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Day Hike · Tanay, Rizal

Mt Maynoba and the eight waterfalls day hike from Manila

A circuit rather than an up and down: Mt Maynoba at 662 metres, its neighbour Mt Cayabu at 728 if you want it, and then eight waterfalls strung along the descent. About eight hours on the trail including the time you will spend in the water, because you will.

Request a date About the trail
One of the eight waterfalls on the Mt Maynoba circuit in Tanay, Rizal
Elevation662, with Mt Cayabu at 728 MASL
Difficulty4 out of 9
Time on the trail3 hours to the summit
Drive from ManilaAbout 2.5 hours from Metro Manila

Is Mt Maynoba right for you?

Most hikes give you one reward at the top. Maynoba gives you eight on the way down. Rated 4 out of 9, which makes it a step up from Balagbag or Talamitam, and the full circuit is a long day rather than a hard one. It is the trip for a group that likes walking but would rather swim than stand on a summit taking photographs.

Where the day starts

Jump-off is Barangay Cayabu, Tanay, Rizal. We collect you in Metro Manila, drive out, register the group and hand you over to an accredited local guide. A Trouvaille Diaro coordinator stays with you all day.

What the trail is actually like

The climb and the twin summitThree hours to the Maynoba summit through forest and grassland. Mt Cayabu at 728 metres sits alongside and most groups take both, which is why you will see it advertised as a twin hike. The sea of clouds here has a following of its own.
The eight waterfallsHidden Paradise, Lantay Bato, Gugulong Bato, Manganiso, Maynoba, Katmon, Guintoan and Magpantay. They are not equal: some are proper falls with pools you can swim in, others are small. Your guide knows which are worth the detour on the day.
It is a loop, not a returnThe route is a circuit, so you come down a different way from the way you went up. That is a real part of the appeal and it also means there is no shortcut back if someone runs out of energy halfway. Worth knowing before you commit a group with mixed fitness.

Permits, guides and what they cost

Registration is ₱100 per person, the day-hike guide ₱500 for a group of up to five, and parking ₱50. All included in your rate and settled at Barangay Cayabu.

Fees change, and we would rather say so

Barangay and DENR fees are set locally and revised without much notice. The figures above were correct when this page was written. Whatever they are on your date, they are inside the rate you were quoted, and we absorb the difference rather than asking you for more at the trailhead.

What is included

Included

  • Private air-conditioned van, door to door from Metro Manila
  • Registration, environmental and permit fees
  • Accredited local guide
  • Trouvaille Diaro coordinator with the group all day
  • Breakfast snack, trail snack and bottled water
  • A proper sit-down lunch, vegetarian and halal on request
  • Drawstring bag, hiker certificate and group photographs
  • Safety briefing and first aid kit

Not included

  • Personal travel insurance, which we recommend
  • Porter hire, available at the jump-off
  • Tips for your guide and driver
  • Anything you buy at the sari-sari stores on the trail

How to book, and how payment works

  1. Message us with your preferred date on WhatsApp, Viber or Messenger.
  2. We check availability with the local operator and come back to you.
  3. Complete the registration form and waiver.
  4. Pay the ₱1,000 reservation fee per person to secure your slot.
  5. Receive your written confirmation with pickup details.
  6. Settle the balance no later than three days before the trip.
If we cancel, you never lose your money

If we call the day off for weather or any operational reason, you choose: move to another date, or hold the amount as credit against any other Trouvaille Diaro trip. Your slot is transferable to someone else with 48 hours notice. Reservation fees are non-refundable but they are never lost.

Questions hikers ask about Mt Maynoba

How many waterfalls are there at Mt Maynoba, really?

Eight along the circuit, and they genuinely vary. Some are large enough to swim under, others are modest. Anyone selling you eight spectacular waterfalls is overselling it; what you get is a descent that keeps giving you reasons to stop.

Can you swim at the Maynoba waterfalls?

At several of them, yes, and that is most of the point. Bring something to swim in and a dry bag. Water levels depend on recent rain and the barangay restricts access after heavy storms.

Do we have to do Mt Cayabu as well?

No, but most groups do, and it adds a second summit at 728 metres for relatively little extra effort since the trail passes close by. Tell us your preference when you book.

How does Maynoba compare with Batolusong?

Both are Tanay and both take about the same drive. Batolusong is the plateau and sea of clouds hike with one waterfall; Maynoba is the waterfall circuit with a summit attached. Batolusong is 3 out of 9, Maynoba 4, and Maynoba is the longer day.

If this one is not quite right

We run several day hikes out of Manila and they suit different people. These two sit closest to this trip.

Mt BatolusongThe other Tanay mountain, with the Mapatag Plateau
Mt Daraitan and Tinipak RiverMore water, a harder climb, white marble instead of waterfalls

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Talk to a person before you book

Fitness, ages, dietary needs, or whether this is even the right mountain for you. Message us and a human answers.

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