I have always been a fan of night trekking. Although visibility is limited, the air is cooler, making trekking much easier. But never have I experienced anything more enchanting than trekking with fireflies.

Yes, magic exists!

Trekking with Fireflies

It was already dark when we reached our jump-off point for the Imugan Falls campsite after trekking the historical Malico trails. We considered switching on our headlamps, but too many insects were attracted to them, so we used them sparingly.

We had about a kilometer to walk to reach our destination—Imugan Falls, a thirty-five feet spring waterfall nestled between two mountains in the Caraballo Mountain Range, bordering Nueva Vizcaya and Pangasinan.

The 30-minute trek on an established trail was easy and breezy. The night was cool, with the soothing sound of the river beside us and the outlines of trees surrounding us. However, what made it truly memorable were the fireflies accompanying us—tiny flickers that embellished our surroundings and made our trail glitter. That was the closest I ever came to magic.

Our destination was our campsite near Imugan Falls. We had pitched our tents earlier and then set out to explore the Malico Trail. We were part of a large group, joining the Pilipinas Sierra's friendship climb, one of the mountaineering world's most awaited events.

Imugan Falls

Imugan Falls is one of Sta. Fe, Nueva Vizcaya's tourist attractions, with the jump-off point located about 7 kilometers from the National Highway down unpaved and winding roads.

Sta. Fe is indeed a beautiful town to explore.

Besides swimming, our organizers planned fun activities and games to keep us entertained. The team I joined managed to win two challenges, securing us a 2nd-place finish.

We departed from our campsite in the mid-afternoon before the fireflies made their appearance. Even though we said our goodbyes, we couldn't help but express gratitude to them for the enchanting experience.