Where the River Flows and the Jungle Grows - Discovering Nature’s Secret in Igbalalay Hills, Balubal, CDO

Last weekend, my friends, a few members of the family, and I went on an adventure that we will never forget. We discovered a hidden paradise deep in the hills of Igbalalay, located in Balubal, Cagayan de Oro City. It was a simple plan; we just wanted a nature trip to a place we had never been, a place that was jungle-like and natural, a place untouched by human development. But what we found was so much more than we expected.

We packed our food, water, and lots of excitement. The weather was perfect, after days of rain, so we decided to leave home at 4:30 in the morning, and the air already felt different as we started walking through the trail at 5:30.

We started the journey by crossing the Agusan River. The river was knee-high and cold. We just made sure that our cellphones and extra clothes were put in waterproof backpacks and clutches. After crossing that river, lush greens met us, and we entered through a trail beneath it. The path wasn't easy. It was a real jungle trek, rough, wild, and absolutely beautiful.

After a kilometer of hiking through the deep jungle, we had to cross another river again, and as we went on with the journey, we not only crossed two rivers but several. Some parts were shallow, others deeper and slippery. One moment that really stuck with me was when my son lost one of his slippers in the river. It was carried away by the current before we could grab it. He had to continue the trek barefoot, all the way back home. It was a little sad and funny at the same time, but he didn’t complain, just kept going like a true adventurer.

The river was so clear and calm in some parts, and wild in others. The sound of the water flowing over the rocks felt like music. We took breaks along the way, dipped our feet, and felt the cool water refresh our tired legs. We laughed, helped each other, and made small memories with every step.

Then we saw something amazing, a giant cluster of tall bamboo trees. I’ve never seen anything like it. They reached up so high, and others formed a sort of arch above the trail. It felt magical... like we had stepped into a different world, a portal.

The sun rays were peeking through the leaves, and the air was cooler there. It was quiet, peaceful, and somehow felt enchanted. We all stood there for a while, just looking up and taking it in. That place felt sacred in its own natural way.

Another amazing thing we discovered was that, in the middle of that forest land, there was a small community where there were a few small houses, and there were families living in that small community. We never thought places like that had inhabitants living in peace and enjoying their very simple life. That was really awesome.

Along the way, we also met new friends because there were also people like us who had their nature trip in that 4-kilometer-long stroll of trekking and crossing rivers. And meeting those new friends made the journey even more fun and interesting.

At exactly 8 in the morning, we found ourselves wet after crossing around 9 rivers. I know that the 9 rivers we crossed were the same river we crossed over and over again from different locations in the jungle. That was magical, and it was right there when we could say how Almighty the hands of God are. He made everything so detailed, from the smallest to the biggest art of nature. Everything looks perfect and amazing!

We then led to a flat ground after crossing the 9th river. The ground was flat and no taller trees. It was bright, where you can see the sun with no big leaves and trees that could cover its rays. On that ground were a few tents, and people spent their night camping with nature. We could see they really enjoyed their escape, and others were collapsing their tents, ready to make their way back home.

We sat on the grass, drew our food from our backpacks, spread a mat under that palm tree that gave shade to explorers during the day, and started eating our breakfast. We ate, we talked, we laughed, and others took their bath in the clear river while others rode that big salbabida (inner tube) for rent and enjoyed.

We started our trek again at 3 in the afternoon and went home. It was not an easy journey; we got wet, tired, and even lost a slipper 😅, but the memories we made were worth every step.