Masungi Georeserve is a conservation area located in Rizal, which is about two hours away from Metro Manila. In fact, the name of the georeserve is derived from the word “masungki”, which means spike is a very accurate description of the terrains found in the area.
Masungi Georeserve
Due to illegal logging activities, there were a lot of endangered wildlife animals and threatened rock formations. This conservation project aims to protect the threatened limestone formation and wildlife through education and geo-tourism. In addition to its contribution to the environment, the project also helps the local community by employing hundreds of locals from indigenous groups to become park rangers. The park rangers are the ones who take care of the forest and guide visitors through the trails.
Because the project limits the number of people visiting per day, visitors must book a reservation online prior to their visit.
Getting Here
I don’t recommend taking public transportation because it takes a lot of time. What’s more, traffic in the Philippines is difficult to predict, which might delay your arrival. Thus, hiring a private vehicle is the best way to come here.
The best time to visit
I recommend choosing a time that allows you to finish before noon to avoid hiking during the hottest time of the day. November to May is the Philippines’ dry season, so visiting during this time will give you a better experience.
What to expect?
Masungi Georeserve offers three unique experiences to visitors, namely the Garden Picnic, the Legacy Trail, and the Discovery Trail. You can check the Masungi official website for the latest price of each experience, the weekday and weekend rates are different.
The Garden Picnic
The Garden Picnic is ideal for visitors of all ages. It allows visitors to relax and enjoy the natural surroundings in the Gardens and Cottage area. Hiking trails are located at a separate location. Hence, visitors can enjoy a peaceful stroll in the garden at their own pace, explore the picnic area and the rock garden, and enjoy a tea-tasting session. The average duration of this experience is 3 hours.
The Discovery Trail
The Discovery Trail is ideal for beginner hikers and nature enthusiasts. For safety reasons, it has a minimum age limit of 13 years old. The whole hike covers 7 terrains and takes an average duration of 3 to 4 hours to complete. The trail is made of concrete blocks, with some ups and downs and rope courses. This experience is suitable for team buildings and visitors looking for an adventure.
The Legacy Trail
The Legacy Trail is ideal for beginner hikers, nature enthusiasts, and visitors interested in the restoration efforts. The minimum age limit for this experience is 10 years old. In this experience, visitors have a firsthand experience in tree planting and nurturing. The trail covers 3 terrains, mostly composed of grasslands, and takes an average duration of 4-6 hours to complete.
The Discovery Trail Experience
My friends and I decided to try the Discovery trail because it was our first time at Masungi Georeserve. Each group has a park ranger who will lead the hike and take care of us. The park ranger was knowledgeable and shared many interesting stories with us. He introduced the different features of the trail and helped us take photos. The private group must consist of a minimum of 7 people. If there are insufficient people in a group, visitors can still proceed but they have to cover the payment that is for 7 people.
Preparation
The park ranger gave us helmets before our hike. We have to put on helmets at all times during the hike to ensure our safety. Before you start the hike, go to the toilet first, because there are no toilets in the hiking trail.
The park ranger demonstrated how to climb the first rope obstacle. We started the hike early in the morning. The weather was very good and did not feel too hot. The following sections will briefly discuss each feature of the hike.
Sapot
I saw a lot of people sharing pictures of Sapot on Instagram. But it felt different when you’re up there, it’s kind of scary. The Sapot looked amazing, but it took me some courage to take the first step. We stood on the giant web-like structure which was made of steel cables. As we stood on the Sapot, we had a panoramic view of the surroundings and Laguna de Bay. Although it looks like a giant trampoline, jumping on the Sapot is strictly prohibited for safety reasons. The park ranger shared that the chain displayed was from a chainsaw that was used during illegal logging.
Ditse & Patak
This part of the trail involves a lot of rope courses. First of all, Patak, meaning water drop, refers to the air house. The air house with the shape of a water drop is suspended in between the mountains. Next, we had to go through Ditse.
Ditse is the rope course that we went through to reach the giant hammock, Duyan. While climbing down the rope course, my legs were trembling. These rope courses are safe, but it is scary because you can see what’s directly under you. What’s more, I find it challenging to get my feet out of the ropes sometimes. So make sure you wear appropriate shoes and clothes when you visit Masungi Georeserve.
Duyan
When I arrived at the giant hammock after descending from the rope course, I could finally relax. The giant hammock connects the two sides of the mountain. While waiting for our friends to descend, we took a quick break lying on the hammock and enjoying the mountain breeze. Be careful when using your mobile phones here, when you lie down on the hammock, your mobile phone might fall off.
Yungib ni Ruben
One of the features of the trail is this cave. The cave was a great place to hide from the sun for a while. It is a cave with stalactite and stalagmite formations.
According to our park ranger, another park ranger named Ruben discovered the cave. Hence the name, Yungib ni Ruben (Ruben’s Cave).
Besides wildlife and limestone conservation, Masungi also aims to renew the interest of the Filipino language. Hence, the names of many of these places are not in English.
Because the project employs the local community, not every park ranger can speak English. Therefore, keep in mind that English speaking guide cannot be guaranteed when you book a visit.
Tatay & Nanay
The tallest peak in Masungi is known as Tatay, which means father. On the other hand, the second peak is known as Nanay, which means mother. Nanay is composed of five limestone peaks, it is a 10-15 minutes walk from Tatay using the bridge. Unfortunately, I think I did not take an image of Nanay, so I could not share it with you.
Sawa
Finally, Sawa means snake, this is the last rope course of the trail. Going through this passage brought us back to the shed. After going through Ditse and Duyan, this rope course was relatively easy.
End of trail
After the hike, the park ranger brought us back to the visitor shed. The tour included complimentary light refreshments for us to enjoy. Overall, we had a very pleasant hike and a fun experience. Each part of the hike has its own challenges. For people with a fear of heights, it can be quite scary, especially at the Sapot, Ditse, and Duyan parts.
Respect the Masungi Georeserve policies:
- Smoking is prohibited
- Shouting and howling are not allowed on the premise
- Keep your helmet on at all times
- Safely secure loose items such as your phones, sunglasses, etc.
- Be careful when taking photos, keep your valuables safe by bringing a small bag with you
- Do not jump on the structures for your safety and others
Things to bring:
- Cap
- Sunglasses
- Water Bottle
- Extra clothes
- Small pouch or bag for valuables
- Sunscreen
- Wear appropriate clothes and shoes