"Pinatubo" means made to grow ⛰ Are we going to Tarlac or Zambales? The answer was both. The jump-off point is in Tarlac but Mt. Pinatubo crater is located in Zambales. Now this trip ticks two provinces in my A-Z PH province bucket list (counting badly, huh). Going to Mt. Pinatubo seemed daunting to me in the beginning as I couldn’t understand why reading multiple blog guides doesn’t really help when creating a DIY itinerary. Eventually, I read that taking a tour package was recommended instead of DIY since the latter was more costly. The payment of fees, the waiver signing and the 4x4 share ride was efficient with group tours. I found a Reddit recommendation and availed the package from Mt. Pinatubo Tour-Danny's Adventure (transaction via Facebook). The tour fee was 2,850 at time of travel (March 2023). Upon our arrival at the jump-off, it was cold. My choice of footwear adds to the chill. I wore my Merrell hiking sandals since the trek entails some river crossing. I...