I Conquered The Highest Peak in Eastern Visayas | Alto Peak

Since it still hard for us to go out and look for an adventure, I decided to recover my old blog posts , travel stories and have it posted on social media. To give a try, let me start my story with this unforgettable travel adventure in Ormoc City. Why unforgettable? Because this story was my first major hiking adventure.

On May 5-9, 2017, I was invited by Pocholo Franco, the VP of Tourism council in Ormoc City to explore the hidden gems of Ormoc City. I was on the impression that these are only water escapes. When he sent to me the itineraries, my adventurous spirit was surprised because it was more on mountain climbing/trekking.

There are two peaks that I need to conquer with his proposal and those are the Sulpatara Peak and Mt. Aminduen also known as Alto Peak. This peak is known as the tower of the East since it is highest peak not only in the Province of Leyte but in the whole Eastern Visayas Region. This would be my first time scaling a peak with an impressive elevation of 1332 MASL.

Alto Peak is waving!

The beautiful lake Janagdan - This lake can be seen on the other side / part of the trail going to Alto peak

During the mid portion of the trail, there was a sulfur mountain standing around 80 degrees of cliff and it is bounded by these wild strawberries. It seems that the trail going to the camp site was just literally a walk in the park. You can also see a lot of floras and faunas as you go along with the trail.

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As we reached the assault of Alto Peak, the trail is more difficult, with the surrounding filled with slippery roots, steep assaults continuous uphill that elevates to up to 80-90 degree at some point. The terrain’s certainly ain’t getting any easier.

The Campsite

The Peak

During the mid portion or the trail, there was around 80 degrees of cliff so we used a rope to climb up. Then the next part would be roots and more root climbing until we reached the grassy part of the mountain which was the peak. The guide and I were the first to arrive. 

It took me 1.5 hours to get there. Quite slow pace but not bad. The peak was just around maybe 15 meters in diameter and cliffs on the sides. There were small trees on the center so we can hide from the cold wind.

Sorry! She's shy- Zero Visibility

About Mt. Aminduen / Alto Peak

Alto Peak is the highest peak not only in the Province of Leyte but in the whole Eastern Visayas Region. It has a towering height of 1332 Meters Above Sea Level and considered as one of the hiking destination that many outdoor enthusiast admire today.

It’s always a great idea to look forward for a new friend with the same passion as yours.

Be A Responsible Traveler!

Disclaimer: I climbed Alto Peak twice already. My first hiking adventure was a solo adventure and my second climbed was with a group of travelers.

Getting There:

Some tips to consider :

Wearing gloves is recommended.

Always check the weather and be prepared for any eventuality.

Important Note : Always LEAVE NO TRACE

How to get there :

Book your tour with CALEGUID, contact Kuya Ramil at this number 0921-724-3042. They will not just offer the tour guiding services but also the transportation as well.

Estimated Expenses :

Guide Fee : Php 300.00 for one day tour , Php 500.00 overnight

Registration Fee : Php 25.00

Transportation Fee : Php 2,000.00 back and forth (since we were 18 in the group we only paid Php 112.00 each)

If you opted to ride Habal Habal from Ormoc City to Brgy Cabintan ( one way only) : Php 200.00 . If you choose to ride Jeepney : I don’t have any idea about the fare but I think it’s lesser than the Habal-habal, you can ride a jeepney to Brgy. Cabintan via Ga-as at the Terminal across Public Market and Ormoc Port.