The most memorable moment was actually to see the rice terrace open up infront of you. Hiking there made an impression.

We went hiking in the mountains and it was such a great experience. Super organized and we had the best guide Jody. It’s such a different experience from what else you see in the Philippines - we really enjoyed our time up in the mountains

It was such a great and unusual experience, and even better than I imagined. As a hiker, this was pretty moderate level of difficulty, but also a bit challenging due to some slippery parts because it rained when we were there. But the views are amazing and the food we ate in the different villages was always good. Jody, our guide, was really considerate and told and showed us all he know about the history and making of rice. If I could, I would definitely do it again. The only thing that bothered me, is that one breakfast should have been included, but it wasn't.

Did 3 day trek in Ifuago rice terraces. It was an excellent adventure. We caught the overnight bus to and from Manila. The return trip bus was better quality, but still basic. Both trips were fine for sleeping. A pillow for tall people is recommended. On the return trip you arrive at 3am in Manila so consider this for your next destination. Our tour guide Jody was very helpful and informative. He even put up with my constant questions and silly jokes. The trek is not a walk in the park. It was more strenous then i expected, but fully worth it. Just be prepared. Some sections were slippery and Jody was careful around these parts. ( Jody it was my boot and not me.) The trek was 17 kms on day one and we even bypassed one part of pula to reduce the distance and 5 and 6kms on the next 2 days. A lots of stairs up and down. The first day long distance was a change due to available accommodation. Even though my legs were killing me i still managed extra early explanatory treks by myself. Call me a fool. The accommodation was basic but it is to be expected. Thanks for Jody for helping me buy some homemade moonshine (delicious rice wine that tastes like brandy) from one of the local elderly men. Much better than buying it from a shop. The dinners (not included) were simple but very nice. I kid you not, there was even an unexpected swimming pool at Cambulo. They had seats there over looking to river. Well literally next to the river. I told Jody, for the view and tranquality they should arrange meals there. This would need to be for a fee, but would be worth it.

Traveling solo after a week working in a hospital in Cebu City. I decided to head up into the mountains. Leo booked everything and all plans went perfectly. The Bayleaf Imtramuros was kind enough to store my suitcase and I traveled with just my backpack on the bus. It is an overnight bus trip .... if you are a group of 2-4 ask for a car and driver. The trip up was OK. On a bus with plenty of spare seats I was able to spread out and sleep - I am pretty short and think the night would be pretty uncomfortable on a full bus ( it was on the return trip ) Jody meet me off the bus - Easy going, very concerned for my comfort and fun. We had a great time. We chatted away about the Cordillera area, the history, growing up there, Covid in this area and a return to life post Covid. And Jody has a very lovely singing voice - a bonus when driving to Sagada. The hiking is moderate. Lots and lots of steps and so slippery - take walking poles!!! And good boots! Day 1 - 8 hours with good breaksI had slept on the bus and would have found this tough with little to no sleep. The heat and high humidity was very, very hard for me. I carried about 10-12Kg in my pack and 3 litres was water. Apparently I can drink 3 litres and not pee all day. You just sweat it out! Day 2. My advice - Get up really early and hike to the home stay. Sleep the afternoon away and then hike down, down, down to the waterfall, swim in the cooler late afternoon and hike up, up up all those steps around 5,6 pm. The middle of the day was just a humid furnace. You will walk a bit further but this is my strongest advice. The food was so tasty here a huge bowl of chicken soup, lots of veggies. Day 3. I choose to walk 45-60 mins up steps to the road and travel back to Banaue via Bangaan Village view point. The coffee and snacks at guesthouse where I left clean clothes was superb. In fact the coffee is really good almost everywhere. I did take my own protein bars and some nuts to have - very grateful Leo suggested this. I did struggle with the heat and I found Hydralyte in my drinking water and one packet and the end of the day really helped. I was not sick but felt some electrolyte replacement was essential.Also, Panadol and Ibuprofen. Mossies are about and there are leeches. so, take stuff to deter stings. The drive to Sagada is so beautiful and had my only really torrential rain on this drive - so glad it was not when hiking. The cave closes for 4-6 weeks every year in Sept. I enjoyed this little tourist town. The Guest house is divine and like the 2 Home Stays during the hike spotlessly clean with great care taken of guests. Only one night is needed here, in Sagada, though. The Blue Soil Hills are a 30min walk and really not essential. Give them a miss. Goodbye to Jody. What a treasure - and the biggest thank you to him for being kind and fun and that lovely singing voice.Bus back to Manila - not a single spare seat, a bit of a long night. The Bayleaf Intramuros is really great. Wonderful location. Great staff and the roof top bar and restaurant - a real treat. Walked everywhere. Did a gourmet street food tour in China Town - amazing and the best dumplings ever. Then it was goodbye to Manila and hello to Melbourne. Ruth.

My wife and I signed up for Uncharted’s 3 day/2 night Ifugao village trek. Engaging with the local communities was the highlight of the trip and trekking amongst the UNESCO-recognized rice terraces was an amazing experience. Our guide, Marvin, was very informative and taught us so much along the way, and ensured we safely traversed some of more challenging sections of the trek. We found the guest houses in the villages quaint and comfortable, although visitors should know they are simple and rustic and not to expect 5-star resort accommodations. Come with an open mind, be prepared to endure some hardship and remember that you are just an interloper on an ancient way of life. If you do, you will hopefully have the same magical experience that we did. We try our best to do our research and utilize guides that are responsible, ethical and use sustainable practices. We were impressed by Uncharted and will use them again in the Philippines when we have the opportunity.

My sister and I have just returned from travel to the Philippines and Taiwan and we launched our trip with this memorable journey into a beautiful rural, mountainous region north of Manila. What a gift it was to have the experience, wisdom and knowledge of our guide, Jody, and to appreciate the generous hospitality of local proprietors and residents as we traveled through, and stayed in their communities. The hiking trails and paths were in excellent condition, with steep trail ascents and descents generally consisting of stairs that offered stable footing, even following rainfall. The history of the area and the care invested in the land by inhabitants through the years is evident in the beauty of the landscapes and the manually-tended farmland. I have deep gratitude for the invitation extended to us and others by local residents, knowledgeable guides, and the travel companies that organize trips, to visit this area.

Unchartered Philippines – Ifugao Village Trek What an amazing holiday and all thanks to Leo from Unchartered Philippines and his superb Guides for organising this un-forgettable able holiday for us. We have been on numerous trekking holidays before ie Nepal, Borneo, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and sadly the Philippines was not on our radar to visit, however we were invited to a wedding in the area and decided it would be foolish not to explore the Philippines and we are so glad that we did so. This simply was one of our best holidays and the question has to be asked why is the Philippines often overlooked? We booked the Ifugao Village Trek and added onto that the Northern Palawan Snorkelling Expedition. There were so many highlights and photographs to share I have split it into 2 separate reviews. Because we had to work around the wedding we opted for a private tour and private transfer rather than the overnight bus. This we would highly recommend it is well worth paying a little extra to get a air conditioned mini bus transfer and this turned into be an exciting start to the holiday. We travelled during daylight hours rather than overnight so were able to enjoy the great scenery. Our Guide for the Trek was Jody Kimmayong and he certainly was a character. We extended the trek so that we would have time to soak up and enjoy the culture and scenery which we certainly would recommend. Jody was a superb Guide and being local and well known in the area enabled us to have a greater interaction with villagers and he introduced us to some colourful characters along the way. We certainly wouldn’t have been able to do this without him. This very much added to our enjoyment of a truly unforgettable trip. He was a very patient and caring guide. Even though there was just the three of us on this whole trip we never ran out of conversation. We very much received an education on the history, culture and traditions of each village we passed through plus the difficulties in maintaining rice terraces and the different stages of growing rice. It was extremely interesting. So our thanks to Jody. We would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Unchartered Philippines as a tour operator. Leo organised a 3 week holiday for us to perfection and this was very much tailor made to our requirements and abilities. So our thanks to Leo also.

Absolutely stunning views and amazing hiking. Somethings to note though: -the way through the rice fields is for experienced hikers only -Balance and a rational comfort around heights (about 3-6m) is important -bring sleeping aids to be rested after the overnight bus -ask your guide to cut you a walking stick -bring candy to give to the children, they are so sweet

Our tour guide Jody told us a lot about our surroundings and helped us when we needed it. I hope to do this trip once again even though the stairs were exhausting. The view, the people and their Stories are worth it.

My partner and I did a weekend hike in the rice terraces outside of Banaue. In the lead up to our trip, Uncharted Philippines was very helpful and responsive and we felt very well prepared for the journey. As other reviewers have mentioned, the overnight bus ride to reach Banaue from Manila is tough going, but that is out of the control of Uncharted Philippines. Our guide Jody met our bus in Banaue and took us to a local inn, where we had a good breakfast and left our suitcases before heading off. The rice terraces are incredibly beautiful and Jody, a local of the area, gave us some really interesting insights into the farmers' way of life. My partner and I are both reasonably fit and still found the hike itself quite challenging, but ultimately very worthwhile.

Jonathan was an absolutely fantastic tour guide, he was very friendly and knew lots about the region. The people running the homestay in Banaue were also amazingly friendly, and it had the best homemade yogurt I've ever tried! The only reason I gave this experience 4 stars instead of 5 was that the homestay in Batad took well over an hour to prepare my meal when I stayed there, which was only a rice and vegetables. Overall, would highly recommend, Jonathan as a guide especially.

I just completed this trip last weekend and it was great-- If you like to hike and want to see the rice terraces this a perfect way to do it. I was traveling alone so I was a bit nervous but the trip was perfectly safe/ fun. I had Jody as my tour guide --- he was excellent, professional/ helpful and very knowledgeable-- and great to hang out with during the hike. If you are worried about the hiking - you can go at your own pace and your guide will help you if you are having any difficulty. The terraces are beautiful. From talking with Jody and others -- April may be the best time to go because that is when the rice terraces are then most green/ ready for harvest but even in December ( when I went) the sights were amazing and you still see plenty of green. If its off season-- You get to see the harvesting process at all stages which is a bonus. In terms of the schedule / trip : you take an overnight bus from Manila that leaves around 10:00 pm and arrives at 6:00 am the next morning. There is wifi on the most of the buses which is a perk. The bust stops about 2-4 times along the way where there snacks/restrooms. The bus has AC on blast so I would recommend brining a sweatshirt/ wearing long pants or having them on hand. When you arrive in Banaue your guide will meet you at the bus stop and take you to get some breakfast and get situated before your hike. You can leave anything you do not want to bring with you at local inn which is where you will complete your trip as well. Uncharted also sends you a packing list which I found helpful. The rest of the trip is as described in the itinerary. With the most hiking on the first day and the between 3-5 hours the other days. There are also ways to change the Itinerary if you want to hike more or less you just have to let uncharted or your guide know so they can help plan the best trip for you. Big thanks to Jody and Uncharted for a great trip !

This was our third trip with Uncharted and as usual, they went above and beyond our expectations. We hiked the rice terraces, visited the hanging coffins, and hit a few museums. Our driver, John, was great and offered many suggestions along the long rout to and from Banaue. From the best places to stop for lunch to a few extra museums to check out. A super friendly guy who loves to drive. An added bonus to the trip. The rice terraces were the highlight of the trip. It's an easy hike down. Then you can frolic in the water of a beautiful waterfall and recharge in the cool waters, relax, and have a snack (bring it with you). Then you get a tough hike back up. Even though there are stairs and paths with hand rails, it's all up hill. Take your time and enjoy the views, they are spectacular!! It's well worth the effort. The Banaue Hotel was a great place to stay. The rooms are nice and clean. We had a great view from the patio. The hotel bar was nice and the people were friendly. We even used the pool, which was just what was needed after a day of hiking. The breakfast food at the hotel was top notch and different every day so you didn't feel like it was the same old thing all the time. The hanging coffins were a bit of a disappointment. Not for the views, but that you basically just get to see what is on the postcards. Our guide did show us a couple of hidden areas off the main trail which was great. And seeing the burial cave, from the entrance was also lack-luster. Take the tour that lets you get into the cave, there are several to choose from. This was no way the fault of Uncharted, this was all on me as I should have researched a bit better before selecting. All in all, this was another fabulous trip that Uncharted Philippines booked for my family and we will be booking with them again on our next trip.

Pre trip. Brilliant communication during booking endless patience as we considered multiple possible itineraries. Really personalised individualized service, listening to our preferences and making it appropriate for our family, which convinced us to book with you vs other tour operators. Excellent communication in the run up to departure, detailed, comprehensive advice and always quick to respond to queries. Loved having pictures of our guides and drivers and a description of them on the website. Transport. Jhon was great, a quiet, gentle, genuinely lovely guy. Impeccably clean and comfirtable vehicle. Very skilled driver over tough roads and in difficult conditions. We felt, when we were with Jhon, that we were completely looked after and safe. He was really lovely to the children too. Guide. Jonathan was lovely. Great sense of humour, incredibly knowledgeable. Really chilled out and relaxed, wonderfully kind to the kids, helping our 7 year old balance along the rice terraces when she got wobbly after a long hot trek. Took the pace of the hikes just right. We thought he was brilliant. Accommodation Banaue homestay (even tho we didn't stay there) was a great base, felt welcomed into a home, and they did so much to help us. Amazing food. Best in Banaue (We tried Banaue hotel on the last night and it was terrible food!) Native inn - wonderful, special experience. Incredible views, great food. Spotlessly clean the whole time. Hillside- great location great food . Accommodation very basic (We were fine, but had we known it was so basic, would have carried mosquito net and towels and sleep sheets with us) . But we still loved it , because of the amazing views.

Early November I set off to conquer the rice terraces of North Luzon....I knew it would be challenging and I wasn't in the best of shape but it was certainly worth the effort. The bus trip north was the first challenge, I was soooo envious of the man next to me who slept blissfuly the whole way, later as I discovered thanks to a sleeping pill - note to self. I arrived in Banaue to be greeted by Jody my guide, right from the start he proved to be an excellent guide and host, everything went like clockwork, he was patient with my lack of speed and huffing and puffing up hills and he was also billiant fun and informative. The walk is a MUST yes it it very challenging, more steps up and down than you can dream of but the views are out of this world. Also the chance to see village life and stay in a local home are humbling and heart warming, you realise what a easy life you lead back home yet these people are so friendly and welcoming despite their hard lives. What would I do differently ....I would stay the first night in Banaue and get some sleep, I felt jet lagged walking the first day on no sleep, plus Banaue is a cute wee town, well worth exploring. I was also glad I split the trip up into only 3-4 hour days, walking Banaue to Pula only the first day. At the end of the day it's important to remember you don't need to make any time limits, just walk slow, enjoy the views, soak up the culture and sights you have ALL day to get to your next village. .....and take advantage of those wonderful village ladies who spend all day labouring in their rice paddies and come in and re-arrange your muscles by night under the guise of a massage......the pain is phenomenal ! and you give so much to their family in payment. All up, a unique experience in the Philippines, I was sooooo glad I did it, it was a great contrast to the island hopping and more touristy areas and as you eat your way round the Philippines with rice for every meal it give you a whole new perspective on how labour intensive the production of rice just for their own needs is. Just do it !!

Myself and a friend did the three day Ifugao Villages trek, they organised everything for us (return buses from Manila, accomodation and our guide Jody who met us at the bus stop in Banaue and took us on the hike). Cami was very helpful with the organisation before the trip and answered any questions we had. The date we wanted to do it wasn't available online, but all we had to do was ask and they made up a trip starting on the day we wanted to do it (and it ended up just being the two of us that went, so we pretty much had a private trip!) The only suggestion I have for anyone that struggles to sleep on buses is that you should go to Banaue the day before starting the trek. We got an overnight bus from Manila and then started the trek that morning, this was fine but as i can't really sleep on buses i was a bit tired the first day. The scenery along the way was amazing, with plenty of opportunities to go swimming, relax and take in the view. To unwind in the evening i recommend trying the rice wine, which was surprisingly good! Overall, a great experience and I highly recommend it!

I am very pleased with the experience I had with Uncharted Philippines from the customized itinerary (Leo Cuesta); informative and friendly guide (Jody Kimmayong) to the actual scenic trekking and visit of local villages in Banaue. My first night was a 9 hour bus ride from Manila to the town of Banaue, Ifugao where Jody met me. We bought some supplies for our three-day trekking, which included a visit to Batad Rice Terraces (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), an overnight stay in Cambulo and Pula (both small villages in Banaue). The 4th day was an overnight stay in Sagada with a visit of the Burial and Big Caves. The 5th day was the return to Manila. Overall, the trip was a great experience particularly to those who love scenery and because of friendly people.

My husband is Philippino and has been talking about bringing me to the Philippiines for years and our 10 year anniversary seemed like a good occasion. We were joined by 3 friends and hubby found Unchartered Philippines to help him with making our trip unforgettable. He set us up with 2 of the trips. Palawan Adventures - Beautiful, fun and relaxing. Our tour guide was Yob Red. Yob was amazing, extremely professional, personable and efficient. Yob was also responsive: he got to know us and made modifications to our trip to better meet our tastes. The snorkeling trips he arranged with El Bacuit and captain Jayson Gonzales were incredible. Great snorkeling and the food was 5 stars! He was so much fun and it was a perfect start to our adventures! We had 4 hours in between our return flight from Palawan to Manilla and our bus ride from Manilla to Banaue. Of course, we had a 3 hour delay in our flight. Leo and Cami Cuesta met us at the airport and got us to the bus station (with repacking and changing clothes in the street) with 30 minutes to spare. What service!!! Ifugao Villages Trek - Incredible, but wow it kicked our butt!!! Marvin was our tour guide and Jonathan (Jun Jun) was our porter and Marvin's assistant. They were incredible. Our group is in our mid forties to mid fifties and although in good shape, the first day (23k Banaue to Cambulo) was extremely challenging, both physically and mentally. Have you seen how narrow the rice terrace walls are? Not to mention the challenging paths up and down the mountains! There were some scary sections... Going through the small villages is an intimate adventure and would not have been successful without Marvin's knowledge and familiarity of the people and customs. The Cambulo Inn was great, a little rustic (no showers here), but very clean, delicious food (highly recommend the fresh made pita), cold beer and fantastic people. Loved the show put on by the village children and yes, there are even masseuse's! The next day was, thank goodness, a much shorter hike to the village of Bataad. Will say, the accomodations there were not as nice as Cambulo. It's a little bigger village, the hostel is busier, was not as clean and the food was okay. Marvin, again, knew exactly what to expect and took outstanding care of us (mostly self service without a great guide). Marvin is extremely knowledgeable about the region and gave great insight to us. He and Jun Jun made trekking that was definately out of our comfort zone, safe and "fun". I don't know if I would have made it without them! Uncharted Philippines was an integral part of making our trip an experience of a liftime. We are already planning our next trip and Uncharted will be a part of it! Would give 6 stars if I could, I can't say enough about the professionalism and incredible staff that makes up this organization. Tagay!!

I am in Manila for a frenzied one month business trip - but I've been trying to take advantage of my weekends and see another side of the Philippines. I chose to contact Uncharted based on the stellar reviews, and I was not disappointed!!! Leo worked hard to make accommodations for me as a single traveler with limited time, and I was able to do a lot more than I ever imagined because of Uncharted. The Ifugao villages trek was especially incredible - it is the perfect blend of extraordinary natural beauty and deeply fascinating cultural immersion. My guide, Jody, was energetic, fun, kind, and extremely knowledgeable - as he is actually from Banaue. Seeing the terraces through his eyes made my experience all the more meaningful. If you want to experience the "true" Philippines, Uncharted is the way to go. You can expect extraoridnary personalized service and your well-spent money goes right back into the hands of deserving Filipinos. No matter what your needs or interests may be, Uncharted can organize the adventure of a lifetime!