Mt. Daraitan and the Stunning Tinipak River

View from the summit

If you are looking for a destination that is good for a weekend, Mt. Daraitan is a great choice. From Starmall in Crossing, it only takes around 3 hours to get to. This place in Tanay, Rizal has a lot to offer: caving, swimming and of course, hiking (for more information on how to get there, see travel notes below the story).

I did not expect much when I signed up for this hike with a group organized by a friend of a friend. Rizal is too near Metro Manila to still have interesting things to see. I had thought that this was another overrated place.



Fortunately, I could not be more wrong. Daraitan is still very green. I was surprised to see that a place 3 hours away from Manila still has fresh air and a river so clear you could see the rocks at the bottom!

Tinipak River

The group decided that instead of camping near the summit, we would stay the night at Tinipak river (which, by the way, is already part of General Nakar, Quezon). We set up camp immediately to find shelter from the sun’s intense heat. There are no trees in the site to hide under and the boulders were already occupied by other campers. But right around 3pm, the sun would be blocked by surrounding mountains.

Since we arrived just after lunch, we had time to enjoy Tinipak river’s cool and clear water.  It’s a beauty. The rocks on both sides of the river and its blue green water remind me of Coron and Minalungao. If you hadn't planned any swimming before you went there, you should still bring swimming clothes, as I am sure you would not be able to resist the water.

Later in the afternoon, we went inside the cave. This is just about 5 minutes away from where we camped. The entrance is small, but it is spacious inside. The trek through slippery rocks takes about 15 minutes.  I did not notice any stalactites or stalagmites still forming inside the cave. With the number of people that go there every weekend, I was not surprised. What is surprising, however, is a small lagoon (which also signals the end of the hike) that’s great for swimming. It’s about chest deep and the bottom is sand. If the water hadn't been too cold, I would've been swimming there for hours.

As evening approached, the temperature slowly dropped. The wind makes the place chillier so, it is still advisable to bring a sweater/wind-breaker and long pants. It’s not as cold as Tarak or even Mt. Romelo, but it could be uncomfortable if you are wearing just shorts and a T-shirt.

With that chill, the sinigang prepared by Tropang Sabit’s Lexter was perfect! One of the things that I like about joining this group in their climbs is the food. It’s unbelievable they could still cook stuff like sinigang, caldereta, adobo, inihaw na bangus and other delicious dish while camped outdoors. And the food tastes fantastic! That is not to mention the comfort of not having to think about itinerary, transportation and other hassles. Though I think that all that are part of the adventure, joining them was scrumptiously  fun.

It was also a good opportunity to make friends. During socials, where everyone was asked to say something about himself, we found how even if you are single, you could still boast of having a lot of friend requests or countless notifications. It was also my first time to see how forever could fight with forever alone. In fact, these two groups are having their separate Valentine’s day climb to celebrate being in love (forevers) and being single (forever alones). They will have shirts printed for the climbs. Funny people.

The next day, we headed for the summit albeit later than we had planned. We had wanted to be there by 5am, but nobody had bothered waking up early. This was supposed to be an easy hike, as we only brought our valuables and some water with us, leaving the other stuff at the camp site. Some of the guys, who had been there before, volunteered to stay behind and prepare lunch.

At 700+ meters asl, one would think that Mt. Daraitan is an easy climb. As I would soon find out, there was nothing easy about it. The ascent seems to go on forever with almost no break from the steepness. It took most of us 2 hours but some of us took more than 3 to get to the peak. The slippery trail made it more difficult, as well.

From the summit, you could see the river meandering below. If you get there early, you could see a sea of clouds. The peak is all rocks which is perfect for taking pictures, but must be done carefully, mindful of lose rocks.

We left Daraitan and Tinipak river around 4pm and got to the Barangay a little before 6, where we washed up.

With this hike, I learned three things:

       1.       Provinces around Metro Manila are still good destination for a weekend hike.

       2.       Never judge a mountain by its height.

       3.       It’s fine to be single as long as you have tons of friend requests. :P

On a more serious note, Daraitan is a place to be. As the back of the welcome post at the peak says, “Babalik ka rin”, I will be back.

Travel Notes:

Crossing to Tanay

Terminal: Starmall Crossing
Fare:
- You can either take the jeepney (Php 60) or the FX (Ph 70) going to Tanay.
- You may also charter a jeepney there. We got ours at Php 60/person (22 people), one way.
Travel Time: 1.5 hours

Rough road? More like nakurap road to Daraitan

Tanay to Daraitan

Terminal:
Fare:
- You may charter a tricycle or a jeepney. Our jeepney cost us Php 1500 one way.
- Tricycle usually costs Php 150/person (to be verified)
Travel Time: 1.5 hours

To Barangay

- The jeepney/tricycle cannot cross the river yet, so you may either walk to the Barangay hall or take a tricycle stationed at the other side. That costs Php 10. If you walk it, that takes about 15 to 20 minutes.

Registration fee: Php 20
Guide fee: For every 10 people, Php 500 (day hike); Php 1250 (overnight)

- There are eateries near the Barangay hall if you want to have breakfast/lunch before hiking.

Barangay to Tinipak River
- 40 minutes

Tinipak River to Mt. Daraitan Summit
- 2 to 4 hours

* Others make for the camp near the summit and stay the night there. The next day, they go swimming and caving at Tinipak river.

* There is a place where you could wash up in the Barangay. I recommend that store that sells Lomi and burger. Your guide would know where that is. Bathing costs Php 20; Lomi, Php 35 and burger, Php 20.

GALLERY