ascent trail heading to the registration point. Registration is now located on the park where picnic tables and huts are located. Trekking to the rock formation may take you another 10 minutes.

After you’re done with all the picture taking and appreciating the beauty of the rock formations, you could stay on their newly-built café. It is just beside the rock formations and I highly recommend it! For me, it could be one of the highpoint of your visit on the place aside from seeing the rock formations. The cafe is so beautiful and can give you the ambiance of a traditional cabin. It is a perfect place to relax, feel the cold breeze of Benguet while taking a sip of their in-house coffee! The café has its own viewing deck as well to appreciate the beauty of La Trinidad from above.

Back on the registration point, you can take the road to the left that would take you to the park. On the park you could see picnic tables, traditional huts, swings, overnight stay accommodations and other amenities perfect for family bonding. There’s lot of pine trees as well on the area that I can compare with the view I saw in Camp John Hay. Since there are only few people visiting the place, it is suitable place to unwind and get away from the crowd of more known attractions.

Additional Information:

Kalugong Cultural Village is located in Brgy. Tawang but drop off point is on Brgy. Cruz, La Trinidad.
Kalugong Café/Kape-an is open from 7am to 6pm and no bystanders allowed.
Entrance fee is P100 and P80 for Senior and PWDs.
If you have further inquiries, you can contact them directly on their facebook pages. Here’s the link: Mt. Kalugong Cultural Village Mt. Kalugong Kape-an/ Cafe

What are you waiting for? Visit Mt. Kalugong and be stunned by the beauty that awaits you.

Additional Photos From Our Recent Visit March 2022

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