Kibungan Circuit: Mt. Tagpaya, Mt. Oten, Mt. Tagpew (1820+/1875+/2105+)

Nestled at the heart of the Cordilleras, the town of Kibungan in Benguet offers pristine and scenic trails that pass through highland Kankaney villages, rice terraces, pine ridges, and occasional mossy forests. The mountainous terrain and rolling slopes of Kibungan has caused some visitors to call it the “Switzerland of the Philippines” – an appellation that, although awkward, conveys the sense of grandeur that is truly palpable within the environs of this beautiful highland town.

There are several long-distance trekking possibilities, making use of existing footpaths, including those leading to Ilocos Sur and La Union to the west, and to the town of Bakun up north. However, the more popular and accessible routes are known as the Kibungan Circuit, which begins at Sitio Tanap in the town poblacion and goes up Mt. Tagpaya (1820 MASL). From there, one can return to Tanap using a different trail that passes by Lungsad Falls. This is known as the Version 1 route, and is usually done as an overnight climb.

On the other hand, the Version 2 route continues from Mt. Tagpaya towards two more peaks: Mt. Oten (1875 MASL) and Mt. Tagpew (2105 MASL; pronounced as tag-pow). Version 2 usually takes 3 days, but can be done in two days.

Either way, the trail is very pleasant and rewarding. On clear days, there are nice views of the Bakun mountains, including Mt. Tenglawan (N), the Halsema Highway up to Baguio, with Mt. Ugo behind (ESE) and Mt. Sto Tomas at its tailend (SE). La Union and Ilocos Sur, and behind them, the West Philippine Sea, complete the panorama. And yet, even without these distant sights, the proximal views are tantalizing in themselves. The pine ridges, reminiscent of those in Mt. Sicapoo, and the slopes laden with unique white rocks, which in turn calls to mind Bakun, make trekking in Kibungan a unique experience. Add to these sights the seclusion and tranquility, the endless trekking possibilities, the fascinating culture that remains alive, and you have a truly wonderful and highly recommended trek in the Cordilleras!

1030 ETA Tangongtongaw; Oldest Pine Tree

1200 Lunch at Mt. Oten

1300 Resume trek to Mt. Tagpew

1430 Arrival at Geday Rest Stop

1600 View of Mt. Gidaywen

1700 Arrival at Mt. Tagpew campsite

1000 ETA Legleg village

1030 Burial cave sidetrip

1200 Lunch at Bato view deck (1330 MASL).

1400 ETA Mayos river. Washup.

1500 Head back to Sitio Tanap

1600 Back at Sitio Tanap. End of Trek

1700 Back at Poblacion. Tidy up.

Logistics. To secure guides and to make sure that the town is expecting you, contact the tourism officer of Kibungan, Engr. Kolbel, at +639059206276. He can arrange your trek and give advice regarding itinerary and costs. There is a green fee of P30. The guide fees are P500/guide/day, and porterage fees are similar.

Contrary to how it would be defined had it been a Cebuano word, Mt. Oten actually draws its name from the wild berry shrubs called oten which grow in the mountain named after it.

Kibungan is a long-time favorite of many hikers, and there are many more trails other than the Kibungan Circuit trails. PinoyMountaineer looks forward to document more of these trails in the future, and information on them is most welcome.

The blogger did the Kibungan Circuit version 2 with Leo Oracion, the first Filipino to climb Everest, on a trip organized by my hiking companion Sir Martin Cortez on December 10-11, 2011. We climbed on the occasion of the total lunar eclipse but failed to see it due to cloud cover!