Category: Photo Expedition

*Cordillera Expeditions presents our next big Adventure!

*Destination: Kabayan

Mummies and Lakes Expedition

*Expedition Date: June 6-8, 2008*

*Travel from Manila to Baguio is on June 5 in the evening and return will be
on June 8 in the evening.*

*Number of Slots Available: 12 *

*For Inquiries email: cordiexpeditions(at)gmail(dot)com *

Explore the hidden wonders of Kabayan, Benguet. This small Benguet
municipality is known for it being the main entry point into the second
highest mountain in the Philippines, Mt. Pulag. But Kabayan has much more to
offer then simply scaling the big mountain.

The road that leads to Kabayan goes through some of the most beautiful areas
in the Cordillera. From the High plateau of Baguio city you travel down into
the Agno River Valley where you will find the Ambuklao Dam from here you
once again climb up through pine covered mountains where you have a view of
the majestic Cordillera Mountain Range. And as Kabayan starts to reveal
itself you will see gardens of cabbage and rice paddies not to mention the
warm and welcoming Ibaloi community of Kabayan, Benguet.

Kabayan, although known for it being the home of Mt. Pulag is also the seat
of Ibaloi culture and it is from here that the Ibaloi spread down the Agno
River Valley. It is also known for its well preserved Ibaloi Mummies and
high mountain lakes found in the higher altitude villages of Kabayan.

The Kabayan expedition will give you the chance to explore Kabayan Central
?meet its people, see its lakes, and of course explore the homes of the
Ibaloi’s ancestors.

*Thoughts on the Rainy Season:* Some people may think that the rainy season
is the worst time to go exploring. But for us at Cordillera Expeditions we
find that this is one of the best times to see the true colors of the
mountains. There are less people and the air is clear of haze that normally
detracts from many photographs, not to mention the entire landscape starts
brimming with life as the new rains paint the mountains green. This is also
the best time to make great connections with the community as it is a slower
paced less crowded time of the year and you are allowed a greater sense of
how life truly is in the villages.

*Trip Cost: PhP 9500 (All Inclusive: Food, Lodging, Transportation, Travel
Insurance, Guides, Local Fees)*

*****We Require 50% of the fee to reserve your slot for the expedition.*

****We will give you 20% discount if you invite 2 other people to join the
expedition.*

*For Interested parties please download and fill out the participant form
and send to cordiexpeditions(at)gmail(dot)com *

For more informations visit:
http://jpalipio.multiply.com/journal/item/15/Destination_Kabayan_Mummies_and_Lakes_Expedition

*What are the Cordillera Expeditions???*

* *

Cordillera Expeditions

Explore the wonders of the northern mountains. If you are tired of the usual
festivals and parades, we invite you to come and explore the REAL Cordillera
away from the parades and shows that are more often far from what is true to
life in the mountain villages today.

Cordillera Expeditions offers you the chance to explore the villages and
their surrounding environs in their raw characters, giving you a sampling of
the people and the environment that fill the Cordillera Mountains with life.

Our Trips are aimed at both amateur and serious photographers as well as
non-photographers and eco-travelers. And are designed not as technical
workshops but to sharpen the photographer’s skills in the field, they are
travel opportunities that will help you understand and capture the spirit
and life of the place. This is also a trip that will allow you to learn
from everyone around you, make new friends and create lasting memories.

Do not worry about not having the best camera or that 500mm lens, some of
the best images have been taken with a simple point and shoot. What is
important is your eye, the light, and composition. And for that you will
have experienced adventure and travel photographers to guide you. Film or
Digital is welcome, and since all our time is spent in the field
non-photographers and eco-travelers are also welcome to join, with or
without a camera.

The Cordillera Expeditions are in no way the easiest Safari’s you will ever
be on, although we try and assure a certain level of comfort for our
clients, please do not expect 5 star accommodations or gourmet meals, the
expeditions are in many ways rough and we can guarantee that you will sweat,
and at certain times ask yourself why you are doing this. But then you
wouldn’t want to find 5 star accommodations or a McDonalds in a rustic
village would you? Well neither would we and we assure you that all that
sweat is well worth the water you shared the land.

Aside from exploring the hidden coves of the region you will also be guided
in your exploration and photography by JP Alipio. JP has literally been to
everyplace in the Cordillera Mountains from the Valleys to the high peaks,
very few people aside from the locals know the mountains and the people
better than he does. He is a keen student of the Cordillera Mountain
Environment and has done research spanning from Tribal Wars to Pesticide
use, and the Environmental Situation in the central mountains. He holds a
masters degree in Environmental Management from the Ateneo de Manila and
University of San Francisco.

JP is also a National Geographic Young Explorer, and has received several
grants from the National Geographic Society for his research into the
Environment and Culture of the Cordillera Region. He has also mounted a
successful exhibit on the Cordillera Mountains entitled “Living Mountains”
in 2006 and 2007. He was mentored in his Photography by Gordon Wiltsie, one
of National Geographic’s top Adventure Photographers.

You can check out his online gallery and work at:
http://jpalipio.multiply.com/

On the expedition you will also be guided by Reuben Muni an instructor in
Anthropology in the University of the Philippines Baguio. He will help you
understand the local cultures of the Cordillera region by sharing his own
expertise and experience with you on the local culture and environs while
you are out in the Cordillera Mountains. Ben holds a Degree in Anthropology
from the University of the Philippines and has also worked with JP as a part
of the team researching the people and environment of the Cordillera region.

Our aim is not merely to bring you into the beauty of the mountains, but
also to help you understand and learn about the interesting people and
culture of this unique region of the Philippines.

To check out our last expedition to Batad take a look through the
participant’s eyes:

http://jpalipio.multiply.com/journal/item/14/The_Expeditioneers<http://jpalipio.multiply.com/journal/item/15/item/14/The_Expeditioneers>