North Luzon Explorer

Manila - Bacolor - Banaue. You will be collected in Manila as we depart for Banaue, located 360 km away. Travelling north along the highway, we will make a stop in Bacolor, a town severely affected by the 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. We will then visit the St. Guillermo Church, which is half-buried in volcanic lahar flows.

Afterward, we will continue our journey through the fertile central plains of Luzon until we begin our ascent to Banaue. We will arrive in the evening and check in to our hotel for the night.

Banaue - Bontoc - Sagada. This morning there is an optional Banga-An Village tour. Board a traditional Filipino jeepney to discover more of the surrounding scenery and Ifugaos culture. See the iconic UNESCO-listed rice terraces, dating back more than 2,000 years. The skill required to produce this fertile land in such a mountainous area is incredibly impressive.

In the afternoon, we travel to Sagada, making ample stops at vantage points along the highway to admire the breathtaking scenery of the rice terraces. We will visit the Bontoc Museum, founded by Belgian nuns, which houses an intriguing collection of artifacts from the mountain tribes of the region. We will arrive in Sagada in the evening.

Sagada - Baguio. Today we will visit one of Sagada's burial caves, where we will be able to see the famous hanging coffins. There are multiple reasons that the native Igorot people bury their dead in this way. Practical reasons involve keeping them away from predators, while there are important spiritual reasons too - it makes sense that the higher a coffin is placed, the closer the deceased is to the spirit world and their ancestors. We'll take a short hike along one of the trails to view these famous coffins and visit a weaving house where the local women engage in hand-loom weaving.

We will then travel along the Halsema Highway, crossing the Cordillera Mountains and passing spectacular views of the vegetable terraces until we reach Baguio City, known as the ‘Summer Capital of the Philippines,’ situated at an elevation of 1,540 metres.

Baguio - Manila. After breakfast, we embark on a guided tour of Baguio, highlighting key attractions such as Session Road, a vibrant thoroughfare lined with shops and cafes, and Burnham Park, a beautiful urban park featuring a boating lake, gardens, and picnic areas. We will also visit the Mansion House, the official summer residence of the President of the Philippines, where we can appreciate the grand architecture and lush gardens.

After exploring these highlights, we will head to the public market, known for its colourful stalls selling fresh produce, local delicacies and handicrafts, making it one of the most vibrant marketplaces in the country. Following our visit, we will travel back to Manila via the national highway, crossing the fertile central plains of Luzon. Our tour ends on arrival back in Manila in the evening.