The summit of Mt. Daraitan is extremely crowded, partly due to the small size of the summit itself and partly due to the volume of hikers who frequent this trail. Fortunately, most were aware of the unspoken rule (and common sense) to not stay too long when taking photos, and before long we had our individual summit shots and also a group shot.
We headed down to one of the campsites along the trail, and had our lunch in the shade. At this point, I personally did not feel like heading down any more as I was so sleepy from the meal! A quick rest post-lunch and we continued on our way down to Tinipak River.
The river is not a big one, but the cool and relatively clear (and clean) water is what makes it such an attractive destination for many local hikers. There is a massive line heading towards the caves, so I decided to climb up a rock formation and take a nap there. I was lucky to be woken up by the group, because I was pretty much knocked out from both the hike and the not-too-long-ago lunch!
We took a short dip at the river, and it was a well-deserved reward after a humid and tiring day hike. After drying ourselves, a short tricycle ride back to the jump-off point signaled the end of our Mt. Daraitan day hike adventure.
Mt. Daraitan has a difficulty rating of 4/9, meaning it’s a good first hike for most people. Please make sure you’re wearing proper clothes like technical or athletic shirt (no cotton tops and bottoms), adequate sun protection (hat and sleeves plus sunblock), proper shoes (trail runners are great here, but hiking shoes are even better), and of course, plenty of water and snacks. Don’t forget swimwear! I personally recommend this hike and I was pleasantly surprised at how much better the locals here take care of their trails when compared with other hiking trails.
Get in touch with Trail Adventours and book your first hike with them at Mt. Daraitan!
All photos and footage by me. Follow my adventures at @jsncruz on Instagram!
License – CC: Attribution, non-commercial.
Mt. Daraitan with Trail Adventours
Transparency disclaimer:
This hike was generously sponsored by Trail Adventours.