Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Helpful Tips For Those Who Also Wants To Go To Pinatubo



If you have decided already and want to experience what we did in my last Pinatubo post here are some things you might want to consider:

Disclaimer: These notes were provided to me by "The Wife" via email. I am not sure if she got it from another blog or from our coordinator. One thing is for sure I am not the original writer of the next 7 Points to consider in preparing for your Pinatubo trek.

- Pack light. The regular Pinatubo trek will take around 2-3 hours via old way. Do yourself a favor and keep your bag light. Your back will thank you for it.

- Love your skin. The best time to go trekking Pinatubo is before the rainy season which equals to you getting a LOT of sun. So slather on that sunscreen and use a cap or hat.

- Sole keepin'. Mount Pinatubo's terrain is rugged so protect your feet by wearing sturdy foot wear. You'll surely get wet as well so bring an extra pair.

- Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. The trick on not getting a heat stroke is to drink BEFORE you even feel thirsty. You will be sweating a lot and hydrating is a sure way to battle fatigue. Bring at least 1 liter of water for the trek.

- Fuel up. Making your own trail food is a fun and easy way to ensure that you have something to munch on while your navigating the tricky terrain of Mt. Pinatubo. No need to go on a hunger strike there. Life is short. Eat.

- Don't worry, be happy. Its not everyday that you get to commune with nature so don't rush - it's not a race. Appreciate the sight and sounds around you.

- Leave no trace while trekking. You probably have heard of this one before but we'll say it again anyway. Take nothing but pictures; Leave nothing but footprints; Kill nothing but time.



Additional Tips:

Please coordinate with your local contact or the local government of Tarlac for any updates about security. As what I have mentioned in my previous post, we had to cancel our first scheduled trek due to weather conditions. The local contact, the local government through the assistance of the Philippine Air Force are in a better position to assess the safety of your trip.

ONCE TARLAC IS INCLUDED IN THE LIST HAVING A PUBLIC STORM SIGNAL, ALL TRIPS TO MT.PINATUBO WILL BE CANCELLED AND CAPAS LOCAL TOURISM WILL NOT ISSUE CLEARANCES AND PERMITS TO TREK.YOUR TREK WILL BE RE SCHEDULE ON YOUR CHOSEN DATE OR YOU CAN REFUND YOU PAYMENT.

There is a local 4X$ jeep operator in Tarlac that caters to those who wants to visit Mount Pinatubo. The packaged fee might change slightly if the petition of the operators for increase in fee is approved. The petition is still pending as of this date, June 8, 2011.

Here is a sample itinerary for those who are planning to go to Pinatubo.

2:30am - Assembly at EDSA Crossing, Mandaluyong
3:00am - ETD to Capas Tarlac
5:30am - Arrival @ Pinatubo Spa Town
6:00am
- 4x4 to Jump off point, Trek to the crater
8:00am - ETA Rest, swim and explore crater
11:00am - Early Lunch
1:00pm - ETD. Trek and 4x4 to Spa Town
3:00pm - Wash-up @ Spa Town
4:00pm - ETD to Manila
6:00pm - ETA. EDSA Crossing, Mandaluyong

For those who are availing of the package offered by Pinatubo Spa Town, here are some information.

Contact Person:
Ms Jho Mallari
0928-781-3556
0928-341-0402
0933-1352-126 (Sun)

Price Of Tour Per Head

- 1,750.00 PER HEAD MIN of 4,5,6,7,8 passenger
- 1,500.00 per head if 9, or 10,15 exact count of passenger
- 3,000.00 per head 2 pax
- 6,000.00 per head 1 pax

Tour Inclusions:
- 4x4 Wheel Drive, whole day rent
- Local Guide
- Conservation Fee
- Entrance Fee
- Barangay Fee
- Packed Lunch : chicken adobo, fried fish, rice, salted itlog with kamatis, bottled mineral
- Free use of Shower, free shampoo and soap, towel, free use of locker with keys @ Pinatubo Spa Town
- Free use of nipa-hut/viewing deck
- 2hr trekking paakyat, 2hr trekking pababa (depends sa pacing ng participants)
- Swim sa Crater
- Certificate of Conquest

What to bring:
- trek attire rubber shoes or sandals (yung pwedeng mabasa kasi may streams)
- sunscreen protection, mask
- towel, toiletries
- camera
- snacks and ibang pambaon (breakfast, merienda, dinner)
- mineral water (walang limit sa pwedeng dalin, basta keri mo teh)
- floaters
- extra clothes (pambasa at pampalit)



How To Get To Spa Town:

From manila:
- Enter to NLEX then Exit TO Sta Inez.
- For your convenience enter SCTEX then Exit out to Concepcion.
- At Concepcion exit turn left going to Capas, Tarlac.
- Once you reach McDonalds' you will see a Y Junction, turn right then straight ahead you will see Caltex and Honda ahead an your left side.
- Before reaching Capas Municipal office you will see a tarpaulin sign saying "TRADOC" with a photo of a soldier. Turn left here.
- A cemetery is at the end of this road, turn right after that.
- After turning right you will see another Y junction where you will go left
Just go straight ahead for about 15km more until you reach Brgy. Sta Juliana, Capas, Tarlac.
- You have arrived at the Spa Town.
(LOL, sorry for this confusing directions, I just copied it from what our coordinator sent us)

Last and most important, Be Safe! There have been some incidents of accidents happening while on trek. There was one reported before (not during our trek) who got sprained and had to be carried using a DIY stretcher made out of branches and sacks back to where the 4X4's are. Also, you do not have to finish the trek if you really think that your body is about to give in to fatigue already. Safety first as always. There are guides provided by the local coordinator who would assist you during the course of the trek. Let them know if there is anything they need to know.

That is it! Enjoy the adventure!!

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