Itinerary
- Day 1
Manila
You'll arrive in Manila and have time to explore on your own before a 6 pm welcome meeting with your group leader. Rizal Park in the city centre works well as a starting point for getting oriented. Try some local specialities while you're out, particularly adobo and buko pie if you get the chance.
Optional Activities
- Walk around Rizal Park
- Explore Manila city center
- Dinner with group sampling regional specialities
Landmarks/POIs Rizal Park - Day 2
Manila to Mt. Pinatubo
After breakfast you'll join a guided tour through multicultural Manila that includes food tastings in the Muslim Quarter and a visit to the world's oldest Chinatown. You'll cycle around Intramuros on an eco-friendly bamboo bike to see the historic 16th-century walled area. Lunch happens with the group, and then you'll drive to the foot of Mt. Pinatubo and check into a local guesthouse that has a swimming pool.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Guided tour of multicultural Manila
- Food tastings in Muslim Quarter and Chinatown
- Eco-friendly bamboo bike cycling tour of Intramuros
- Lunch
Landmarks/POIs Intramuros Muslim Quarter Chinatown (Binondo) - Day 3
Mt. Pinatubo Crater Hike
This is an early start for a challenging hike up Mt. Pinatubo from Crow Valley. You'll take a 4WD jeep to the trailhead, then hike to the crater lake that formed after the 1991 eruption with dramatic cliffs framing the rainwater lake at the summit. A traditional lunch in Tarukan Village with the Aetas (the Philippines' earliest inhabitants) follows, where you'll eat with your hands from banana leaves. You head back to the guesthouse for another night in the countryside.
- Meals
- Lunch (Traditional lunch in Tarukan Village with the Aetas community, meal laid out on banana leaves)
Included Activities
- Mt. Pinatubo crater hike
- Traditional lunch in Tarukan Village with the Aetas community
Landmarks/POIs Mt. Pinatubo Crow Valley Tarukan Village - Day 4
Mt. Pinatubo to Banaue
You'll wake early and travel to Banaue, passing through rice fields and mango plantations along the way. A stop in Bacolor lets you see the local church half-buried by lahar from the Mt. Pinatubo eruption, where locals still worship by climbing through upper windows. After lunch at a local restaurant, you'll arrive in Banaue in the late afternoon and have a free evening to find your own dinner.
- Meals
- Lunch
Included Activities
- Visit to Bacolor church half-buried by lahar
Optional Activities
- Explore Banaue in free evening
- Dinner in Banaue
Landmarks/POIs Bacolor Church - Day 5
Banaue Rice Terraces Trek
This morning you'll board a local jeepney to Sadel and trek through the UNESCO-listed Banaue rice terraces, created by the Ifugao people over 2,000 years ago. These terraces combine function and beauty in remarkable ways. You'll stop for lunch in Batad where you'll meet local Ifugao people and try rice activities. You return to Banaue in the late afternoon with the rest of the day free.
- Meals
- Lunch
Included Activities
- Trek through Banaue rice terraces
- Lunch in Batad
- Interaction with local Ifugao people
- Rice activities
Optional Activities
- Explore Banaue in free afternoon
Landmarks/POIs Banaue Rice Terraces Sadel Batad - Day 6
Banaue to Sagada City Tour
You'll travel to Sagada for a half-day guided tour that covers the Hanging Coffins, an ancient burial tradition with coffins suspended on cliffs, and Lumiang Cave with 500-year-old coffins inside. A visit to the home of photographer Eduardo Masferre follows, where family members show rare photos from the 1930s of Ifugao life. The afternoon is yours to check out coffee plantations and sample Sagada coffee, visit local farms, or simply relax.
Included Activities
- Half-day city tour of Sagada
- Visit to Hanging Coffins
- Lumiang Cave visit
- Visit to Eduardo Masferre's home
Optional Activities
- Coffee plantation tours
- Sample Sagada coffee
- Explore local farms
Landmarks/POIs Hanging Coffins Lumiang Cave Eduardo Masferre's Home - Day 7
Bontoc to Sagada Rice Terraces Trek
You'll trek through rice terraces starting in Bontoc and hiking along the Maligcong Rice Terrace to Faverey village. A Kalinga local guide shares stories about traditions along the way, including a unique village practice of living with deceased family members. After hiking back to Bontoc, you'll refuel with lunch before returning to Sagada.
- Meals
- Lunch
Included Activities
- Maligcong Rice Terrace trek
- Hike to Faverey village
- Local Kalinga guide storytelling
- Cultural experience at Faverey village
- Lunch in Bontoc
Landmarks/POIs Maligcong Rice Terrace Faverey Village Bontoc - Day 8
Sagada to Baguio Cooking Class & Dinner
You'll drive to Baguio, the City of Pines, known for lush greenery. After arrival you have a free afternoon to walk around Mirador Hill and Eco Park (a Japanese-inspired garden) or visit Igorot Stone Kingdom (a modern castle). Later you rejoin the group for an interactive dinner with a famous local chef. You'll stroll through the local market with your leader to learn about key Cordillera ingredients, then join the chef and his wife for a live cooking demonstration. You'll eat the grilled dishes you helped prepare.
- Meals
- Dinner (Interactive cooking class dinner with local chef, featuring grilled dishes prepared during demonstration)
Included Activities
- Cooking class and dinner with local chef
- Market walk with leader to learn about local ingredients
- Live cooking demonstration with chef
Optional Activities
- Walk around Mirador Hill and Eco Park
- Visit Igorot Stone Kingdom
Landmarks/POIs Mirador Hill and Eco Park Igorot Stone Kingdom - Day 9
Baguio to Manila Art & Women's Weaving
You'll explore Baguio's art scene by visiting local studios and galleries with traditional and contemporary pieces. A stop at Harvest Hub Studio lets you learn about a foundation supporting women weavers in the Cordilleras through entrepreneurship training. You'll meet local artists, learn about their crafts, and try traditional weaving techniques. You head back to Manila in the afternoon and might join the group for a farewell dinner.
Included Activities
- Visit local art studios and galleries
- Harvest Hub Studio visit and women's weaving co-op tour
- Meet local artists and learn traditional techniques
Optional Activities
- Farewell dinner with group in Manila
Landmarks/POIs Harvest Hub Studio - Day 10
Manila Free Day & Welcome Meeting
You have a free day in Manila to relax and check out parts of the city you may have missed earlier. Browse modern shops on Bonifacio High Street or hunt for souvenirs at Quiapo street market for more traditional items. A welcome meeting is scheduled at 6 pm to meet new group members and the next trip's leader. After that, you might gather with your group for meals like lechon (whole roasted pig) and longganisa (Philippine sausage).
Optional Activities
- Explore Manila
- Shop at Bonifacio High Street
- Browse Quiapo street market
- Dinner with group
Landmarks/POIs Bonifacio High Street Quiapo Street Market - Day 11
Manila to Puerto Princesa
You'll take a short flight from Manila to Puerto Princesa, capital of Palawan. You'll notice a slower pace compared to the busy capital, and Puerto Princesa is known as the cleanest and greenest city in the Philippines. This afternoon you visit a local farm and participate in preparing local rice snacks, a way of life called 'merienda' (snacking). Tonight you relax by the Iwahig River and watch glowing fireflies dart in and around the mangroves.
Included Activities
- Local farm visit
- Preparation of local rice snacks
- Iwahig River firefly boat tour
Landmarks/POIs Iwahig River - Day 12
Puerto Princesa Subterranean River & Batak Tribe
You'll drive to Sabang and board a boat for the Subterranean River, travelling through a limestone cave and into the ocean. After lunch you hike to the Batak and Tagbanua Tribal Village in Sitio Kawasan, backed by majestic St. Paul Mountain. You'll meet the Batak tribe (one of about 70 Indigenous communities in the Philippines), learn about their traditions, and possibly sample fresh fruit from cashew trees if weather permits.
- Meals
- Lunch
Included Activities
- Puerto Princesa Subterranean River boat trip
- Batak and Tagbanua Tribal Village hike
- Meet Batak tribe and learn about traditions
Optional Activities
- Sample cashew fruit (weather dependent)
- Mangrove River Tour - PHP250
Landmarks/POIs Subterranean River Sitio Kawasan St. Paul Mountain - Day 13
Puerto Princesa to Port Barton
You'll travel to Port Barton, a slow-paced coastal town on Palawan's largest island. You have a free afternoon to explore at your own pace. Options include hiking to Pamuayan Falls, relaxing on white sandy beaches, or watching the sunset over the region.
Optional Activities
- Hike to Pamuayan Falls
- Relax on white sandy beach
- Watch sunset
Landmarks/POIs Pamuayan Falls - Day 14
Port Barton Island Hopping & Traditional Fishing
You'll set off on an island-hopping adventure exploring Port Barton's hidden gems with crystal-clear waters, vibrant coral reefs, and white-sand beaches. You'll travel to secluded islands like Turtle Sanctuary, Exotic Island, and Paradise Island. You step into the shoes of a local fisherman and learn about age-old fishing traditions using hand-held hooks tied to single nylon line (kawil). The region is perfect for swimming, snorkelling, and relaxing on beach shores.
Included Activities
- Island-hopping tour to Turtle Sanctuary, Exotic Island, and Paradise Island
- Traditional fishing demonstration with local fishermen
Optional Activities
- Swimming
- Snorkelling
Landmarks/POIs Turtle Sanctuary Exotic Island Paradise Island - Day 15
Port Barton to El Nido
You'll say farewell to Port Barton and travel to El Nido with its backdrop of marble cliffs and white sandy beaches. El Nido serves as a base for many island adventures with over 50 beaches accessible by boats docked nearby. The afternoon is free to explore at your own pace. You can pack a picnic lunch and venture to an isolated beach, or join fellow travellers for a drink at a beachside restaurant later.
Optional Activities
- Explore El Nido
- Visit isolated beaches
- Drinks at beachside restaurants
Landmarks/POIs El Nido - Day 16
El Nido Island Hopping & Snorkelling
You'll head off on a full-day snorkelling trip island hopping around El Nido. You'll take in the surrounding landscape of jagged limestone islands, rocky coves, virgin rainforest, and white sandy beaches. You'll put on your snorkel and dive under clear water to see beautiful coral and many colourful fish species. After included lunch, you venture out on lagoon trips throughout the afternoon. You might head out for dinner with fellow travellers tonight to toast to your final night in the Philippines.
- Meals
- Lunch
Included Activities
- Full-day island hopping snorkelling trip
- Snorkelling in coral reefs
- Lagoon trips
- Lunch
Optional Activities
- Dinner with fellow travellers
- Kayak Hire - PHP700
- Bike Hire - PHP500
Landmarks/POIs El Nido - Day 17
El Nido Departure
You have a free day with no activities planned. You're free to leave your accommodation at any time. Your Philippines adventure doesn't have to end here, so speak to your booking agent ahead of time if you'd like to spend more time in El Nido.
