Mount Makiling

1,090 meters (3,576 ft)

There are 3 peaks on Mount Makiling. Most people summit peak 2. This is the peak we will discuss in this article.

With breaks included, it takes about 5-7 hours to get to the summit of peak 2 and 4-6 hours to descend. This trek can be done as a day hike if you start the hike around 5:30 AM or earlier. Campsites are available along the trail for those who wish to make it a multi-day trek.

The total distance of the trail is roughly 17-18 km (10-11 mi).

Mount Makiling is a good intermediate jungle trail, shaded for most of the way. Conquering Mount Makiling is not recommended for beginners. While the first part of the trail is fairly groomed, with a paved path, the latter part of the trail is akin to an obstacle course, complete with wooden ladders up steep inclines, and banks with knotted ropes used to climb up. 

The trail starts off on a paved road with rainforest on either side, which then turns into a combination of dirt and paved roads. The road comes to an end at Agila Base, a flat area where you’ll enter the rainforest. Here, the path becomes narrower but is still relatively wide and has many small stones embedded in the ground.

The latter part of the trek is challenging. In places, hikers are required to climb up steep sections by holding onto smooth rocks jutting out of the ground. You’ll encounter the wooden ladders and ropes mentioned above. The terrain is slippery and muddy when it rains, especially during the wet season. Big tree trunks lie across the way in some places.

Near the summit, the climb becomes a bit more technical, with areas where climbers need to go on all fours to get up.

The summit affords trekkers a view of Laguna Lake, and nearby mountains, like San Cristobal, and  Mount Banahaw among others.

The Philippines has a tropical monsoon climate. The weather in this area is hot and humid year-round.

Temperatures range between 22°C and 34°C (72°F and 93°F) but mainly hang around an average of 27°C (81°F). The hottest part of the year is between April and May when the temperatures reach 34°C (93°F).

The rainy season is between June and November, which is also when the region is the most humid.

The best time of year to attempt a climb up Mount Makiling is between late December and mid-March during the dry season when it is also less humid and slightly cooler than the rest of the year. The time to go within this period is from mid-January to mid-February.

For this trek you’ll want to take: proper hiking boots, hiking poles, water (about 2-3 litres / 34 of a gallon) and alcohol to remove blood leeches.

Some other useful items to help combat the blood leeches are a cap to protect your head from leeches that fall from the trees, leech socks, long-sleeved shirts and long pants.

Restrooms are available at the starting point. There are a few campsites along the trail, though Agila Base is the one where most people stop for a rest before the trail starts to get more difficult. About 2 hours into the hike near Tayabak campsite (station 8) there are stores which sell food and water.

A guide is required for the latter part of the trek past where the trail goes from being a road to a path. Porters are unnecessary.

Mount Makiling is located on the Island of Luzon in the Philippines, about 2 hours away from Manila by road.

The mountain is situated in Los Banos, Laguna and can be reached from Manila by bus and then local transport once in the general vicinity. Most people start the hike from UPLB College of Forestry and Natural Resources, but the trek can be done starting from the opposite side of the mountain at Sto. Tomas Ecopark, Sitio Jordan, Brgy. sta. Elena, as well.

The jungle on the mountain contains many limatiks (blood leeches) and plants like the Lipa plant (poisonous wood nettle) and Ligas plants which can trigger allergic reactions. Make sure to go prepared.