Pinatubo is a volcano located 100 km northwest of Manila city, Luzon Island, Philippines. Prior to its eruption, it was a little known volcano with a forested summit, dormant for 400 years. The Pinatubo eruption on 15 June 1991 was the second largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century. It lasted for nine hours and caused numerous large earthquakes due to the summit collapse and the creation of a caldera 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) in diameter. The caldera reduced the peak from 1745 meters (5725 feet) to 1485 meters (4872 feet). The famous attraction here is the crater of the volcano, forming a lake, and is surrounded by the caldera rim. The color of the water is changing depending on the season. Pinatubo is both within reach and well worth travelling for. It’s a relatively easy hike. The tour from Santa Juliana village consists of two parts: about one hour 4WD drive and 5.5 kilometer hike with 300 meter elevation.
What should you know to plan your trip?
What to bring along?
How to get there from Manila?
Trek
We left at around 7 am on a 4×4 jeep, with a guide.
It took us about an hour to get to the starting point of our hike. The drive was nice, taking us through moon like scenery with hills of ashes around, almost no vegetation, and little streams all over. It was very special and the off-road driving was fun. We got off in the middle of nowhere and started our hike up to the peak.
The trail was simply gradual, with multiple stream crossings, and the last portion was through steep cemented stairs. The walk was not at all challenging. We made it to the camp in less than 2 hours.
We then made it up to the top, which took another 20 minutes. Arguably, the Pinatubo Crater Lake is the highlight of your Pinatubo trek. The caldera was formed by the eruption of the mountain which displaced its pre-eruption summit about 1km northwards. The lake is about 2.5 kilometers wide, 600-800 meters deep, and has a surface area of about 1.8 square kilometers. With water that changes color, it's easy to see why a lot of people are charmed by its beauty. The lake has had its share of admirers both from local regions and abroad.
A comfort room facility with water is available near the crater. Swimming is prohibited due to some casualty reports. Besides, the water is highly acidic and contains chemicals toxic to humans, such as arsenic. On our way back we could admire beautiful scenery and also carabaos, water buffalos national animals of the Philippines.
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What did you think? Have you been to Pinatubo? Or perhaps you’re thinking of visiting there in the near future? Either way, I’d love to hear from you so please add your comments below.
Author: Anita Sane
About the author
Anita is a part-time traveller, passionate photographer and a retired career woman from Latvia, travelling mostly solo for more than 15 years. She is a skilled travel planner who plans and executes her travels by herself. Anita wants to show you how to travel the world and open your mind to new experiences. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and Bloglovin.
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