Mt. Purro Nature Reserve Tours

The Mt. Purro Nature Reserve ecoresort sits in the foothills of the Sierra Madre Mountains, east of Manila. Activities include hiking, bird-watching, ropes courses, tree planting, waterfall swims, a swimming pool, and encounters with the indigenous Dumagat people. There’s also a restaurant and accommodation at a range of price points.

The Basics
Most travelers visit Mt. Purro Nature Reserve as a day trip from Manila, although it’s also possible to spend a night or two enjoying the atmosphere from a tent or a cottage. Day tours typically include transfers, a buffet lunch at the restaurant, and time to explore the resort independently. That might mean hiking, swimming in the pool, enjoying the natural children’s playground, or joining in a wealth of scheduled activities, from learning bamboo cooking to guided treks.

Things to Know Before You Go

• Mt. Purro Nature Reserve is a great option for families or anyone who’d like to get closer to nature.
• The resort’s sustainable values mean rooms have no air-conditioning, although they do have fans and natural ventilation.
• Mt. Purro has limited mobile coverage. To encourage travelers to unplug, there is no free Wi-Fi.
• Rough surfaces, stones, steps, and slopes make Mt. Purro Nature Reserve impractical for travelers who rely on wheelchairs.

How to Get There
Mt. Purro Nature Reserve is located about 29 miles (46 kilometers) east of downtown Manila, in the foothills of the Sierra Madre Mountains. While local travelers will be able to piece together jeepneys and tricycles to reach the resort by way of Antipolo, international visitors will appreciate the convenience of an organized tour. If driving, be aware that the journey can take up to three hours during rush hour.

When to Get There
There are more scheduled activities on offer at Mt. Purro Nature Reserve on weekends than during the week, but it’s also much more crowded. Families with kids who’d like to meet local families should visit on weekends. Child-free travelers will likely prefer the quieter midweek period. Consider staying the night to enjoy a predawn guided hike.

The Story of Mt. Purro Nature Reserve
During the 1970s and 1980s, widespread logging deforested much of the Sierra Madre Mountains, leaving Manila at risk of floods. The Mt. Purro Nature Reserve evolved from one man’s desire to renew the forests and protect the watershed by planting 700,000 trees. Today, it’s a sustainable source of employment for the local Dumagat people.