The Timbac Mummy Rock Shelters in Kabayan, Benguet

Just as we cannot mention Baguio without Burnham Park, we cannot talk about Mt. Timbac without touching on the Timbac fire mummies, which were kept and preserved in the Timbac Mummy Rock Shelters, or more fondly known as Timbac Caves.

(Disclaimer: All photos are taken by me, unless otherwise indicated. Photo credits are given to Remi Roque and Mark Eric Licdan.)

It took almost an hour’s hike from the summit of Mt. Timbac to the road, where we haphazardly freshened up (thank goodness for wipes, lol) and then proceeded on another 30- to 45-minute walk (along the road, by the way) to where the jump-off for the Timbac Rock Shelters are. But the two of us (Lorie and I) who lagged behind kinda cheated, because we hitched a ride on an Elf truck that was headed the same way. Mwahahaha.

We had to register in the Visitor’s Log, and there is a corresponding fee to be paid to any tourist visiting this place.

Mummification is an ancient tradition among our Ibaloi ancestors, and there are key places in Benguet where these mummies are kept. Perhaps one of the most popularly known for this custom are the folks in Kabayan, and just one of the many proofs of that is the one situated in Barangay Pacso, Kabayan, Benguet.

(Looking at the list above, I’ve seen the Tinongchol Burial Rock and the Opdas Burial Caves, also in Kabayan. I have yet to see the Bangao Rock Shelter. Maybe in the future….?)

Yes, this is one of the reasons why “Mystical Kabayan” is living up to its name. There is, indeed, more than Mt. Pulag in this Benguet eco-tourism town (read about my Mt. Pulag conquests here). They also have the Four Lakes (which I talked about in this post), and many others.

It so happened that the store owner at the jump-off point was a relative of one of our companions, so we were allowed to leave our stuff at her home, and have some coffee and light grub before grabbing our cameras and heading down at 10am.

If the day before was spent going uphill (or upmountain, if we’re going to be technical about it), then today it’s going to be mostly downhill. The local government of Kabayan was mindful of non-trekkers who’d still like to check out the rock shelters without risking life or limb, or aching joints, and fixed the trail to be walking-friendly.

There was a long flight of stone-carved steps, with the sides fenced in to avoid anyone tumbling down the side of the mountain.

But if you have seen my previous posts about these types of day hikes that we go to, you’d probably know by now that we do not really like sticking to the trail. And whenever we find boulders that we can climb, well… we do.

And that’s where we fool around, too, even if our knees are practically shaking and trembling. YOLO, bruh.

It didn’t take long until we reached a locked gate, which will be unlocked and opened by a guide. Yes, anyone coming down here should have a guide with them, who they will meet upon registration. In our case, one of our companions (the relative of the store owner) is already close to being a local, and has been here many times before, so he was our guide. Oh, and we were accompanied by a kid who just randomly popped up while we were headed down.

15 minutes after we started our walk, we reached the first rock shelter.

Mind the rules, boys and girls.

The rock shelter is protected by iron grilles, and also locked. But if you have a guide with you, he can unlock it, and you can scoot in, lift the wooden lids, and take a peek at the mummies inside. Again, no pictures allowed.

The mummies in the Timbac Rock Shelters are known to be some of the best-preserved mummies in the country, and some even claim in the world, considering how they are not wrapped in anything or kept in a temperature- and pressure-controlled environment. They are simply placed in wooden crates or boxes, and placed inside these rock caves. There are no doors to even protect them from the elements. The temperature, pressure and humidity are all natural, so they are practically at the mercy of Mother Nature. But they are still so well-preserved, and they do not even smell musty or anything you’d expect from people who have been dead for centuries!

You know how the mummification process was well-done, in that you can even see clearly the tattoos of the mummy. It’s so fascinating to see, this age-old tradition being preserved like this.

Another short walk down will bring you to the second rock shelter. But please, do not just walk around without appreciating the beauty of nature surrounding you. That would be travesty.

This second rock shelter is also much deeper, and had visibly more wooden boxes/coffins inside. And same rules apply. Take pictures, but not of the mummies.

There is no doubt that this is a frequented spot, largely because it is accessible by car. When we were there, two groups followed us, mostly Caucasians and a couple of Latinas, even. I overheard one Caucasian couple remark how this is one inexpensive way to have a funeral and burial. 🙂

After leaving the rock shelters, we made a short walk further up, to a flat area where, supposedly, people converge and gather around for some merriment or a meeting. There are rocks arranged in a circle, around a larger rock that could pass for a long table, and a fire pit.

The mummy rock shelters are not the only attraction of this place, because the sights are breathtaking. Look far out, and you’ll be able to spot small towns of Atok, and the meandering mountain roads.

We headed back up at 11:00am, stopping again every once in a while to take in the views.

I can never fully express my gratitude of being a pure child of Benguet, especially when I see so much beauty and natural grandeur around me. I appreciate the conveniences of the urban and concrete jungle, and how it would seem to pander to anyone’s desire to have everything easy and effortlessly, but, as proven by a very recent hike through mud and a steep climb for a tree-planting activity, I realized more than ever how I feel most at home in the mountains. That I take great comfort in heights, especially when surrounded by browns and greens.

How to get to the Timbac Mummy Rock Shelters:

• if you have a car or a vehicle, you can drive straight from Baguio to Km. 55 There are signs that will lead you to the jump-off point. Just follow the road.
• if you will commute, take a van to Sayangan and, from there, rent any of the garage taxis to take you to the jump-off point. This’ll probably take you back less than Php500, one way, and cheaper if you’re in a group.