Sunlit nights: Stunning Mount Pinatubo Volcano!

Mount Pinatubo, about 150km north-west of Manila, is an active volcano which last erupted in 1991, bringing havoc and destruction to the area. Nevertheless, today it is one of the most beautiful places in the island of Luzon. A 4x4 jeep ride and trek takes you through the lahar flows, now cooled and sometimes hardened, and up to the caldera. Rainwater collected inside the caldera to form a beautiful lake.

Mount Pinatubo offers stunning views all throughout the trek! The landscape changes from stark, grey earth to steep rock faces to tropical greenery to gushing streams. You will find yourself walking over white sand, hardened grey lahar, stones and boulders, and crossing fast-moving streams. The trek is of medium difficulty, provided the sun is hidden by clouds and it is not too hot. :)

I booked with Tripinas for 2,100 pesos - the only tour agency I could find that offered per person rates, rather than group rates. We were a group of about 20 people with 4 local guides and 1 tour manager. Met some nice Filipino people in the group. We started in the 4x4 just after sunrise, and the view of the sunlight playing on the mountain faces and grass was just breathtaking! At one point, we saw a lone horseman in the distance. In the morning the heat was not too bad, but every time the sun came out, it was killing!

The landscape has a calm, barren kind of beauty. There are absolutely no animals or birds in sight. In the afternoon, we saw some shooting practice at the army base nearby. The most rewarding part of the trek is the first view of the crater lake and its still, serene, green water! You can climb down some stairs - after finishing the 2 hour trek, you kind of give up on trying to protect your feet :) - and walk down to the banks of the lake. The banks are filled with soft, white sand and it is very calm; perfect for gazing or relaxing. Mt Pinatubo is such a unique place, and I sure would love to do this again!