Discover Zip Line at Camp Sabros, Kapatagan, Digos City, Philippines!
19 Comments Written by dmeemai
on
March 31, 2008 – 12:46 pm
Email This Post
popping..Explore Camp Sabros, Kapatagan!
The latest buzz in the island of Southeast Mindanao, Philippines is Camp Sabros located in Kapatagan, Digos City. A beautiful area atop a mountainous wilderness of lush greens, 3980 feet above sea level. The cool climate is very welcoming in contrast to the 91 °F / 33 °C temperature in the lowlands. Just about every spot is a photo perfect opportunity! If you’re lucky, you can even see Mt. Apo’s majestic form on a clear day. We weren’t so lucky.
Camp Sabros used to be a private resthouse of the Sacdalans until word got out of how breathtaking the place is! It is managed by brothers Edwin and Pando Sacdalan hence coining “Sabros,” short for Sacdalan brothers.
L-R: Aling, Sheila, Pooh, Mitch, Jaz, Edwin Sacdalan-co owner of Camp Sabros and Moi!
The zip line ride is a recent addition to the camp but now is primarily the reason people from all over flock the park. My best friend Jaz along with other friends in General Santos got invited last year for a private outing but there was no zip line at that time. When the camp was featured in the Philippine TV show Sports Unlimited showing TV personality, Dyan Castillejo having the time of her life riding the zip line, I knew I had to experience it before going back to the States. So I did it!!
I have a slight fear of heights but I just braved it! 380 and 400 meter long, 180 feet deep, the zip line in Camp Sabros is considered the longest zip line in the Philippines. Edwin was so gracious and helpful. He personally assisted our group during our rides! Check out our video and you’ll see how fidgety and restless I was as we were being prepared for the ride and strapped. But I did it, I conquered the zip line! What a thrilling experience!
Some basic information:
1. Travel Time.
Expect about an hour and a half to two hours drive either coming from Davao or General Santos City.
2. Transportation.
You need a 4×4 truck or SUV to conquer the rough, rugged and steep road about 6 minutes short of reaching the camp. For the adventurous and driving via car, you can always leave your vehicle at the base camp of the Mt. Apo National Park and the Mt. Apo Mountaineers’ Trail checkpoint and trek uphill for about 20 minutes or so to get to Camp Sabros.
3. How to get there.
Either from Davao or General Santos, just follow the national road going to Digos City. When you’re in Digos, find the sign that says “This way to Kapatagan” along the right side of the highway. You can’t miss it coming from Davao, but we did from Gensan because the sign is facing one way- from Davao side! Turn right and let the winding road take you to Kapatagan and at the base of the Mt. Apo National Park and Mt. Apo Mountaineer’s trail checkpoint.
4. Accommodation.
There are log cabins with fireplace and its own comfort rooms available for rent for 4 to 10 persons. The price ranges from Php 1,200 to Php 2,000. Personally, I don’t recommend the overnight stay and suggest the day tour only unless you crave the idea of a Baguio-like atmosphere where it’s cooler at night and there’s fog everywhere. Having spent almost all my summers in Baguio City and now living in the east coast, the last thing I want for a vacation is to be in a cool place.
We left General Santos City around 9am and arrived at the camp around 11. We checked out the area, ate our packed lunch, went for the rides of our life in the zip line and by 3pm we were ready to head back home to General Santos.
The thing is, after riding the zip line and checking out the entire area for like 10 minutes- what do you do?! There’s absolutely nothing else! The good part is, there is no rush except when the camp gets really crowded (and there’s a long queue at the zip ride) then you might want to allow extra time. On normal days, a full day is enough to do everything. The camp covers a small area that there’s really not a lot to explore. You can commune with nature and get in touch with your inner self, etc. but all I’m saying is that: take lotsa photos, explore, experience the zip, have a picnic and go home! That sounds better but that’s just me…! Go ahead, try the overnight stay- you might get to see Mt. Apo’s peak when the fog clears! 
5. Fees.
The place is wonderful and the zip line ride was fantastic! One thing that impressed me more however is the FREE entrance to the place! Absolutely no entrance or corkage fees. You only pay for the zip line ride! How nice is that? The zip line fee isn’t so bad either!
One zip line ride and one cable car ride to bring you back:
Riding in twos: Php 150.00/head
Riding solo: Php 200.00
Riding the zip line to and fro: Php 400.00
6. Food.
Mess hall
Have a picnic, bring your own baon (packed meal)! That’s what we did, so really, all we only paid for was the zip ride and gasoline for the pick up truck. They offer food and drinks to order if you don’t want to bring food. The prices for snacks and food are so affordable (from Php20.00 to Php50.00)! Don’t expect gourmet food as you are in the middle of nowhere. Just your basic Tapsilog (Beef jerky, rice and egg) and corned beef with rice kind-of-meal should do just fine.
7. Contact information
Currently, the only way to know get more information is getting in touch with the owners directly. For more inquiries, contact Edwin Sacdalan at 09208750015. As you know, this rising attraction in the Southeastern Mindanao is flocked everyday with local tourists. Edwin is also getting calls by great number so if you have to contact him, introduce yourself via text messaging first for courtesy before making the call. You’re more likely to be entertained that way when you call as your number is already registered via text.
I wanna go there, so soon!
Great post.
Would you be interested in being a guest blogger at Wazzup Manila.
http://www.wazzupmanila.com/wazzup-manila-guest-blogger
thanks for stumbling David! Would love to be a guest blogger on Wazzup Manila! thanks for the invite!
I was thinking this is Baguio until you pointed out this is somewhere in Mindanao. This looks like a nice place indeed. Hope to see more developments of this place. Nice pictures here.
Looks like a lot of fun!
wow! we got there yesterday and it was so nice.. very breathtaking place.i love it so much!!
Wow, looks like a very interesting pace.
Greetings po… may 720 meter zipline na po sa Davao City… said to be the longest in Asia, yet… Sa Outland Adventure daw po… sige God bless… hope you try it… its the best
Thanks for the info Belteshazzar! I will definitely note that and go on my next visit. I’ve heard about Outland Adventure, yung may river rafting ba yun or was it water-tubing?? Unfortunately, limited ang time ko and ang dami ng naka plano. Pag balik ko sa Pinas, i will include it on my itinerary. I LOVE DAVAO!!
hi, thanks for the info, a great help indeed. If you dont mind me asking, will it be possible to get there via the public transpo??
hi farrah. thanks for the visit! Naku, as far as i know there are no jeepneys that goes in that area. What i do know is that wherever you are coming from, you can commute all the way to Digos and from the Digos terminal, hire a jeepney or other public transpo who would be willing to take you. “Pakyaw” kumbaga.
i discourage this idea though because it is a risk. i don’t know if indeed some jeep would take you and the more important question is: how much they will charge!! you know how they can be sometimes! baka mapa-subo kayo sa presyo. it is still best to hire a private transpo from where you’re coming from at least no surprises with the pricing…
Sorry i have no further information than that. salamat ulit sa dalaw…
did this zipline twice already and did the newer one once and hindi pa rin nakakasawa. nakaka-adik! hehehehe!
Hi, just saw the query re: public transportation to Camp Sabros. yes, they have public transpo going there and we did go in Camp Sabros twice. The jeepneys going to Brgy. Kapatagan. Fare is P80 per person but you can negotiate with the driver naman for a day trip. Because of the influx of tourists in the area, the police and military are working hand in hand to secure the place. Aside from Camp Sabros, try to get to the nearby Agong House. it’s just a 5 minute-drive from Camp Sabros from the highway. here’s my post about it..http://marites1034.bravejournal.com/entry/2559. hope this will help:) have fun!
Great info Marites and much needed!! I’ll incorporate it on my blog. Thanks for sharing!
Hi, check out my post about Camp Sabros here
hi,
am from cebu and we did water rafting in cag de oro last august and it was there where i first learned also that we should do zip line to cross a river but then somebody suggested in digos davao the longest line is there in the phils - but i just keep it to myself and said one day soon…. true enough just last Dec 30 my friend and i decided to search what digos has to offer and i come accross to your article and the pictures - can’t help it the adrenaline rush flashed back when i climbed first time and it’s mt. apo last march via kidapawan trail…zipping sounds a lot of fun hah i was hoping edwin did not changed his number. i called up the following morning and was told they were fully booked for guest to stay overnight and celebrate new year’s eve…it did not stop up we drived up anyways….the long narrow ups and down road plus the feeling of insecurity being in unfamiliar place and people…..it was raining when we reached the kapatagan check point waiting - and guess what? a guest cancelled his reservation coming from manila and we got the governor’s cottage - -whoah! what a pang of relief! We enjoyed the night very much celebrating the new year at camp sabros where we got to know not only edwin and his wife ciara but maybe the entire family so accomodating. First thing we did on new years day of 2009 -experience Zip Line ….it’s a total thrilling fun experience like no other with the breathtaking nature the surrounds the camp..what else can you ask? thanks for the info.
@jong: sounds like a great way to spend overnight at the camp- I love the way you guys did it!! Sounded risky and adventurous, going up with no definite booking- and yet worked out to be a good decision after all. Plus you get to meet the entire family of the Sacdalans. They are very nice people! I’m sure the camp is much better and improved now than it was when I was there months ago. Edwin talked about improvements a lot… glad the number I have is still active.
I was going to do water rafting in Cagayan on my last visit but schedule was too tight for me- too much activities to squeeze in. I would definitely do it on my next visit! Thank you for commenting back and sharing your story! I really appreciate the visit.
Happy new year you! Be safe on your adventures…