Discover the Cordillera and the two-thousand years old rice terraces

Today, we're inviting you to a bike tour in Intramuros, the ancient walled city of Manila. But beware, you're not taking just any bike, you will ride a bambike: a bike locally made in bamboo.

Once the tour will be done, your driver will pick you up and take you to Bacolor to visit the church which is half buried in lahar. On September 3, 1995, lahar flow from the slopes of Mount Pinatubo which erupted on June 15, 1991, buried the church to half its 12-metre (39 ft) height, prompting more than 50,000 town residents to evacuate to safer grounds in resettlement areas. Near the façade of the parish church is a museum on the history of the church. It also contains paintings of the Pinatubo eruption in 1991.

Then, you will head to Alvin’s Guesthouse, in Capas, at the foot of Mt Pinatubo. Alvin welcomes you in his guesthouse and offers day tours around the volcano and its unique and desert landscapes.

You will take an early breakfast at dawn and set off to conquer Mount Pinatubo. You will get in Land cruisers from the 70s to reach the trail in about an hour and a half. Using a 4x4 is mandatory since there is no road to access it. To reach the summit and the crater lake, you will have to walk for another hour and a half. The descent will be done by the same way to return to the guesthouse where a lunch will be served to you, you can also take a shower.

After lunch, you will hit the road again and head to Baguio. It takes about 5 hours to reach the summer capital of the Philippines, about 1500 meters above sea level. The last 20kms are a mountain road with many bends and a panoramic view of the valley. When you arrive in Baguio, you will check in the Elizabeth Hotel. Comfortable, it is in a quiet area and offers a pleasant view.

Striking, warm Mediterranean interiors combined with the fresh and cool atmosphere of the City of Pines are what makes this boutique hotel so unique. Just a stone's throw away from attractions such as Wright Park, The Mansion, and Mines View, etc...

You will leave at 8am and take the famous Halsema Road, which offers majestic landscapes. Before leaving Baguio, you will stop by the Public Market. It is an amazing and fascinating place. You can find all thecrops and crafts from the Cordillera. All the agricultural and artisanal products of the region converge there. It is a dizzying and very colorful maze. At the border of Baguio, just before taking the Halsema, you will go through La Trinidad, a district that is worth a stop, do not hesitate to go down from the vehicle to take some pictures of this place which is strangely reminiscent of Brazilian favellas. In the same time, take this chance to observe the jeepneys passing by.

Then, you will be heading to Sagada, which is 1450 meters above sea level, in Mountain Province. You will go through the highest point of the Philippine Highway System, 2254 meters above sea level and will start seeing rice terraces, peaks and deep valleys of the Cordillera.

For dinner, we recommend the Log Cabin, a small restaurant with a fireplace.

The village of Sagada offers several points of interest:
- A traditional weaving workshop with wooden looms and an interesting collection of bags, clothes, rugs and blankets featuring the designs of the Igorot tribes
- The Masferré restaurant presents a series of old photographs of the Igorot and their way of life.
- Each and every inn gives you a chance to taste delicacies in a rural atmosphere.

The adventure begins! After breakfast, you will visit Lumiang Cave and Echo Valley where you can admire the hanging coffins, an ancient funeral tradition found in different places in Asia. We will also guide you to the underground river. A memorable experience in the Philippines.

On the way back, we recommend the Yogurt House for lunch, an excellent restaurant, renowned, for its homemade yogurts, obviously. After lunch, we will leave Sagada and head to Banaue. On the way, you will make a stop in the Bontoc museum to see more and understand about the Igorot tribes. Bontoc Museum is a small establishment, but its collection of artifacts and photographs and its small reconstructed Ifugao village in the garden make it a perfect introduction to the traditions of the tribes from the Mountain Province and the Ifugao country. The tour lasts 30 to 45 minutes.


You will then take the mountain road to reach Banaue, 1200m above sea level. You will make a few stops to enjoy the view on the rice terraces, before checking in the Banaue Hotel. If the temperatures are not too low, you might want to take a dip in its pool.

The rice terraces of Batad are undoubtedly the most beautiful and the most spectacular of all the Cordillera and Asia, they are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

For 2,000 years, the high rice fields of the Ifugao have followed the contours of the mountains. The fruit of knowledge handed down from one generation to the next, and the expression of sacred traditions and a delicate social balance, they have helped to create a landscape of great beauty that expresses the harmony between humankind and the environment.

From Banaue, you will take either a tricycle or a jeepney at 8am to reach the saddle of Batad and the parking a little lower where the road ends. You will have no other choice bu to go on on foot, just like the locals, to the terraces, with your guide.

After a break in a small inn on the hillside, you will proceed to the village of Batad, accessible only on foot, walking on the retaining walls of the terraces. You can, if you wish and if the path is accessible, go to the Tappiya waterfalls. On the way back, you will enjoy the panorama of the amphitheater. Batad gives the appearance of a place out of time, with its traditional Ifugao houses and the rites kept alive by the locals. 

The local guides are extremely courteous and helpful. You are in Batad, very far from the hectic life of the big cities. Here, life goes on slowly and desires are subject to a beautiful but harsh nature. Today, you can have your lunch in Hillside Inn or have a picnic in the middle of the terraces

Tonight, you will sleep in Hillside Inn, surrounded by the terraces and the view of the amphitheater. Don't miss the sunrise in the morning!

In the morning, if you are up for another 3-hour hike through the rice terraces, you will leave right after breakfast and head to Bangaan, another small village listed as a UNESCO heritage site. Otherwise, you will go back up to the saddle of Batad where your jeepney will be waiting for you to take you back to Banaue.

You will get your luggage in Banaue and hit the road to go back to Manila. You should get there in the evening.