Mt. Sapari and Mt. Binutasan Twin Dayhike

My mind is preoccupied with a lot of things and it's not functioning well lol. I'm so tired from working and even in the crypto world, this is not my original draft haha, I changed it, I can easily finish this one because it's my hiking experience.

One of the best peaceful places that I encountered, actually it's better to have a midnight or early hike here so you can witness sea of clouds.

If looking for a destination that is easily accessible and takes only a day to travel and hike, then Tanay is the answer. After all, the Rizal town lies at the foot of Sierra Madre, and more importantly, it's near Metro Manila. It's not planned. I just want to go to nature and I immediately ask my friends if they want to. And that's it. For every hike, I'm always the one who decides where to go, I'm the pack leader lol. Mount Sapari (592+ MASL) and Mount Binutasan (577+ MASL) are within Sitio Maysawa Brgy. Cayumbay Tanay Rizal offers a majestic view of the sea of clouds at the summit but unfortunately, we weren't able to experience it because we start our hike late.'

Its name was derived from the words Sa Pari, meaning “of the priest”. Named so because, according to the elders and locals there, the first inhabitant of the mountain was a priest who spent all his life there. On the other hand, Mount Binutasan dips a little at 577MASL and got its name from binutas – to make a hole. It features thick forest, various hills, and breathtaking 360-degree of nearby mountains such as Mount Batolusong, Mount Cayabu, Mount Daraitan, and Mount Maynuba.

October 2016 when we went there, the weather is so good, yet so hot lol. It's good because there's a minimal limatik in the area. And I don't want to experience it again like what happened to our hike in Mount Makiling. They will appear if there's rain, so even if it's so hot we endured it and still enjoy the sun. Cause we know that it's impossible to witness the sea of clouds, 🙂🙂 I just took a photo from afar.

We start our hike around 5:AM and I'm not sure what time we start to descend because I lost track of time. But our guide said that the trek, including the descent and the side trips, takes about 8 hours, but could take longer depending on our pacing, photo ops, and rest stops. A campsite is being developed in the trail, so an overnight stay is possible. Going to Mt. Sapari, the path goes through a thick forest, so it's better to wear long sleeves or arm sleeves. Bamboo is abundant in the early parts of the trail. You can also found a flowery plant in the trail. I prefer a forest type of trail, you can hide under the trees and cannot feel directly the heat of the sun. We experienced many times the open trail and it's like a punishment because the heat can really make you tired easier. And we also experienced the punishment that day haha. There are several hills and view deck from Mount Sapari going to Mount Binutasan, and it's an open trail dominated by the entirety by cogon-grasslands. Cogon is tall, thick, and almost always wet with dew so prepare accordingly. We even asked our guide if there's a snake living there haha.

When we reached the summit of Mt. Binutasan, I was so amazed by the view. It's like a painting of mountains. Almost everything was green. The air on top is really refreshing and relaxing. It's just that we can't take the heat anymore even using our umbrella. It has a 360-degree view. I imagine how wonderful it was surrounded by a sea of clouds. I suddenly reminisce about our experience and want to go back there for an overnight hike to experience the clouds. And because of the weather, we went to Maysawa Falls. We enjoyed the waters so much because we're the only hikers at that time. We stay for 30 mins in the water haha. It was so refreshing that you don't want to leave.

I really miss hiking big time. I started hiking I think around 2014 or 2015. There's a lot of mountains that I want to visit but adulting stuffs hits me plus now the pandemic.

I hope that I can hike again. One of the best feelings is when you're one with nature.