Mt. Pico De Loro: The Parrot’s Peak

The road trip from Manila to Maragondon, Cavite seemed like an endless journey that filled our heads with wandering thoughts about Mt. Pico de Loro, and it was quite amusing to realize that we actually spent more time on the road than the steep traverse towards the peak. But despite the long effort, the experience brought about by this mountain venture truly offered a panoramic view of absolute, natural beauty, and it’s somewhat mystifying to see this vertical slab of rock to have a commanding presence over the surrounding mountainside. 

 

Mt. Pico de Loro didn’t seem like a parrot to me, but that’s how the Spanish colonists saw it. After disembarking on their galleons at the Manila Bay, the Spaniards ventured the Cavite wilderness, and they stumbled upon this rocky tower, firmly perched on the mountain’s high point. The peak is high enough for explorers to gaze towards the West Philippine Sea and feel its gusty breeze that’s revitalizing after the exhausting, four-hour climb. Its solid rock formation sharply contrasts with the surrounding grassy plains, and this dramatically contributes to its majestic prominence.

Up the Forests

We started off our Mt. Pico de Loro journey on a gradual 3-hour hike along the visible trail and some huge rocks. The forest trees served as a natural covering from the warm sun, and if you’re lucky, you could even chance upon some exotic monkeys and birds above their branches. You’ll notice more and more bamboo plants as the trail gets steeper, and this indicates that you’re approaching the summit.

Summit Assault

 

After passing the bamboo groves, you now have to conquer a steeper grassy trail. It’s a five-minute assault before getting to the Pico foothold, and there are some instances where you have to hold on to some grass to keep yourself up. There’s a campsite area nearby and a ridge where you can overlook the summit and the Parrot’s peak. Clouds surge past hikers during the rainy season, and it is within these times where you should take extra climbing precautions. 

 

Rainbow hues blend with the beautiful mountainside

A view of the West Philippine Sea. That beach cove looks like a tempting destination as well.

The Final Scale

 

The climactic scale of Mt. Pico de Loro was a concentrated dose of mixed excitement and trepidation, and it required utmost safety precautions. Apart from applying rock climbing principles and taking turns on rope segments, the most important thing to remember is to not bring your clumsiness along the way! Indeed, there had been incidents of falls, so make sure that you make the right steps.

And finally, the top. The exhaustion brought about the 5-hour adventure was all gone, and the view from here is just spectacular.

 

Pictures Fit For A Music Album Cover

Mt. Pico de Loro is truly a great weekend destination that gives a unique ‘sitting on top of the world’ experience. Be here now, and see and feel this exotic mountain getaway: the Parrot’s Peak! 

Photos by Eric Camacho and Anna Cadiz