mount apo

Hello Hikers, The review from Jan 2015 of Kapatagan trail addresses some of the beauty you will see but left the key point out of how difficult it can be. I tried it last weekend March 7th and I didnt get to the summit because in large part due to my guide's, for lack of a better term, poor planning. I was close to the boulders as we smelled sulfur but I stopped at around 6000 ft I am guessing as I could clearly see the summit. Its a monster. Why not hit the top? I am in decent shape but not mountain shape and there is a huge difference between gym and a mountain. All I was asked by the guide was how fit are you? This trail is more like a military obstacle course for basic training.Jahlee Bii from HighBound, nickname an obvious play on the restaurant, did not ask anything about hiking background. Highbound is out of Davao and on FB. I was recommended to them by a staff member of a hotel in Manila who is from Davao. He had initially contacted the president of the hiking club and was referred to Jahlee. The president of the club not been notified yet of Jahlee's fine work this past weekend. When asked he said he only takes clients, he freelances, on that route and there are easier ones but they are boring. Well to him they are whereas a fairly new hiker just wants the view from the top for starters. I've hiked Mt. Emerald and Mt Diamond outside of Mandalay, Burma, which are great hikes at about 1400 meters each but that was over 2 1/2 years ago and the clown from Highbound was told that. Obviously, he failed to realize its the client's hike not his and he was reminded of that on the trail as well. His big problem is that he doesn't communicate well, for instance mentions a 600 php ride after getting off the bike in Bansalan when he had been asked before leaving how much he said the same. as going from Digos which was about 200 php. Points out berries to me while I am deliberating next moves on a steep slippery rocky path :) Lack of assistance on hike by not calling out to watch your head, or the trees with the spikes on the bark for protection, dont know the name, or was Captain Obvious and said look out its slippery here before going down through a muddy part and I replied I can see that. Overall, I told him I was lucky enough to finance his weekend trip. The final straw was I had given him gift items for a 3 year old to hold onto for safe keeping which were never returned before leaving Davao after 2 calls and texts an hour before going to the airport. They were replaced but thats not the point. If not reaching the summit because of indifference to his client was bad enough the non delivery of a child's gifts showed his true character. I will give it another shot but definitely not with someone like the fake on the first attempt.

If you love heights and rain forest, you should try these marvelous mountain..it is a great escape in the over crowded City and the feelings to be in the top of it, is priceless... using Kapatagan Digos City trail where you need to assault the 87degree Boulders and where you can also find and taste wild Berries, where can only be found in it's upper part...And if you are lucky enough you can also find the group of wild monkeys in its forest or in the boulders part where the wild berry is. as these was there main food.

When in Davao - or better, in Mindanao, one should visit the grandfather of all Philippine mountains.

At the foot of Mt. Apo, the highest mountain of the Philippines!The name Apo means ancestor. There is a lake at the foot of the said mountain which they called the Lake Venado. The name came from an animal "Deer"Kneeling and I was praying, thanking GOD for the marvelous creation!Best mountain to climb this summer!Best place to travel!Mt. Apo, Kidapawan/Davao, Philippines!

A 3-day climb full of "Wow", "Amazing", "Ang ganda", "Sobrang ganda" moments. Every part of the trail is different. You will crawl, you scramble, you will walk, you will stretch your legs, you will cross logs and rivers, you will have to pass the boulders with sulfur nearby, you will pick up some wild berries (and eat 'em).Goody-goody campsite is really enchanting. It's cold and the is soft that stands as a cushion when you sleep. It's worth the sweat, effort and days spent. You don't wanna leave the mountain because of a lot of things you will never see or experience in a regular place.

I cried when i reached this highest-peaked mountain in the Philippines! Check with the authorities first, for proper process and guidance. Climbing is dangerous without a guide.This is very unique experience, and very addictive!

I like everything, except that we needed a good place to go s*** and clean water to drink :P All the experience with the guides and people we went up was very fun, I might takes too long to walk coz of my short leg at least I made it there :)

Conquering Philippine's tallest is one of my most memorable climbing experience so far. Mt. Apo, with its boulders is truly a unique mountain. The scenery and the sulfuric terrain will literally take your breath away. We took the Sibulan Trail via Sta. Cruz on a three-day hike. The first day of the trek took us through traditional farmlands and small communities with natives who are probably used to the sight of backpack-laden climbers passing by. On the first few hours, I felt the weight of my 12kg backpack and the lack of proper ramp training prior to this climb. After a while, my body adjusted and maintained a steady pace. Yes, reasonable amount of fitness is needed to enjoy this hike. I was amazed how huge the trees were and how dense the jungle in the Mt. Apo National Park. We were told that the second day of the hike will be more challenging. And it included an 87-degree wall or was it 89-degrees?! But the scenery was worth every sweat. After an hour or so of trekking on the second day, boulders began to appear on the trail. As we reached a small dried-up creek, one of the guides told us that we are nearing the boulder section. And the sight of the boulders upon boulders amid sulfur vents, transported me to a different world…a different planet. Truly, Mt. Apo is a unique mountain with its out-of-this-world giant boulders and sulfuric terrain. After the heavy downpour on the second night, I was not sure if we will see any sunrise. But God had a nice surprise for us, He blessed us with a very beautiful sunrise at the summit of Mt. Apo. We enjoyed the 360-degree view from the summit which showcased the silhouette of Samal Island, the nearby mountain ranges and the seemingly perfect cone of Mt. Matutum. If you are looking for a mountain to climb, Mt. Apo is truly worth considering.

We were able to have good weather for the climb we got rained on a bit but once reaching the top every drop of swear was well worth it. And having a great guide in Paul being very patient with us made the climb even much more fun! A definite check on mu bucketlist!

It was lots of fun. A real family adventure. You can climb to the top if the weather permits. Beautiful view from the top. Tours are available for a good price.

Everything is amazing here. We did the climb Sunday morning and we finished it Monday afternoon. Rain shower throughout the day, so don't forget to bring poncho and waterproof accessories for your phone and cameras. Lots of river crossing, since its raining expect the wild river and take extra care. The forest part is magical, you can say that it is really a tropical rain-forest. The boulders area made the mountain different place compared to other mountains I climb before, so don't forget to grab some picture. :D

Davao Adventure Day 4At 1160 meters above sea-level, Marawer Hot Springs have 2 types of waters; the comforting Hot Springs and the challenging Cold Stream.The Hot Springs provided the warm comfort in the cool atmosphere.The Cold Stream of gushing cold waters provided the adrenaline rush to an Extreme Challenge.

this is a "must-do" at least once in a lifetime. The sense of accomplishment you get when you are at the peak is just awesome. The view, the nature and the wonders of our surroundings - all in one hike to Mt. Apo.

I read that Mt Apo is a popular mountain so I was surprised that there weren't many reviews I could get more info on, or reputable trek operators for packages. There were a few good blog entries and for those who left a contact I emailed them, and all recommended me Albert Gabriel of Mt Apo Adventures.He did not disappoint. Albert and his porters provided excellent service even before the trek started and right till the end. He was patient with our queries (more than 20 emails exchanged), accommodating to our needs and prepped us for the trip with advice. A pre-trek briefing the day before on what to expect and also get the paperwork out of the way. The next day, after an hour riding on a coach, we had a taste of Davao's public transport in the form of habal-habal, a modified dirt bike with its hind extended to sit 3 persons, or carry an unimaginable (but totally possible) number of trekking bags all expertly and securely tied up. After 45 mins of up- and downhills while enjoying the countryside we arrived at the jump off point.Bright, chirpy and always entertaining, Albert and his guide Roy led the way of most of the trek, pointing out nature that we would have missed (cicada nymph, fresh wild boar tracks, a boulder with a face of a lion) and shared stories of the mountain. With his trusty camera, he took countless impromptu and posed shots of us, some less glamorous than others. Despite the rain and strong winds bashing us during the summit climb, it was all good fun with Albert and his team around. As with other treks I had gone for, a porter was at the back of the group, silently watching and making sure we were on the right track (pun intended). He would be carrying a ton of weight, navigating the slippery and muddy slopes with his slippers (!) and pointing out the easier routes to take. The porters are truly the silent heroes in every climb.Meal times were like a gathering of brothers and sisters, warm in both sense of the word, and thus were one of the highlights of the day. We started the day and were always welcomed back from a trek with a hot coffee or cocoa, followed by abundant hot meals that we could never finished. "Eat more! Have some more!" was always Albert's slogan. Before I left for Davao, an acquaintance told me that people there were friendly. I can also add "hospitable", "relaxed" and "entertaining" to those adjectives too.

A visit needs to be planned and scheduled well especially if you wish to climb the mountain. For day visits, there are good vantage points to see Mt. Apo and learn about the habitat.