Talakudong Mountaineer’s budget traveller’s guide to zipline fun at Camp Sabros!

(Disclaimer: I am not in any way connected nor I have a business interest with the owners of Camp Sabros. I do not intend to shortchange the owners of their regular profits by providing an alternate, budget way to enjoy the place.  I just want to promote the beauty of the place and extend it to our “budget challenged” campers. Prices and estimates here were made sometime November of 2008 and may change without prior notice)

My trek buddies have been enjoying the “zip”- my short term for zipline rides, at Camp Sabros (Kapatagan Digos Davao Del Sur) even before the place was opened to the public. I (and Joy) gave in to Onin’s tempting invite just now and regretted what we’ve missed before. “Screw my acrophobia and I’m going to zip”- budget wise and  without missing the fun! Here’s my guide.

After me, Joy, Chris and Onin jolted the Virgin Falls, we headed to Kapatagan market and bought our meal’s recipe for Camp Sabros.

Then we headed straight to the checkpoint  near the road up to Camp Sabros on habal-habal. It was raining hard.

I would not advise anyone to ride a motorcycle up the hill in this muddy and slippery road. You’d be easily landing in a hospital rather than the camp during rainy days . But get your gastrocs strong for the walk uphill. The road is far from easy, no thanks to heavy rains and the 3,000 feet elevation. We were catching our breathe as often as we take off mud from our shoes!

That’s why at the first moment we touched base at the camp, we pitched tent and washed off the dirt load off our skin. I froze in the cold breeze. We spent the whole afternoon lounging in the Camp’s Bar, zipping coffee and watching tourist come hustling around the zips. The fog is so thick, we can barely see the other end of the zipline. So we let go of zipping that day.

We cooked and ate our meals early since the cold is choking our muscles. After that we spent our time again in the bar area familiarizing ourselves with the place and the people there. But I think it was the lost (he was looking ahead) Indian and the chained Superman that fell victim to all our antics. I guess the indian was looking for his bow and arrow which was “parked” somewhere inside the camp’s office.Poor Camp Sabros regulars.

Onin insisted on us having the bonfire (free)  even if it was drizzling with ice all around us. I wonder why we were dancing the Indian hula inside the camp. Was it red Indian inspired really?

More chitchat, chuchu and alcohol (optional) for my buddies. Me and Joy crawled into our tents after we bloated our stomach with laughter. Its chilling cold outside and our sleeping bags seem to be the warmest place in the camp. So off, we dozed.

Breakfast, “Hotsilog” courtesy of Chef Onin, good for 4 people
Cost: Php 30/pax x 4 people
Bought the eggs from the camp and asked for free hot water. Camp Meal:cost Php 60-75/pax

The next day, I woke up early and went on “rounds” (missed my patients, heheh)  of the camp, when all except a few were up. I could see Mt. Matutum’s peak in the west, but Mt. Apo’s peak is covered with clouds. I took some more pictures. When everyone is up already we had our coffee and breakfast, fast so we can get on with our zips early. Tourists started to trickle in for the zip.

Joy and I got an all ride zip that pumped the adrenaline rush in our body. I have only one word to describe the ride- yehaaaaaaaaaa!

I noticed though that the cable car lift doesn’t have that much safety belts and harness save for a bar running across in front of the passengers. Hopefully the owners will fix this soon. In the meantime, just hold tight to the handle bars.

Chris joined us taking videos ( I mugged this video unfortunately, later) on our first zip.Onin skipped the zip altogether. He had been “riding” this zipline even before it was opened to public. He and chris were aiming for the new zip-rappel- zip set up being beta tested by the owners, Edwin Sacdalan..Edwin’s crash landing midway in the newly built zip-rappel made us all gasp in -what????

Camp Sabros proper to Crossing Camp Sabros (Checkpoint)
Cost: Php 15.00/pax
Mode of Transportation: Motorcycle
Schedule: Daytime,for as long as there are parked habal habal waiting in the crossing

After we had our zips, we went cleaning up our site and pack up our gears. The weather is getting hotWe’re heading to Agong house nearby and.  We thanked the owner, the cook, the store seller and everyone we met there and bade goodbyes. Then we went down to the crossing riding a habal-habal. Again, the slippery road and thick mud threw our motorcycle off the road we nearly skidded down the hill. I choose to walk down instead. It is a lot safer I think.

(For inquiries and reservations about Camp Sabros, call Edwin Sacdalan  at 09208750015.)
Read of our Agong House experience here soon!