Mount Apo, Dormant stratovolcano in Davao Region, Philippines
This peak rises across several provinces in Mindanao and reaches nearly three thousand meters above sea level. Dense rainforest covers the lower slopes and gives way to moss forest and alpine grassland at higher elevations.
Spanish explorers first mentioned the volcano in written records during the seventeenth century. The government established protected areas around the peak in the twentieth century after logging threatened the forests.
The Bagobo people consider the summit a sacred space and home to ancestral spirits. Visitors may sometimes see local guides leave small offerings of betel leaves and rice before ascending.
Hikers should hire a guide from one of the surrounding towns since weather can shift quickly and trail markers are sparse in some sections. Physical preparation helps with the steep sections and the shifting temperatures between base and summit.
Sulfur vents bubble near the summit crater and warm the water naturally, inviting hikers to bathe after the climb. Wild orchids with species found only here grow in the mid-elevation zones along the trails.
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