TREK IN BALBALAN: experience nature’s beauty and diverse wildlife; join LUMIN-AWA TREKKING on Feb. 5-7

Balbalan, Kalinga – This year’s Lumin-awa Trekking, one of the highlights of the Bodong Festival celebration, is going to showcase Balbalan’s beauty and preserved wildlife slated to happen from February 5-7, 2025.

Lumin-awa Trekking was launched in 2023 as part of the annual Bodong Fest and the Kalinga Founding Anniversary celebration. For the first two hikes, trekkers explored remarkable destinations in Pasil and Tanudan, like the famous Sulfur Mountain and the Mt. Binaratan or the Silent Mountain.

For this year, it is the Municipality of Balbalan’s turn to show its relaxing settings and well-preserved nature and wildlife.

Balbalan Mayor Almar Malannag said that the members of the technical working group for the Lumin-awa Trek convened last January 8 in Balbalasang, Balbalan where they discussed matters relating to the event.

Malannag said the trek will start at the Kalinga – Abra boundary in Balbalan, then the trekkers will move towards the Mount Nabaderaan, and go down to the Pamosilon Picnic Ground where the hikers will camp and spend the night.

At Pamosilon site, participants will get to experience the scenic beauty of the picnic ground and that they will also get to see one of the cleanest rivers in the Philippines, the Saltan River, and the preserved native birds and fish such as the ‘ugadiw’. The following morning, the adventurers will explore more destinations in the municipality.

The local chief executive mentioned they will only accommodate 350 participants, adding that they also prohibit drinking to avoid leaving any waste in the places covered in the Lumin-awa Trek particularly at the protected area.

“Awan iti inom idiay ta protected area diay, haan tayo kayat nga mangibati iti rugit idiay mapanan tayo,” he said.

When asked what the participants will enjoy the most of the trek in Balbalan this year, the mayor assured the trekkers will get to unwind and relax through the serenity of the place and be amazed by the nature and preserved wildlife there.