Mountain Climbing in the Philippines
The Philippines has so many unique destinations to offer for all hiking enthusiasts! As a tropical country blessed with some of the greatest biodiversity in the world, the flora and fauna of our jungles and deep forests are sure to amaze visitors. Entire forests covered in moss, and pristine mountains with yet-unnamed species of pitcher plants and orchids, are just some of the options in our repertoire of destinations. In one mountain, you can actually go up from humid, tropical to arid, temperate forests – another sign of the diversity the Philippine mountains can offer. As part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, we also have some impressive, world-famous volcanoes to scale.
Historically, hikers have usually banded together to form clubs with varying degrees of organization, ranging from the most established ones offering Basic Mountaineering Courses and engaging in environmental advocacies to loose clique of friends called barkadas. However, an emerging trend for the past several years is free climbing as individuals or small groups. Hiking, tramping, trekking, and mountain climbing are known collectively as mountaineering in the Philippines and the term mountaineer is used for anyone who climbs mountains as a recreation.