Balatoc Mining Tour: Experience the Thrill of the Underground

Yours truly at the main gate of Benguet Mining Corporation.

We wanted to go up North in Baguio City, but for a change we decided to visit places we haven't been to, that means--no Burnham Park, no Camp John Hay, no Wright Park etc...

We ended up going to Benguet Mining Corporation in Balatoc, Itogon, Benguet. What made the trip more exciting was that we all became a miner for a day. We got to wear a typical miner's hard-hats and boots. We learned all the tools a miner uses to search for gold.

Hamming it up before the camera.

Kyle in a miner's hat.

 Part of the tour was to witness a real dynamite explosion inside the cave to make visitors like us feel what it's like to hear such but we were assured by the tour guide that it was safe since we're pretty far from the actual place where they had lit them. We were lucky to ride on the underground locomotive mine train in the famous Vegas tunnel. The mining tour ended with our own certificate to boot and we were given our own chapa ID for keepsake.

My Mom with complete Miner gear.

My relatives behind a mining statue.

my niece, Faye Sulit holding her "miner for a day "certificate.

My cousin Jamie, with a gold bar.

BALATOC MINES UNDERGROUND TOUR
Cut-off time: 2:30 PM
Tour fees: P150 --student
                P250--non-student

How to get there?

Private vehicles: From Baguio City Proper (landmark--Camp John Hay Main Gate), take Loakan road, After Philippine Military Academy, turn left at Kias Junction going to Balatoc.

Public Utility Vehicle: Take Balatoc-Acupan jeepney line at the Baguio Patriotic High School across Melvin Jones Grandstand in front of Petron Gasoline station, Baguio City. Trips depart every hour daily. Taxi cabs are available too!

For further inquiries: email: balatocminestour@benguetcorp.com
call 0921-2790357 for reservations.