The Philippines is not only gifted with exuberant islands and beaches. Up in North, Tanay, Rizal gives tourists a majestic view of mountains, hills, and valleys.
One of the mountains in Rizal which hikers choose favorites is Mt. Daraitan. It’s a 3 to 4 hours hike up the mountain to enjoy a 360 degrees view of the province of Rizal. This includes a river crossing which offers caving and cliff jumping to adventurous tourists.
Which leads us to Tinipak River in Daraitan, Rizal!
So how do you plan your trip?
From Metro Manila, you can either commute or drive a private vehicle to Brgy. Daraitan. For commuters, there is a jeep from Starmall, Shaw Boulevard which take you to Tanay, Rizal. However, for convenience sake, a private van/SUV consumes less time on the road. To those bringing a private vehicle, you can use Waze to locate Daraitan Barangay Hall.
Once transportation is arranged, you can enjoy the scenic view of Marcos Highway throughout your road trip.
Before arriving in Daraitan Barangay Hall, tourists must pay Php 50 for their vehicle to pass through a bridge over a river, provided that the water level is not high. When you’ve arrived in Daraitan, you can choose a parking space with a fixed rate of Php 20-50, provided your car will be looked after.
You can avail a tour guide for your trek in Daraitan Barangay Hall. Entrance and tour guide fee costs Php 267 per head.
And off you go!
Scenic rock formations will accompany you in throughout your trek.
Once you’ve reached far end of the river, the caving begins!
As a reward to tourists who’ve been under the heat of the sun throughout the trek, inside the cave is a small waterfall where cold (semi-freezing) fresh water runs through. A dip in this refreshing waterfall is more than satisfying to relieve you of a tiring, dehydrating trek.
Next on the list is cliff jumping! Tour guides lead their tourists to spots where they can swim. To more adventurous people, a cliff jump is one of the inclusions given in Tinipak River. The cliff is estimated to be about 10 to 20 feet tall!
After the whole adventure, tourists can rest in the shady area of Tinipak River where they can enjoy a late lunch or early dinner. One of the suggestion is to try their Lomi worth Php 100.
If you happen to think of camping, within this same area are cottages with good ventilation where hikers camp in and stay for the night. Bathrooms are provided within the area as well.
And there you have it! A bird’s eye view of a DIY itinerary in Tinipak River.
Thalia Travels 