The Philippines: Mountains & Islands




Overview
Highlights
- Hike the UNESCO-listed rice terraces in the Cordilleras, crafted over 2000 years, and trek to the crater lake of Mt Pinatubo for breathtaking views.
- Savour Manila’s food scene – enjoy a community feast in Tarukan village, learn culinary secrets from a Baguio chef and start one day with a sunrise picnic breakfast.
- Spend a full day of island hopping and snorkelling off the coast of El Nido. Look to the bottom of these clear waters and glide among the coral reefs and tropical fish.
- Visit local villages to meet the Ifugao who shaped the rice terraces, learn about Batik people who reside deep in the mountains, and discover Kalinga culture and 1930s Ifugao life through a famous Spanish photographer’s lens.
- Enjoy plenty of beachside free time to choose your own adventure – maybe go on a daytrip to Nacpan Beach, take a self-guided kayaking adventure or indulge in a spot of shopping!
What's this trip about?
Details
Destinations
Attractions
Max Group Size
Trip includes
- Manila - City Tour
- Manila - Intramuros bamboo bike cycling tour
- Mt Pinatubo - Crater hike
- Tarukan Village - Community lunch
- Banaue - Bangaan rice terrace hike
- Bontoc - Maligcong rice terrace hike
- Bontoc - Favarey Village visit
- Sagada - City tour
- Sagada - Eduardo Masferre’s home visit
- Kiltepan - Sunrise viewpoint & picnic breakfast
- Baguio - Cooking class & dinner
- Baguio - Art gallery visit
- Baguio - Women co-op weaving studio viist
- Puerto Princesa - Iwahig River Firefly Boat trip with dinner
- Puerto Princesa - local farm visit
- Sabang - Puerto Princesa Subterranean River boat trip
- Sabang - Batak tribe hike
- El Nido - Island hopping boat trip & snorkelling
Itinerary

Kumusta! Welcome to the Philippines. Located on the island of Luzon – the largest of the county’s 7641 islands – Manila is the Philippines' lively capital. Your adventure officially starts with a welcome meeting at 6 pm, where you’ll meet your local leader and fellow ...
After breakfast, dive into a guided tour of multicultural Manila. Taste the different flavours that have been cooking up in the country over the past few hundred years with food tastings in the Muslim Quarter and the world’s oldest Chinatown. While you’re in Chinatown...
You’ll set off for Crow Valley at 4 am this morning so you can get an early morning view of the crater of Mt Pinatubo. You’ll arrive at the foot of the trailhead by a 4WD jeep. The hike isn’t easy – but the views of the crater lake at the top are definitely worth it. ...
Wake up early and head for Banaue, travelling through rice fields and mango plantations. Break up the drive with a stop in Bacolor – this town was devastatingly destroyed by the Mt Pinatubo eruption. Visit the local church that has been half buried by lahar – yet loca...
Jump on the local jeepney this morning to Sadel, where you’ll start the trek through the UNESCO listed Banaue rice terraces. These rice terraces were created by the Ifugao people and can be traced back 2000 years. A feat of engineering, the terraces were crucial to th...
Another day, another trek through rice terraces – this time you’ll start in Bontoc and hike along the Maligcong Rice Terrace to Faverey village. Listen to stories from a Kalinga local guide along the way and find out about their traditions. When you arrive in Faverey,...
Get to know Sagada on a half day tour around the town. Your local guide will bring you to some of the key spots, like the Hanging Coffins – an ancient burial tradition where coffins are suspended on a cliff – and the Lumiang Cave – home to coffins over 500 years old. ...
Wake up bright and early this morning at around 5 am for breakfast at the Kiltepan viewpoint, where you’ll catch the Sagada sunrise. Then, drive to Baguio, affectionately called the City of Pines due to the greenery that thrives here. When you arrive, you’ll have a fr...
Get to know Baguio culture today by visiting the local art studios and galleries, which showcase a mix of traditional and contemporary pieces. Stop by the Harvest Hub Studio and learn about a foundation set up to support women weavers in the Cordilleras through entrep...
Today is a free day in Manila. You’ll have another welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight to meet your new group members and leader. Until then, relax in Manila and maybe explore some of the parts you missed the first time around. If you're looking for a souvenir, head to Bo...
In the morning, take the short flight from Manila to Puerto Princesa. When you arrive, you'll instantly see the slower pace of this island compared to the busy capital. Puerto, as the locals call it, is the capital of Palawan and has been internationally recognised as...
Head out this morning in a private minivan and drive to Sabang. Sabang is most famous for its Subterranean River that's 8 km in length and passes through a limestone cave that opens onto the ocean. Jump into a boat with a local guide and explore this great cave comple...
This morning you meet up with your local guide who'll be walking with the group to meet the Batak Tribe – one of about 70 indigenous communities of the Philippines. If you're lucky enough to be there in the right season, you may be able to eat the fruit directly from...
Say farewell to San Rafael Beach today and travel to El Nido in a private minivan. With a backdrop of marble cliffs and white sandy beaches, El Nido is the base for many island adventures. There are over 50 beaches to discover that are all accessible by the boats dock...
This morning, head off on a full-day snorkelling trip, island hopping off El Nido. Pass by jagged limestone islands, rocky coves, virgin rainforest and white sandy beaches. The snorkelling is just as spectacular, with beautiful coral and many different species of colo...
You'll have plenty of free time today in El Nido for beach activities. If you feel like some more adventure, maybe hire a kayak from El Nido town or jump on a boat out to one of the lagoons. You'll kayak on turquoise waters and lagoons with dramatic cliffs, surrounded...
With no activities planned for today, you are free to leave the accommodation at any time. This doesn’t mean your Philippines adventure has to come to an end! If you would like to spend more time in El Nido, we’ll be happy to organise additional accommodation (subject to availability).
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Dates & Availability
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The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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