Cinco Picos Trail

Cinco Picos Trail is a long-distance hike in the Zambales Mountains near Sitio Cawag, Olongapo. The route is built around a sequence of climbs and returns with a typical day-hike schedule (often 7–9 hours total), rated moderate with some sections that feel strenuous depending on pace.

Expect repeated water features and wet crossings early in the hike, including river crossings that can involve submerging footwear/ankles in running water. You’ll then transition into forested assaults and steep trail segments where the grade increases notably.

A core part of the day is the sustained push through bamboo and forest trails, followed by sections of open ground. The route includes a loop of moving up toward Peak 1 and onward through successive peaks (five peaks total named for the summit group).

Typical tempo planning starts with early registration at Sitio Cawag and a dawn start; one common pattern is trekking begins around 5:15 AM after river crossings early on, with regrouping at springs and after major crossing points.

Peak 1 is reached later in the morning and is described as rocky/bouldery compared with the later peaks, with the route continuing via steeper, more technical-feeling scrambling/assault terrain toward Peak 2. The climb to Peak 2 is frequently described as steep and slippery when trails are eroded or dusty.

From Peak 2, the plan generally involves managing time for the remaining peaks (including Peak 3 through Peak 5). The return is usually done by descending the reverse route, which is often harder than the ascent when footing is loose or dusty.

Elevation on the route is on the order of hundreds of meters (up to around 559 m), with an often-cited distance in the ~7.4 km range and a common day-hike experience framed as moderate. If you’re bringing a group pace plan, keep extra time for multiple regroup points tied to crossings and water sources.

More information: CINCO PICOS: TRAIL TO WONDERLAND, MT. MALASIMBO: A QUENCHING SUMMER CLIMB 2015, Rainbow Mountains in Peru: Everything You Need to Know