Mt. Romelo + Buruwisan Falls Climb Guide

Introduction

Mt. Romelo is one of the most visited mountains in Laguna province located in the municipality of Siniloan. It offers remarkable views of the Southern Luzon region and different kinds of waterfalls. Mt. Romelo has a height of 300 meters above sea level or 984 feet. Even though its elevation is not as high compared to other mountains in Southern Luzon it became a famous destination for hikers at all levels during the weekends. Mt. Romelo is also known as Mt. Kapaynutan and Mt. Famy in the past.

The jump-off point of Mt. Romelo is the same as the jump-off point of Buruwisan Falls. It has a well-established trail that is easy to cruise and mountaineers can catch four waterfalls in one day. Mt. Romelo has a total distance of three kilometers back and forth and it’s considered a minor climb only.

Overall, Mt. Romelo consists of seven waterfalls namely Buruwisan Falls, Lanzones Falls, Batya-Batya Falls, Sampaloc Falls, Sapang-Labo Falls, Binaytuan Falls, and Diwata Falls. The highest and the biggest of the seven falls is the famous Buruwisan Falls which has a height of approximately 55 meters. It was said that the falls were named as such due to a mixture of hardwood that used to develop on the banks of the Siniloan River. On the other hand, Lanzones Falls which is surrounded by trees has an elevation of 21 meters only.

However, getting to the falls is not a walk in the park especially if it’s rainy season. Hikers who don’t know how to swim should be careful at all times and exercise caution on challenging muddy trails. Even so, if you want to take a break, unwind and try a new adventure, climbing, swimming, and relaxing at the same time then Mt. Romelo is the perfect place for you.

Name: Mt. Romelo
Difficulty: 2/9
Elevation: 300 MASL
Jump-Off: Barangay Macatad, Siniloan, Laguna, Philippines
Hours to summit: 2 hours
Features: waterfalls, rainforest, woodlands, and a great view of Laguna province

My trip to Mt. Romelo

It was in the month of May when I had a strong feeling that I wanted to climb some mountains in Laguna province. I don’t want to do a solo climb at that time so I invited one of my friends to join me in my upcoming climb on Mt. Romelo. I told him to let’s hike with fun and swim with a smile. A few days later my friend finally decided to join me in the climb after he was permitted by his parents to join the day tour trip. As usual, I prepared the things that I will be bringing on the climb and I checked the weather forecast on my cellphone. I found out that the weather is clear so I make the itinerary and send it to my hiking buddy.

It was Saturday morning when we meet up at the 7-Eleven convenience store near EDSA Crossing on Shaw Boulevard around 3 am. After having a quick conversation, we ride a van going to Tanay, Rizal. Past 4:45 am when we reach Tanay and we ride a jeep going to Siniloan, Laguna. After one hour of land travel, we arrived at the quiet Siniloan municipality. Then we decided to ride a tricycle going to the jump-off point of Mt. Romelo. Past 7 am when we reached the registration area (Greenhouse).

We get a local guide but before we start the climb we decided to take a quick breakfast. So we ordered some bread and egg to have some energy in our body. We started our climb around 7:43 am. Our tour guide lead us to cross thirty-five feet installed hanging bridge. After that, we walk on a ninety feet horizontal surface crossing a small canal that is linked to a small coco log that leads to our string of ascending in the grassy woodlands. I noticed that in the initial three hundred feet route the ascent is well established and we are not sweating at all.

A few moments later, we are now walking on the slope of the mountain filled with loose rocks and mud. According to our guide in the past weeks it has been raining so the trail is still a little bit muddy and wet. Nevertheless, we managed to continue walking on a 95 meters route composed of tall coconut trees and other fruit-bearing trees. Even though the sun was already high at that time we didn’t really feel the heat because of the forested trail which is a good thing for us. Slowly but surely we reached the first resting station and take a much-needed break.

We drink our Zesto apple juice inside our bag and eat Fitbar crispy rice bar. Then we have a short talk with our guide. According to our local guide, in the year 2003, Mt. Romelo wasn’t as popularized as today, thousands of fireflies would light up the mango trees at the campsite and it was one of his best memorable camping moments.

After satisfying our appetite, we tell our guide to continue hiking on a mild slope filled with huge rocks that stretch to about 60 meters. In my point of view, this is the hardest part of the climb because we need to overcome the steep trail with a little support only. Nevertheless, our guide is very supportive of us that we managed to break through the steep assault in twenty-five minutes.

The final route to the summit is an 18 meters steep ascent composed of overgrown scrub. From there, it takes us fifteen minutes to reach the summit of Mt. Romelo. From the summit, we admire the good weather and the marvelous view of Laguna province as well as the prominent Sierra Madre mountain range. In addition, we can clearly see the highland of Rizal and Laguna province. In the northwest direction, we can see the famous Laguna de Bay and Mt. Sembrano.

We are so happy to have a magnificent clearing at the small summit of Mt. Romelo. Our guide told us that the summit area can accommodate three camping tents only. The summit is surrounded by green bushes and several wooden huts can be found. We stayed at the summit for thirty minutes. After that we need to follow our planned itinerary, so we start to descend at a slow pace. Our next destination is the Buruwisan Falls.

We reached the nearest resting station after twenty minutes of continuous descending. From there we take a quick breather and after that, we continue the trekking going to the falls. The route now is dangerous and slippery so we need to be careful along a 47 meters trail. We reached another resting station midway after we passed through the muddy section. From there we took another ten-minute rest.

When the two of us were well-rested, we continue to go down the mountain slope. We passed a 15 meters rugged path and another resting hut along the way. After eighteen minutes, we reached the campsite of Mt. Romelo. From the campsite, we can already hear the gushing of the Buruwisan Falls. At this point, we are so excited to reach the falls. So we hurried up even though we are tired already.

We hike for fifteen minutes along the 17 meters mild slopes and an 80-degree descent over bulge roots and big slippery rocks. After passing some obstacles we finally reach the lovely Buruwisan Falls. The cascading water coming from the falls is so fascinating to watch. All of our tiredness has gone away when we take a dip in the cold water of Buruwisan Falls. It is indeed a stress reliever moment.

Swimming is happiness so we stayed at the falls for nearly an hour. We can also see a lot of tourists doing rappelling in the Buruwisan Falls. After enjoying the view and refreshing water at the falls, we start our descent going back to the jump-off point of Mt. Romelo. We trek again for one hour and forty-seven minutes on the same trail going back to the main jump-off point. As we were trekking, we double-checked our hiking clothes and pants if there is mountain leeches inside. Luckily, we found none. A few minutes later, we encounter one hiker that lost his hiking sandals along the way so our friendly guide gave him extra slippers to continue trekking.

It was around 1:30 pm when we reached the Greenhouse and we ordered food near the registration hall for our late lunch. At 3 pm we depart from the registration hall and thanked our guide for supporting us throughout the climb. For this reason, we gave him a tip. Then we ride a tricycle and a jeep going back to Tanay, Rizal. It was 7:30 pm when we arrived at the National Capital Region (NCR) safely and sound. It was indeed a super enjoyable weekend. We praised and thank God for his guidance and for keeping us safe on our day tour trip.

Without a doubt, Mt. Romelo is one of the cleanest mountains I have ever hiked. The locals were trying their best to maintain the natural beauty of the mountain. On the whole, my trip to Mt. Romelo sums up this terrific quote “there are no shortcuts to any place worth going.”

Things to bring on your visit to Mt. Romelo:

1 to 1.5 liters of water
Trail food
Canned goods
Pocket money
Extra set of clothes and slipper
Hiking shoes or sandals
Flashlight
Plastic bag
Cellphone and camera
Toiletries
Personal medication
Hand sanitizer
Raincoat (optional)
Powerbank, rubber mats, blanket, jacket, tent, and camping cook set if doing an overnight climb

How to Go to Mt. Romelo

Option 1:

From Taguig City, you can ride a jeep going to Rosario, Pasig City.
Then from Rosario ride a jeep going to Tanay Public Market.
From Tanay, ride a jeep going to Siniloan, Laguna. After that ride a tricycle going to the jump-off point of Mt. Romelo.

Option 2:

Go to Robinsons Cainta, Rizal.
Then from Robinsons ride a jeep or a bus going to Siniloan.
From Siniloan municipality, ride a tricycle going to Famy.

Note: The bus fare coming from Robinsons Cainta is 130 pesos. On the other hand, the van fare coming from EDSA corner Shaw Boulevard going to Tanay, Rizal is 75 pesos and above.

Option 3:

Ride a Raymond bus in PITX bound to Infanta, Quezon.
Tell the bus driver and bus conductor to drop you off at the jump-off point of Mt. Romelo or in Buruwisan Falls signage. The travel time is around three hours and the bus fare is 130 pesos and up.
From the junction, the registration area is a twelve-minute walk. Your landmark is the Kia3 Restaurant also known as Trois. This is the most comfortable way to get to Mt. Romelo from Metro Manila.

Option 4:

From Legarda Street in Sampaloc, Manila, ride a van going to the junction of Famy. The estimated travel time is less than three hours but it will depend on the traffic condition.
Then from the junction of Famy, ride a tricycle going to the registration site of Mt. Romelo.

Option 5:

From Starmall EDSA-Shaw in Mandaluyong City, ride a van bound to Tanay, Rizal. Tell the driver to alight you at Tanay public terminal or Tanay Public Market. The travel time is around 1 hour and 40 minutes.
From Tanay public terminal, ride a jeepney going to the municipality of Siniloan. It will take you around 50 minutes to reach the said destination.
After arriving at Siniloan, ride a tricycle going to the Buruwisan Falls Ecology Park and walk your way for eleven minutes going to the registration area of Mt. Romelo in Barangay Macatad trailhead.

Option 6:

From Buendia Bus terminal in Pasay City, ride a DLTB bus going to Santa Cruz, Laguna.
From Santa Cruz, Laguna, ride a jeep going to Siniloan.
Then from the municipality of Siniloan, charter a tricycle going to the registration hall in Barangay Macatad.

Note: if you have a private car, you can take the Manila East Road also known as the National Road which connects Metro Manila to the provinces of Rizal and Laguna. Don’t forget to ask locals for exact directions if you don’t know the way to the jump-off point. Also, you can open your Waze app and pin the Buruwisan Falls Jump-Off Point.

Sample 1 Day itinerary to Mt. Romelo

1:30AM – Assembly and meet-up at a preferred location in Metro Manila
2:15AM – Departure to Laguna
5:30AM – Arrive at Siniloan, Laguna, take breakfast
6AM – Arrive at the jump-off point of Mt. Romelo, register, and get a guide
6:30AM – Start hiking
8:30AM – Summit of Mt. Romelo
9:30AM – At the campsite
10AM – Chase waterfalls, going to Buruwisan Falls and Lanzones Falls
12PM – Back to the campsite
1PM – Explore more waterfalls, Sapang Labo Falls, Batya-Batya Falls, and Sampaloc Falls
4PM – Descending
5:30PM – Wash up at the registration point
7PM – Head back to Manila, dinner along the way
11PM – Arrive in Manila

Sample Overnight itinerary to Mt. Romelo

Day 1
7:30AM – Meet up within Mandaluyong City
8AM – Departure to Tanay
10AM – Arrive at Tanay, ride a jeepney going to Siniloan, Laguna
11AM – Arrive at Siniloan, ride a tricycle going to the jump-off point of Mt. Romelo
11:30AM – At the jump-off point, register and have a lunch
2PM – Start hiking
3PM – Arrive at the resting hut
4:15PM – At the summit of Mt. Romelo, take pictures and set up a camping tent
6:15PM – Dinner and socials
9:30PM – Sleeping time

Day 2
5:50AM – Wake up call
6:45AM – Breakfast
8:20AM – Break camp
9:10AM – Start hiking to Buruwisan Falls
10:10AM – Arrive at Buruwisan Falls, swim, and take photos
11:10AM – Start hiking to Lanzones Falls
12:15PM – Take lunch and have a rest
1:15PM – Start descent
3:10PM – Tidy up
4:15PM – Travel back to Metro Manila
8PM – Home sweet home

Disclaimer: This itinerary is not 100 percent sure, and could possibly change depending on the actual pacing of the group and the situation at the time of the event.

Reminders and Tips:

Mt. Romelo is considered a minor climb only and it’s a perfect mountain for beginners in the climbing scene.

For legit and registered tour guide in Mt. Romelo please call or message this number – 09958258303 (John Bitoy).

The camping area of Mt. Romelo is suitable for a handful of mountaineers. There are local stores that sell food, liquor, and toiletries. Also, they offer cottages where hikers can stay. However, please take note that there is no electricity at the camping area.

Since the trail in Mt. Romelo can get supper muddy, you can rent a pair of boots for 100 pesos and you can rent a horse for 500 pesos one way.

The difficulty of this mountain can be higher during the wet season. What could have been a two-hour climb instantly felt like forever. So prepare yourself physically and mentally for two to three hours of hiking in the slippery tail.

The best month to visit Mt. Romelo is during the summer season which starts from March to May as the pathway is not so slippery and muddy. The total hours to and from the summit of Mt. Romelo could take up to four hours.

Bring insect repellent to avoid mosquito bites or weak suitable hiking pants.

Make sure to bring plenty of your empty water bottles during the climb because the campground has fresh water coming from mountain springs which you can drink for free. Water source is available at the campsite.

If your group wants to do overnight at Mt. Romelo then bring a waterproof tent and a rubber mat because the campground is rugged. In addition, bring a durable bag that could hold all your camping essentials.

There’s only a limited cellphone signal at Mt. Romelo.

Although there are nine popular waterfalls in the mountain pick only four waterfalls to visit if you’re doing a day hike to avoid unnecessary delays in your itinerary. The climb to get to four waterfalls would take around four to six hours depending on the group pace and duration of stay at each waterfall.

The guide fee for a day hike is 500 pesos while the guide fee for overnight is 1000 pesos.

If you only want to experience the charm of the falls and don’t want to hike then you have the option to ride a horse. Horseback riding range from 400 to 500 pesos per way.

There are souvenir shops and local stores that can be found at the jump-off point.

The registration fee in Mt. Romelo is 50 pesos and it will be collected at the barangay outpost. Meanwhile, the toilet and bath fee is twenty pesos per head.

The safe budget for a solo traveler is 1,700 pesos which include transportation and food expense.

Blood leeches or “limatik” are mostly present along the trail of Mt. Romelo during the wet season so be prepared and better bring alcohol.

You have the option to try rappelling at the two-level Batya-Batya Falls in order to see the jacuzzi at the top.

Check the weather condition in Laguna before going on a trip.

Don’t miss the fresh coconut juice, cold soft drinks, and ice candy along the trail because it is so refreshing. Also, it helps the livelihood of the locals there if you purchase one.

In the past decade, there are several casualties, thefts, and incident reports in Buruwisan Falls so please be vigilant and abstain from doing a solo day hike.

Don’t forget the mountaineer’s creed. Always follow the Leave No Trace principles because it helps the environment to be clean and good.

Last but not least, minimizing the use of fire since firewood selection and gathering are critical to minimizing its impact on the environment.

There you have it. Let your bad days create better tomorrow because someday you will meet the happiest version of yourself and it will be worth it. On the whole, I deeply hope this Mt. Romelo climb guide has been beneficial to you and to your friends. For inquiries just leave them in the comments below. Until next time. Thank you for reading my blog.