Documenting my experience on the Tribes & Trikes tour in Zambales with MAD (Make a Difference) Travel and The Circle Hostel. It was a lovely day out starting with a 90-minute flat trek, followed by an environmental briefing and tree-planting.
Walking on the river to keep cooler on this very hot day
Carabao carts help to haul gear during the 90-minute hike
Walking with a view of the Zambales mountains
Enzo enjoying a ride on an uncooperative carabao
Our group after tree-planting on Tribes & Treks
After tree-planting, we spent the rest of the afternoon at Sitio Yangil, to share a day with the Aetas. In the process, we also learned about the local medicinal herbs, got a native archery lesson, and participated in some traditional song and dance.
We then ended the day with a perfect sunset at the beach nearby.
Signature Zambales sunset at the end of our Tribes & Treks tour
All in all, a highly recommended tour for someone looking for more than the usual tourist experience and wanting to contribute to local community and environmental preservation.
Here's a description of the program from MAD Travel:
MAD Travel is a social tourism platform which inspires people from all over the world to have fun and Make A Difference in the Philippines. We create alternative travel experiences that bring together people from different walks of life to share their time and talent, and to inspire each other to build a kinder, fairer world.
Walang Iwanan, or ensuring that no one is left behind, is at the centre of all that we do. Our organization and our guests give their best to the poor, so the poor may rise to achieve their best. Working in close partnership with Gawad Kalinga, an award-winning local NGO that has already built 2,500 communities for the poorest Filipinos, we aim to achieve goals and objectives that are valued and determined by the communities we seek to serve.
The Tribes and Treks sustainable development program aims to connect people with the land through Tourism, feed the people sustainably through Agriculture, and save Mother Earth through Reforestation. Every guest will plant trees to help build a 3000-hectare rain forest, food security forest (animals, fruits and veggies) and medical forest. So far, they have planted around 18,000 seedlings as of December 2017, but with your help, we can do more!
Tribes and Treks Zambales is a joint partnership of Mad Travel, The Circle Hostel with the Municipality of San Felipe, Zambales, and the Hineleban Foundation. To learn more about this trip, visit the following:
MAD Travel: Website Facebook Instagram
The Circle Hostel: Website Facebook Instagram
Equipment used:
- Sony A7RII
- Sony RX100IV
- Zhiyun Crane v2
- Rode Videomic 2
- MeFoto RoadTrip Tripod