Mount Pulag or Mount Pulog is the highest peak in Luzon island and is well-known for its view of the sky at dawn and the “sea of clouds”. The mountain is rugged and has steep slopes at the mountainsides with grass and dwarf bamboo plants covering its summit. A foggy and mossy forest of mostly ferns, lichens, and moss occupies the lower elevation and is followed by a forest of Benguet pine below it. With its natural beauty and heavenly view, it is in the bucket list of almost every mountain climbing enthusiast in the country.
Portion of this attraction was proclaimed National Park under Proclamation No. 75 to protect and preserve its outstanding natural features particularly the wildlife, vegetation, and the tarns. It is also declared a protected landscape under the National Integrated Protected Areas System. Mount Pulag is home to a large diversity of flora and fauna. Around 528 species of plant have been documented. There are also species of orchids that are possibly endemic to the mountain and rare flora like the pitcher plant. Its native wildlife includes 33 bird species and many threatened mammals such as the Philippine Brown Deer, Northern Luzon Giant Cloud Rat and the Luzon Pygmy Fruit Bat.
With an elevation of 9,606 ft above sea level, it is the third highest mountain in the Philippines after Mount Apo and Mount Dulang-Dulang. The climate in Mount Pulag is temperate with rains almost the whole year and August is considered to be the wettest month. Frost is most common on the mountain summit during the coldest months in the Philippines which is December to February. It is considered the coldest place in the Philippines although for the past 100 years, there has been no snowfall recorded on its summit.
Getting there requires a permit and orientation at the Mt. Pulag National Park Protected Area Office in Bokod, Benguet. A mountain guide is also mandatory and camping is the best way to experience this attraction. There are two designated campsites and four hiking trails. Ambangeg is the easiest and most popular trail for beginners while Ambaguio trail, which is in Nueva Vizcaya, is considered the hardest and longest. Akiki and Tawangan are in Benguet province.
Where is Mount Pulag?
Mount Pulag is located in the Cordillera and Cagayan Regions in the island of Luzon, Philippines. It is shared by three provinces, Benguet, Ifugao and Nueva Vizcaya where the borders meet at the summit of the mountain. Most visitors stay at the Kabayan, Benguet portion of the mountain.
Map of Mount Pulag in Luzon
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Additional Information
Read more about Mount Pulag in Luzon Island. Check out the links below to learn how to get there, what to do, what to see, when to go, where to stay and many more helpful information about this attraction.
