Mt. Apo's Best Photos in 2009

During the my few years climbing back and forth in Mt. Apo bringing guests, mountaineers and hobbyist, this year was awesome for I had experienced the best weather and took the best photos of its features, specially its sunsets and sunrises.Here are some of it,, enjoy.....

































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http://mtapoadventure.wordpress.com/

For Inquiries and Bookings Please Contact:

Engr. ALBERT C. GABRIEL
MCTCA Eco-Tourism Vice- Chairman
Mobile # 0919-3142117
E-mail Add : adventuregabo@yahoo.com.ph

Trekking to Bani Water Falls ( Day 2)

I woke up around 5 Am in the morning the next day. The skies are blue and clouds turned into orange colored cottons on some of its parts . The morning mist cools my nose so I have to put a bonnet on my head. The lowest temperature that experienced since last night was only 18 degrees Celsius which is much hotter compared to MT. Apo’s base camp in Tumpis.

After our early breakfast ( corned beef and vegetable on tomato sauce with rice), we prepared our things for the days trek and break our camp. We leave some of our things to one of the locals house and pick them up upon our way going home in the afternoon.

Half of the total trail going to the water falls is a bushtrail up to your waist which reminds of a picture in Mt. Pulag in Luzon which resembles it and I said to myself , this place could be Davao’s version of Mt. Pulag but of course its trail will lead to a waterfalls .

An hour of walking we reach a small hat on top of a hill where you could just sit there and satisfy your eyes with beautiful landscape and the most exciting part is Bani Waterfalls is part of the scenery , I mean the whole waterfalls is visible to your naked eyes while staying there.

After a couple of minutes of relaxing we start descending to the foot of the water falls following the same bush trail but about few minutes walk the trail shifted to a step trail with trees and small plants on the side which we hold on for we would surely go down directly because its slippery.

All those things that we endure seem to vanish when we reach the foot of the water fall . The river that runs from the water falls shallow and you could go swimming on it. Some of my companions went to the drops for a water massage. In that place we ate our packed lunch and stayed there for almost 30 minutes.

When we go up, we used the trail on the right side of the waterfalls, its sounds cool but the level of difficulty is way much higher compared to the trail going there. It is also as steep as we go down but imagine going up on a slippery trail with a cliff on your right side and you rely only to the small roots to hold on.

In the middle of the trail going up you will reach the waterfalls natural pool and follow the cascading water trail to reach the top.

At last after two hours of hard labor on the treacherous trail we reach the top of the waterfalls . At that moment I was relieved for I know that the next trail would be easier. In that place I realized that we just climbed the whole water falls from bottom to top , whew and from where I sit I could see in front the mountain where I took the first shot of the whole waterfalls .

Our adventure to Bani Waterfalls is gives different experience to me and my companions , it shows me a different type of waterfalls , trail that resembles the view on top of Mt. Pulag and specially climbing on the top of the water falls in which I never realized before that we are goin to that at a first glance . Yet ,this whole trip marked happiness and enjoyment for all of us and saying to myself “ I’ll be coming back”.

Trekking to Bani Water Falls ( Day 1)

After an hour of walking mostly downhill , we reach the small Barangay of Matigol. A small community with houses not more than 10. Here , we stop over for couple of minutes for some of our companions need to use the comfort room from one of the locals . Electricity is present to this remote area for I can see some guys singing in the vedeoke . At this point the trail changes from flat solid road to a narrow inclined muddy road which leads us to our campsite.

After an hour of hiking, we reach sitio Inamong where we are going to spend the night and proceed to the Water fall on the next day.

This place has no electricity , the community is made up small huts made of straw with a population of around 80 people mostly children. Some male children helps their parents in the farm and tending their animals. The water source comes from a nearby spring brought in using plastic pipes.

Since we got early in the camp site I’ve got plenty of time roaming around taking pictures to what the place could offer me . There I’ve photographed some flowers insects.

After few minutes we went to a nearby hill overlooking the surrounding landscape of bushes and mountains and made pictorials with some of my companions. Then afterwards we went back to the campsite for dinner and prepare to the next day’s trek.

Bani Water Falls

An estimated two hours travel time by a vehicle following the Davao-Cagayan via Buda Road plus another two hours of trekking lies Bani Water Falls . Situated in sitio Inamong, Brgy. Matigol, Arakan Valley , Cotabato with an astounding hieght of approximately 500 meters( from top to bottom). This water fall is composed of five major cascading drops and each of them has a basin that acts like natural pool.

The middle part of the falls is divided into two drops which comprises the two separate water falls as you see it if you were in the bottom.

The good thing about this water falls is that you can enjoy to take a splash in one of its basins and go below the water drops for a soothing massage.

Also,if you are just contented on sight seeing and picture taking on the landscape, there is a perfect spot where you can sit there for as long as you want and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the whole water falls in front of you.

2nd Mt. Apo September Climb

Come Join on our September Climb on its 2nd year.....And Experience the Thrill of a Lifetime..
Max No. Of Slots: 30 person
Minimum No. of Slots: 15 person

For inquiries Please leave a comment or contact:

Engr. ALBERT C. GABRIEL
MCTCA Vice-Pres for ECO-TOURISM
Sta. Cruz Tourism Office
Cel # 0919-3142117
e-mail add: adventuregabo@yahoo.com

2009 Mindanao Freedom Climb

You are Invited to join this activity to commemorate the bravery of our War Heroes...

2nd Mt. Apo Boulder Face Challenge