For the part 4 of my blog series about our eco adventure tour in Cavinti, Laguna, I can say that this is the most physical enduring activity. I didn’t expected that we will trek down the mountain going to the site where we can see the Cavinti Falls (formerly Pagsanjan falls). I thought that it was just a several hike because in my other water falls adventure, the trek and hike down the mountain is just around 15-20 minutes, but here in Cavinti, it was like for 1 hour of trek, I managed to call all my energies to use it to trek down and also rappel myself for two times just to reach the lowest part of the mountain, and take note, we also climb up going back to the site were we started haahah.
The Pueblo El Salvador eco adventure site is the main gateway to Cavinti falls, there’s also a picnic grove site near the top of the falls, and also you can have your picnic anywhere around the eco park.
But if you will trek down the mountains, I suggest that you wear light clothes and get ready to go wet if you plan to ride the bamboo raft at Cavinti Falls. For my case, I brought my Nikon DSLR (a non water proof type) and a GoPro camera with waterproof casing, Its kinda sucks that I forgot to bring a dry bag for my DSLR and also a camera bag for protection. We experienced a lot of drizzles that day and also my camera received a lot of splashes of the rain and also bumps from the terrain going down the mountain. Arghhh..
We went there with our guide from the Cavinti Municipal Tourism office and she manage everything from the start
The Pueblo El Salvador Nature’s Park and Picnic Grove office. We stayed here for awhile for some briefing, CR break and also sign the waiver.
Uh ohh, there’s a waiver, it looks like the this physical activity will go beyond our limits hahahaha. At first, I thought that the waiver is for the Cavinti Falls, but then its about the terrain and obstacle of the trek going to the falls. I signed the waiver and I take note to myself that I should be very careful and not to be foolish on any decision that will jeopardize my safety and safety of others.
The waiver…
It was like that rock climbing in Mt. Kalugong Eco Park in La Trinidad, Benguet. I learned a lot from that adventure and I take note that I should think first before I leap.
During the briefing, we also learned about the history and legend of the Cavinti Falls, at first this was called Magdapio falls, named after two lovers who jumped to their death on top of the falls. Its kinda funny that all legend story always end in a tragic way, just like the name of Cavinti, named after “kapit sa binti” when Spaniard heard the word when they saw a bride got washed away by strong river current.
But its just a legend and a story to tell the origin of these nature wonders, for me, they came from our Creator and it’s a gift for us to enjoy the beauty of it.
Here are the rates of Pueblo El Salvador, I suggest you contact them first if they are open and also if their rappel team are available and also the entire medic and emergency team. There are some advisories too if the Cavinti Falls is open to the public, the safety of the trek and falls depends on the weather conditions.
anyway, here are the rates:
Package APHP 50
- trekking
- deck view
Package B
PHP 270
- trekking and rappelling via metal ladder
- raft riding
- entering the main falls
Package C (coming soon)
- trekking and rappelling via metal ladder
- raft riding
- entering the main falls
- boat ride exit to Pagsanjan, Laguna (shooting the rapids)
for inquiries, pls call
0998-394-5609
(049) 523-0012
Tourism action center
0915-823-4535
0929-584-1551
www.cavinti.gov.ph
www.facebook.com/visitcavinti
// Accdg to our tourism officer, they say that the rates are much lower than taking the boat ride from Pagsanjan, the price is around PHP1000+, back and forth, per person, while here in Pueblo El Salvador in Cavinti, you can trek down and also ride the raft to the falls for a price of PHP 270 only. But you are required to burn a lot of energy and also scream yourself out during the adrenaline pumping adventure going down the mountain.
Here’s our class picture before leaving the jump point here in Pueblo El Salvador
2nd class pic, I’m not included because I took this photo hahaha.
Trekking down looks so easy, but it’s a massive downhill slope and we learned that its better to walk at the middle of the road and instead at the side. Because of the drizzles, some side of the road are slippery. Three persons from our team slips during the 20 minute trek.
After the road trek, we now felt the need to crawl hahahaha. Lots of staircase built from rocks that serves as our guide pathway to the edge of the mountain, thanks to the metallic railing, I crawled my way up and down with caution.
And then the road starts to deplete and all we can see below are mud and dirt. It means that we are at the heart of the mountain.
Awesome view at the middle of our trek. Mountain ranges are around us.
we’re still smiling and got a time to joke around, but our smiles were replaced with worries and nervous when we saw the rappelling site hahahaha. I tried wall climbing once, and I did rappel once, but I haven’t tried rappelling on a high top of a mountain.
At the rappel site, the Transfiguration of Jesus statue can be found here. It’s a big statue of Jesus and this is their patron here in Cavinti. El Salvador Del Mundo means “Divine Savior of the World”
The rappel site is a vertigo magnet, hahaha. Don’t look down or just close your eyes, but its more safe if you open your eyes and go down slowly. It’s a metallic ladder that can service one people at a time, it’s a 45 degree angle staircase that if you do the math can service a three floor building hahahah.
And here’s the rappel and metallic ladder.
Going down – you rappel down, I’m glad that the rappel experts are working here for 9 years and they are very skilled when it comes to ropes, straps and hold the rappel
Going up – you need to climb the metallic ladder (take note, it feels like climbing a 3 storey building)
And here’s my moment rappelling down, I go the energy and loss of nervous when I turn on my GoPro camera to capture all my adventure hahaha. It helps to calm me down.
Here’s our school girl Athena screaming her way down
Dems is the most relaxed blogger who rappels down, I wonder where she get that awesome energy to smile back at us while going down
Here’s Kathy breathing before jumping the hole.
When she started to rappel down, all I can hear is “I hate you Az!!” ahhahahahahah
I super laughed, because I’m the one who convinced her to join the trip. Because the itinerary is good! and she said that this is the best outdoor adventure ever in her life.
Our film maker Rom was there to film everything, hahaha I’m excited to watch his works. I think the film will be submitted to help promote Cavinti, Laguna.
There she goes….. there she goes…again…going down.
go Kathy!
Herald rappels down last…..I asked him if its his first time to be here, but then he said that he was here since last year and not every month hahahah.
Our awesome view of the Cavinti river and the bangkeros of Pagsanjan, this is our view above the mountains.
One last staircase…with security rope to prevent you from sliding down. After the two staircase, you can now walk your way going to the Cavinti falls.
When I saw the boats, I just wished that we can ride this back to our rest house hahhahaha.
But then the Cavinti tourism officer said that they are now working a way to have their own boat and train their own bangkeros and launch it this summer.
Cavinti have one bangkero on standby for our tour, it serves as an emergency boat if ever someone in our team got injured and can’t climb up back to Pueblo El Salvador.
Part 5 is next…and there you can read my Cavinti Falls and Devil’s cave adventure.
ABOUT CAVINTI ECO ADVENTUR TOUR
The #CavEAT: Cavinti Eco-Adventure Tour is a Tourism Advocacy Campaign to help generate online buzz for the upcoming Cavinti Water Sports Olympics: 1st International Competition happening on February 8-14, 2015.
2015 Cavinti Water Sports Olympics: 1st International Competition
watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWEVHpaEylU
The #CavEAT: Cavinti Eco-Adventure Tour is organized by Herald C. Bebis for the Municipality of Cavinti headed by Hon. Mayor Milbert Oliveros. The event is fully supported by the Cavinti Municipal Tourism Office, DigitalFilipino, Pelikula Padayon, Caliraya Lake Mountain Resort, Camarin Resort and Lago Fishing Village.
HOW TO GET THERE IN CAVINTI, LAGUNA
1. Ride Sta. Cruz, Laguna bound DLTB Bus in Buendia Terminal, located below Gil Puyat LRT
2. Bus fare to Sta. Cruz, Laguna is PHP 140 (air con bus)
3. Drop off at DLTB Sta. Cruz terminal
4. Ride a a tricycle or jeep going to Sta. Cruz Market
5. At the market, look for the jeepney that will take you to Cavinti, Laguna
6. If you will go straight to Caliraya Lake, ride the Lumban-Cavinti Jeep
7. If you will go straight to Cavinti town proper, then ride the Pagsanjan-Cavinti jeep (this jeep will take you to Bumbungan resort, and also the Cavinti Municipal Tourism Office)
8. If you will go back to Manila, just go back to Sta. Cruz bus terminals, DLTB bus last trip to Manila is around 7:45pm
9. Other option: You can also ride a Lucban jeep in Sta. Cruz, you can drop off at Cavinti junction and just ride a tricycle going to Bumbungan Eco Park or to town proper
TOUR ORGANIZERHerald C. Bebis
www.facebook.com/heraldbebis
09055174371
