Day 1: Departure from Manila to Banaue, Ifugao (420 km) Your journey to the mountains begins early in the morning. At 5:30–6:00 AM, our driver will pick you up from your residence. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the scenic drive as we traverse different cities and provinces on the way to Banaue. Along the route, we will stop 2–3 times for breaks and enjoy a hearty lunch at a local restaurant — a first taste of the flavors of the north. By afternoon, we’ll arrive at the Banaue Viewpoint Terraces. Here, you’ll stand before the legendary 2,000-year-old rice terraces, hand-carved by the Ifugao people into the Cordillera mountainsides. Often called the “Eighth Wonder of the World” and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the terraces rise about 1,500 meters (5,000 ft) above sea level and span 10,360 square kilometers of rugged mountain landscape. After visiting the viewpoint, we will continue to your accommodation in Banaue, where you can rest and prepare for the days ahead in the highlands.