Mt. Sembrano, Pililla, Rizal, Philippines
CALABARZON

RIZAL [Mt. Sembrano]

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Mt. Sembrano, Pililla, Rizal, Philippines
I’ve been delaying my hike in this mountain because based on the photos of its summit that I’ve seen online, the view at the top does not really seem interesting. But I still wanted to see it for myself so I invited my friends to climb Mt. Sembrano.

🇵🇭MT. SEMBRANO ADVENTURE PRIMER🇵🇭

✈️🛳🚌 How to get to Mt. Sembrano, Rizal:
⏺ Ride a van or jeepney from EDSA Crossing-Shaw to Tanay, Rizal (travel time: 2 – 3 hours depending on traffic condition).
⏺ Transfer to a jeepney bound for the town of Pililla. If pressed for time, you can hire a tricycle that will take you directly to the jump-off.
⏺ Alight at the barangay hall of Barangay Malaya. Register and secure guide/s.

Mt. Sembrano, Pililla, Rizal, Philippines
They always say to never underestimate any mountain. If you do, you’ll find it harder to conquer it. I had to admit, the trail of Sembrano is pretty much challenging. The scorching sun at the open grasslands adds up to the agony.

⏰⏳ SAMPLE DAY HIKE ITINERARY:

4:00 AM ETD for Tanay
6:00 AM Breakfast / ETD for Barangay Malaya
8:00 AM Commence trek
10:00 AM ETA Summit
2:00 PM Start descent to Manggahan Falls
3:00 PM ETA Manggahan Falls
4:00 PM Head back to jump-off / wash up
5:00 PM ETD for Tanay town proper
6:00 PM ETD for Manila

💰💶 ESTIMATED BUDGET (for a solo traveler): Php 1,200 – Php 1,500
***Expenses may vary depending on personal consumption of food and other necessities. If traveling alone, you will solely shoulder the guide fees.

Mt. Sembrano, Pililla, Rizal, Philippines
My friends and I were quite surprised what we saw at the top upon reaching the portion of the trail without any trees. I found the views of grasslands and Laguna de Bay along the trail absolutely awesome. It turns out, most bloggers would just take photos at the summit. They tend to forget that what you see along the trail still makes up for the mountain’s character and identity. Sometimes, you can find the much better views along the trail and not at the peak.
Mt. Sembrano, Pililla, Rizal, Philippines
We noticed that our pace had become slower as we continued our way to the peak. It was so damn hot. We would stop every now and then to take a breather while capturing pictures until we reached the summit.

📜✏️ Tips/Reminders:
📌The hike takes about 2 – 3 hours to summit depending on your pace.
📌Make sure you have enough hydration.
📌Expect rain during monsoon season (June-February).
📌You can have a side trip to Manggahan Falls when you descend.
📌This mountain is recommended for newbies.
📌You may opt to join organized hiking events online.
📌Always observe the LNT principles.

Mt. Sembrano, Pililla, Rizal, Philippines
We were still supposed to take a peek of Manggahan Falls upon our descent but several groups of hikers were just on their way to the waterfall according to one of the locals we met along the trail. We just opted to continue heading back to the jump-off.
Mt. Sembrano, Pililla, Rizal, Philippines
We were already on the jeepney en route to Tanay when I realized how glad I was that we climbed Mt. Sembrano. I was finally able to see other parts of its trail which are not usually photographed by majority of its visitors.

***For more photos of Mt. Sembrano, please click this link. For other destinations in Rizal and CALABARZON, you may visit this link.

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