Mount Pinatubo is infamous for the havoc it wreaked when it erupted in 1991. Nowadays, it’s viewed in a more positive light as a place of adventure and beauty. A day trip to this volcano will cost you approximately P1,700 inclusive of van transport to and from Manila, 4x4 jeep ride, and registration/entrance fees. Mount Pinatubo is an active volcano located along the borders of three provinces namely Zambales, Tarlac and Pampanga. To get to the foot of the volcano, we had to ride a 4x4 jeep across a vast lahar-covered landscape.
Rough RideIt’s a dusty and bumpy ride all the way to the trek jump-off point. Sit back and hang tight as your driver snakes through streams and rocky lahar trails. The dramatic gray-white landscape looks like a desert with the jagged and sloping Cabusilan Mountain Range as its backdrop. It’s quite a relief that our 4x4 had a roof and windows to shield us from the clouds of dusty lahar. We took what is dubbed as the “skyway” which is a steep, slippery and scary shortcut to the volcano. Living in the recesses and planes of this mountainous landscape are groups of Aetas, the indigenous people who have inhabited Mount Pinatubo for decades. Their kinky hair, made golden by the sun, and their ebony skin create a striking portrait. According to our guide, the Aetas make their living by harvesting bananas, which grow copiously in the area and then selling these in town. From their meager earnings they buy rice which are a staple food for them.
Trek to the Top
After an hour and a half ride in the 4x4 jeep, you’ll reach the drop-off point where the trek to the crater commences. From this point it will take 30 minutes or even less to reach the mouth of the crater. Mobile phone signals are dead from this point onwards. It’s a fairly easy hike where you’ll alternately pass through rocks and streams. Our guide showed us a natural source of drinkable water in case our water supply ran low. It tasted fresh and clean and my hardy stomach did not complain when I quenched my thirst with it. Once you see the roughly hewn stone stairway, you’ll know that you’re almost at the top. After the rough ride and trek, our out-of-shape bodies were tired but the view that greeted us at the top more than made up for all our aches and pains.
What a Crater!
No words could describe the majestic view at the peak of Mount Pinatubo. I couldn’t believe my eyes that a blue green lake this beautiful could be at the crater of an active volcano! It’s beckoning me to take a dip into its aquamarine depths. My trekking buddies and I start to descend the uneven steps that lead to the lake. The water must be warm since it is in a volcano, I think to myself. I dip my foot into the water and I find that it is freezing cold! Plus it gets really deep real fast. After a few steps from the shore, I can’t even reach the lake bottom even on my tippy-toes. So best bring a lifejacket if you’re not such a good swimmer. Or you can hire a boat.
All the physical exertion of the morning worked up a huge appetite and it’s a good thing I packed some lunch. There are no stores at the crater so do bring food if you don’t want to starve—preferably plenty of rice, ulam, drinks, and snacks. A gazebo near the lake is the perfect place to eat and rest. Although it tends to get crowded when there are lots of visitors. Another welcome amenity that they installed is a basic toilet. There are no showers at the crater but once you get back to the registration office at the base you can get a spa treatment for P500 as a treat after such a volcanic adventure.
