We were instructed to wake up at 4:00 AM so that we could start our trek towards Mount Kiltepan to witness the dramatic Sagada sunrise and the famous sea of clouds. Gareth, our guide, picked us up at the Residential Lodge, and after a short 30 to 45 minutes of walking, we were already at the Kiltepan Viewpoint.
It was very cold on our way there and it was still dark so we were advised to bring flashlight and jacket. Out of excitement because of the online pictures we saw of the sea of clouds, we trudged uphill in hurry to get the best spot. It actually felt weird because everything seemed "orangey" on our way --- the trees, the branches, the leaves, and even the mud. It was foggy at midpoint.
Even without enhancing the photo, it's still orange-red all over.
Except for the couple who arrived after us, we were basically the only ones at Kiltepan Viewpoint. Gareth said the view is way better had it rained a little the night before. But nevertheless, it was still breathtaking. Just sitting there watching the sunrise and staring at the cloud formation provide a feeling of serenity. It's easy to filter out the voices of people around you, and just focus on the calmness of the place.
This is the closest to a "sea" of clouds that we got.
After a while, the sea of clouds eventually parted revealing the magnificent terraces below. We took in all the calmness that Kiltepan gave before heading for breakfast at Rock Inn and Cafe.
It was quite a long walk along rocky pathways, which were lined by trees, but seeing the clouds provided us with enough energy and inspiration to keep us going and make our last day in Sagada productive.
We finally arrived at Rock Inn and Cafe, a bread and breakfast located a few kilometers away from the town proper. It has a homey and welcoming atmosphere probably because we were the first customers (the staff still have that beaming energy). After our orders were taken, we inspected the garden and their orange orchard. Unfortunately, April is not the season for oranges so there were no big oranges in sight.
The empty orange orchard.
There's a Dap-ay in Rock Inn.
Just a note to the wise, on a normal basis, restaurants in Sagada freshly prepare orders from customers so it may take close to one hour (or more) before food is served. Always bring a pack of saltine crackers with you and a foot long of patience. But more than that, always remember that the food is definitely worth the wait.
Contact:
Rock Inn and Cafe
Batalao, Patay, Sagada
(0920) 909-5899
(0920) 902-8608
Here is the list of entries on our 3-Day Sagada Tour:
love sagada!!! ^_^
ReplyDelete