Travel Guide to Mt. Maranat

Popularly known as Mt. Maranat, unknown to all, Maranat is the name of the waterfalls that is covered by Mount Oriod. It is the neighbouring mountain of Mt. Balagbag situated at Rodriguez, Rizal.

How to get there

Based from Manila, ride a bus/fx going to Fairview, then wait for a jeepney/bus ride heading to Tungko and proceed to the Licao-Licao Terminal. From Licao-Licao Terminal, ride on the scheduled jeepney bound to Licao-Licao .

Sample Itinerary 
Dayhike

0500am Met up at SM Fairview

0530am ETD to Licao-Licao Terminal

0550am ETA at Licao-Licao Terminal

0600am ETD to Licao-Licao

0645am Arrived at Licao-Licao; rest

0700am Start hike to Barangay Hall

0730am ETA at Barangay Hall; Register

0745am ETD to Nanay Julma Store; Start hike

0845am Arrived at Nanay Julma Store; Breakfast, Rest

0900am Start hike to Maranat

1200nn Arrived at Maranat Campsite

 - Lunch, Register, Rest

0100pm Exploration, Swimming, Photo and Video Ops

0330pm Start descend to trailhead

0600pm Arrive at Licao-Licao 

0700pm ETD to Manila

Overnight
Day 1
0400am Assembly Time, SM Fairview, QC 
0500am ETD Jeep to Tungko Jollibee 
0530am ETA Jollibee, Tungko; Nolasco Market (Last stop for supplies)
0600am ETD from Tungko to Licao-licao 
0700am ETA Licao-licao
0715am Start trek
0800am Breakfast at Ministop ni Nanay Julma
0830am ETD from Ministop to Maranat Campsite
1100am ETA Maranat Campsite
1200nn Lunch
0100pm Exploration, swimming 
- Photo and Video Ops
0600pm Dinner; Socials

Day 2
0600am Wake up call / Breakfast
0700am swimming again
0900am Early Lunch
1030am ETD to Terminal Licao-licao
0100pm ETA terminal jeep Licao-licao
0300pm ETA Tungko, bus ride to Manila

Expenses

Manila – Fairview (fx): P55/head

Fairview – Tungko: P14/head

Tungko – Licao-Licao Terminal: P28/head

Registration fee: P10/head

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Let me take you through on how to travel to Mt. Maranat. A travel guide intended to all individuals who are interested to take a journey to the said mountain.

Firstly in Licao-Licao Terminal at Tungko, refer at the top on how to get to the Terminal, a queue of jeepneys available with one hour ride interval heading Licao-Licao. The start time of jeepney trip is 6:00 am in the morning and last trip is 10:00 pm in the evening. If you feel lost or confused of the location of the terminal, do inquire with some of the locals or drivers at Tungko for the location of the terminal so that they will guide you on how to get there.

Licao-Licao Terminal; Photo credit: lakbaydiwapinas.com

Next stop is the Licao-Licao, considered as the trailhead. From Licao-Licao, you can either hike proceeding to the Barangay Hall or rent a tricycle ride. The hike is roughly 10-20 minutes long reaching the Barangay Hall depending on your pacing. 

Licao-Licao

Upon reaching the Barangay Hall, you will be ask to register and pay a fee of 10/head. If you intend to hire a guide, you can make an appeal to the authorities assigned at the Barangay Hall. Guide is not required and there is no standard rate of the fee. 

The LCO Team at the Barangay Hall

Then, continue your hike heading to Nanay Julma store, renowned as the Mini Stop of Maranat and also served as a rest area of mountaineers/locals. Nanay Julma specialty is the biko.

Note: The trail from Barangay Hall to Nanay Julma is kinda confusing because of the presence of different trails that leads to misdirection, and there are no posted signboards for the verification on which will be the right trail going to the mountain. If you happen to hike the Maranat for the first time, I urged you to hire a guide. 

Afterwards, you will engage in a slippery, muddy, steep and rocky trail. The hike is roughly 2-4 long hours before reaching the famous river of Maranat. Several creeks and water source will be pass-by along the trail. 

 A muddy and grassy trail

A creek and a water source that will be pass-by

Before reaching the campsite, there is a famous river that every hiker must cross which require the help of a rope and courage itself for the river crossing. The zip line is not convenient to used anymore, you have to cross your own self in order to reach the campsite. The river is quite raging during rainy days, but it can be slow moving and peaceful during summer.

The famous river of Maranat

You will experience an assault and ascending trail before reaching the house of Tatay Nestor, the father and caretaker of Mt. Maranat. 

The Home of Tatay Nestor

Tatay Nestor wearing black short and jersey shirt

The campsites are abundant and available on every space surrounds the home of Tatay Nestor. 

One of the several campsite at Mt. Maranat

Once you step foot at the campsite, you can have a glimpse of its neighboring mountain, Mt. Balagbag. The location of the waterfalls is just below the campsite area. Most hikers who happen to set foot on the mountain always explore the waterfalls and swam. 

 One of the many falls 

A pool like structure falls

The Maranat has nine different level of falls with different composition. So if you happen to hike the Mt. Maranat and visit the falls, make sure to enjoy and always be vigilant. 

Tips

• If you want to hike the summit, just approach Tatay Nestor and he will guide you. The same process on hiking the Mt. Oriod.
• Water sources are abundant along the trails and at the campsite.
• Network availability fluctuate in some trail.
• It is advisable to day hike the mountain especially for  first timers. 

Things to do in  Mt. Maranat

•  Hiking
•  River Crossing
• Hammocking
•  Camping
• Swimming

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