Hello Hive!
For today's episode, let me share with you our camping experience at Mt. Kamipiriko. I believe only a few people know about the Kampiriko campsite, it's not popular among campers maybe because it only has a small space and can accommodate only a small group of campers. This has been the most unforgettable climb I've ever experienced. Believe it or not guys but it was such a death-defying experience for me. Indeed, The best view comes after the hardest climb.
It is situated in Barangay, Talamban Cebu. If you are familiar with Budlaan Falls, you might be familiar with its trail as it passes the falls and is located more uphill. It probably would take 30-45 minutes from the falls. The route is kind of tricky so if you are traveling alone or with a beginner group, I would highly suggest getting a tourist guide.
If you are planning to explore Mt. Kampiriko, it's better to go lightweight but of course without compromising your needs like bringing important items for the camp because it is definitely a challenging trail, especially during the rainy season. I am telling you, it's never a good idea to go hiking if it is raining a couple of days prior to the climb.
The starting point is from Gaisano Talamban then from there you can hire a motorcycle to go to Barangay Baugo to start your trail. Then, from there you just follow the Budlaan Falls trail going uphill. There are residents living in the mountain so it's best to keep asking or at least hire someone to guide you.
Our assembly time was before lunch however in my case since I still had work in the morning, I joined some of my friends late in the afternoon. I must say that it was the most stressful hiking experience I had. I underestimated the trail so I just wore a pair of sandals. I was confident to hike wearing sandals because I thought that it was going to be an easy trail but I was wrong. The ground was slippery and my sandals couldn't take a strong grip so I was forced to take them off and walked barefoot. Imagine how slippery it was and uncomfortable, more likely painful to my feet because I had to exert effort with my toes to get a grip on the mud and not to slip or fall down.
It was my biggest regret of my hiking experiences. I should have prepared my gear like shoes with spikes to comfortably and safely hike even if it was slippery. Indeed, it taught me how to better camp in a hard way.
Anyway, everything was worth it though. We arrived at the top at around 7:00 PM. Those who arrived in the morning were able to set their tents up while we were still about to. As soon as we set it up, we helped prepare for our dinner. We decided to prepare mixed seafood and meat in a boodle fight style.
We were a bit unfortunate because it rained for almost an hour which made our tents moist and gave us a hard time sleeping. Some of the tents were already wet inside but we had to endure it to get some rest. Luckily it didn't rain until morning so we still got some sleep.
Indeed, The best view comes after the hardest climb and a sleepless night lol. Despite all of that, we're still blessed to have witnessed the picturesque and spectacular view in the morning.
I do love waking up in the mountains and seeing the beautiful view of nature. As much as possible, catch the sunrise while drinking coffee and eating breakfast. Everyone was enjoying the view while capturing the moment.
It's always worth it to spend my rest day in the mountains sharing laughs and experiences with good friends. It reduces my stress and anxiety and helps me forget the difficult tasks at work even just for a day. Nature never disappoints me. Feeling the sunshine and fresh air is my kind of luxury.
After taking photos and eating our breakfast, we then prepared to go down and back to the city. It was very challenging for all of us since the ground was too slippery knowing it just rained last night. Some of us had to be resourceful and look for something we could hold onto while going down not to slip our way down.
I had to go down barefoot again as it was difficult to grip using my sandals. I almost cried but I was just thinking positively that I would be able to reach the road safely and finally take a rest and relax so I had to endure the pain and focus on the trail to avoid accidents.
This hiking experience at Mt. Kampiriko taught me a lot of things when it comes to becoming a better mountaineer and camper. I should expect the worst than being lax and not ready for what might happen along the way. I should keep my things lightweight but not compromise necessities. However, it was such a great experience knowing it was my first time to camp there. I've got another story to remember and tell my family and friends about.
That's basically it, I hope you liked this episode and I hope to interact with you in the comment section below. Everyone's glad to hear the stories of yours! Just always remember that learning is a lifetime process. You can learn from your experiences, trips, and from other people. The world is so vast. Explore and Learn! Traveling isn't is as expensive as you think! There's a so-called traveling on a frugal way with a purpose!
DEUCES!
Regards,
@itinerantph