Minalungao National Park Travel Guide 

Background

Minalungao National Park is situated at General Tinio, Nueva Ecija and it’s a popular tourist spot in the Central Luzon region. It is approximately 116 kilometers northeast of Metro Manila and because of its proximity to the National Capital Region and unique landscape it became a haven for travelers who want to enjoy the stunning beauty of nature. Minalungao National Park is a three to four hours drive from Manila and it’s a cheap destination for a summer getaway.

Within the national park is the Sumacbao River which provides blue-green water making it suitable for various activities such as rafting and swimming. Moreover, the Sumacbao River is the main source of water in the area and is used for bathing, washing, farming, and other local use. The river also provides a huge supply of freshwater fish like eel and shrimp.

Minalungao National Park is considered one of the few remaining natural environments in the Central Luzon region. It was said that the national park was named as such due to the conjunction of two native words “Mina” and “Lungao” which means mines of gold in caves. Moreover, the park has one of the greenest rivers in the Philippines which is the Sumacbao River which is home to a pristine limestone formation.

In the Central Luzon region, there are twenty-four protected areas and one of them is the Minalungao National Park. To protect the national park, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) implements the Lawin Program. Through the Lawin Program, forest protectors can monitor if there’s an illegal activity within the park and they can report it immediately to the authorities.

Today, Minalungao National Park is a unique ecotourism destination and one of the Philippines’ marvelous protected areas. The Minalungao National Park covers approximately 2000 hectares of land area including the 16-meter high limestone rock formations which nestle at the foothills of the prominent Sierra Madre mountain range. Also, the park features a man-made holy cross and Minalungao Cave which is a tourist attraction. Visitors can enjoy the stunning rock formations and singing-flying birds while being astonished by some Philippine monkeys on top of the rocky hills within the park. Without a doubt, it is one of the best tourist destinations in Nueva Ecija and I’m sure you will love this heavenly place.

Last but not least, Minalungao National Park is a source of livelihood for thousands of families that lives nearby and depend largely on tourism. Tour guiding services, renting out swimming essentials, boating, and selling souvenir items will add to their daily income.

Name: Minalungao National Park
Address: Sitio Minalungao, Barangay Pias, General Tinio, Nueva Ecija, Philippines
Features: Peňaranda River, limestone rock formation

What to do in Minalungao National Park

• Sightseeing – The national park contains natural wonder, fruit-bearing trees, pigs, bats, lizards, civet, and different kinds of birds such as Brahminy kite, eastern grass owl, hanging parrot, Philippine hornbill, Eurasian tree sparrow,  large-billed crow, barred rail, barred ground dove, red junglefowl, butcherbirds, and mid-sized kingfisher. The scenic views of the natural backdrop of limestone rock formations along the river are also captivating to the human eye. 

• Swimming – take a dip and have a relaxing swim in the Peñaranda River with its cool and pristine water. Just take note that the middle section of the river is quite deep so better be on the shallow water of the river banks. 

• Cliff Diving – if you want some thrilling experience then climb up the rock formations and cliffs, and jump into the refreshing Peñaranda River. 

• Trekking – trek through the hanging bridge and the 1000-step concrete stairway that will eventually guide you towards a large holy cross marker situated at the top of the hill. From the top, you can enjoy the breathtaking view of the Sierra Madre mountain range, other mountains in Nueva Ecija, and attractive lowlands. Also, along the shaded trail, there are benches where you can rest.

• Caving – The caves at the national park have their own unique beauty having awesome stalactite and stalagmite formations which are very similar to Cavinti Cave in Laguna. So if you’re an adventurous person, try to explore some caves in the national park. The caves are so dark so don’t forget to bring a flashlight, hire a local guide and wear comfortable clothes before doing spelunking. Also please be very watchful with your steps as caving can be very challenging, especially for beginners. 

• Ziplining – Aside from swimming and trekking there’s also a zipline that is fifty feet high and costs 100 pesos. The zipline is just a few more meters above the two-story hotel. If you want fun while ziplining under the extreme heat of the sun then this is definitely for you. The launchpad of the dual zipline is near the tip of the hanging bridge and the zipline crosses the Peňaranda River. Tourists will have the opportunity to capture the river from a different angle which includes the bamboo raft side.

• Rock bouldering – requires a rope and harness with an elevation of twenty feet off the ground.

• Rafting – have a bamboo rafting experience with your chosen groups and families. Enjoy the boodle fight lunch and feast on the served food while on the bamboo raft.

• Buy local souvenir items – the Minalungao National Park have souvenir stalls, an eatery, and a nipa hut store where tourist can choose a variety of local products, t-shirts, mugs, and food.
  
  
  

Sample itinerary to Minalungao National Park

11:30PM – Assembly and pick up at Mcdonald Eton Centris, Quezon City
12AM – Departure going to Minalungao National Park
5AM – Minalungao National Park jump-off point, breakfast, and preparation
6AM – Start of the tour, hanging bridge, explore and photo-ops
6:30AM – 1000 steps of grotto
8AM – Traverse back to hanging bridge, bamboo rafting, swimming, caving, and picture taking
11AM – Change of clothes, washup
12PM – Lunchtime, boodle fight
1:30PM – Go inside the van, departure going to Little Vigan of Gapan, Nueva Ecija
2:30PM – Little Vigan, free time and explore
5PM – Going back to Quezon City
10PM – Arrive at Quezon City, end of day tour

How to Go to Minalungao National Park

By commute

1. From Cubao bus station in Quezon City, ride a five-star bus or Baliwag bus going to Gapan, Nueva Ecija. Tell the bus driver to drop you off at Puregold Gapan. The approximate travel time is around 3 hours in normal traffic conditions.
2. From Puregold Gapan, ride a tricycle going to Minalungao National Park. The approximate travel time is around forty minutes.

By private car

1. Open your Waze app and pin the Minalungao National Park. Take the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and exit at Sta. Rita. 
2. Then proceed to Candaba – San Miguel Road until you reach Bucana of Gapan and Minalungao National Park.

Note: Ask the locals for the right direction going to the national park because there are several roads going to this destination. The best time to travel is late in the evening when it will only take you 3.5 hours. Also please be reminded that there is heavy traffic during rush hours and it will take you five hours on a long queue of vehicles.

Things to bring:

Bottled water
Cash and extra pocket money
First Aid Kit
Swimming attire and gear
Set of clothes and slipper
Flashlight
Three plastic bags for your trash and a change of clothes
Cellphone and power bank
Toiletries like soap and shampoo
Sunblock
Alcohol
Umbrella

Reminders and Tips:

• As of May 2022, Minalungao National Park is now open to all tourists coming from different parts of the country.

• If you’re coming from the Southern Luzon region or National Capital Region, I highly advised you to join an organized day tour trip online. The inclusion in the day tour trip going to Minalungao National Park is a roundtrip van transfer, ecological and entrance fee, trekking activities, caving, cottage, life vest, a local tour guide, a coordinator on board, toll fee, gas fee, parking fee, personalized bag tag, and free lunch.

• Please take note that swimming in Minalungao without a life vest is prohibited because there are some parts of the river that is deep. So rent a life vest within the area to ensure your safety. Also, there is a lifeguard in the park in case of emergency and unexpected events. The lifeguard will keep an eye on all visitors who do not wear a life jacket.

• If you have a tent and camping gear, there are specific areas in the national park where you can pitch your tent.

• There are available sari-sari stores at the jump-off point in the national park that sell different types of food menus such as fried pork with rice and egg, fried ham, fried chicken, fried hotdog, and cured beef. Moreover, they also sell different kinds of fruits such as bananas and mangoes as well as refreshment drinks like halo-halo and soft drinks. 

• If you’re coming from the province of Pampanga, ride a bus bound to Gapan City and from there ride a tricycle going to the national park.

• There’s also a hotel within the Minalungao National Park where you can have an overnight stay.

• The best time to visit the Minalungao National Park is during the dry season from the month of February to May.
  
  
  

To travel, to experience, and learn: that is to live. In general, I hope this Minalungao National Park travel guide and reference has inspired you to try visiting this kind of place. Also, don’t forget to share this with your family and friends. God bless you in all your future travels and hiking adventures. Thanks for reading.