Most Halloween plans end with a costume and a sugar crash. Ours runs a little deeper. This October, Mt. Camisong is marking the season with Gunita: Festival of Remembrance, a nod to the Filipino tradition that fills the days around Undas, when we light candles, visit the people we’ve lost, and tell their stories again.
Gunita is the Filipino word for memory: the act of calling something back and piecing it together. That idea runs through everything we’ve lined up between October 17 and November 2. One event hands you a mystery to reconstruct from scattered clues. Another is about making new memories over drinks at golden hour. The last lets kids chase a small adventure of their own. Here’s what’s on, and how to join each one.
What’s on this October
1. Hinala: Mystery in the Mountains, a group detective game: select dates, October 17 to November 2
2. Bar takeover with Yggy David of The Backbar & Co. at Alapaap Dining: October 24
3. Gunita Treasure Hunt for kids: October 31 to November 2
Round up your barkada for Hinala: Mystery in the Mountains
This is the one that leans straight into gunita. Something has happened at Mt. Camisong, and the clues are scattered across the park. Your team gathers the evidence, connects the dots, and settles three questions: who did it, how, and why. It’s a brain game, not a jump-scare haunt, run by a Game Master across about 90 minutes.
When: October 17 to November 2, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. By advance booking. Walk-ins are taken when a slot is open.
Where: Kanlungan Hall
Who: Teams of 3 to 10. Three cases to pick from, by age: The Stolen Vase (7 and up), The Lost Boy (13 and up), The Last Transmission (18 and up).
Price: ₱1,500/team (entrance fee not included), or ₱1,350 for annual pass holders. Add ₱150 for each person beyond 10.
Inclusions: A post-game photo session: 10 digital shots and 1 free Instax print.
Catch the bar takeover with Yggy David of The Backbar & Co.
On October 24, Alapaap Dining hands the bar over to Yggy David. He’s a local bartender who thinks the best part of a night out isn’t the drinks, but the conversations they spark. In 2025, he opened his own speakeasy, The Backbar & Co., and now he’s bringing that style and mixology to Mt. Camisong. Expect good drinks, a little showmanship, and easy company, right around golden hour.
When: October 24, 4:00 to 7:00 PM.
Where: Alapaap Dining
Price: ₱850, or ₱500 for annual pass holders.
Inclusions: A free shuttle, park entrance fee, and one (1) glass of cocktail/mocktail.
E-shuttle pickup point: Mint Green Waiting Shed (Breath Baguio Waiting Shed), past Wright Park Hotel.
Bring the kids to the Gunita Treasure Hunt
From October 31 to November 2, the little ones get their own adventure, open to anyone ages three and up.
When: October 31 to November 2, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM daily. Runs continuously, so drop by anytime.
Who: Ages 3 and up.
Where: Hiraya Ticketing Booth
Price: ₱600/child (entrance fee not included), or ₱540/child for annual pass holders.
Inclusion: Face painting, an Instax mini photo, food vouchers, and treats.
How to get there
Mt. Camisong Forest Park and Events sits in Barangay Loacan, Itogon, Benguet, about 30 to 45 minutes from Baguio City by way of Ambuklao Road. If you’re taking our regular Baguio shuttle, it picks up at the Mint Green Waiting Shed past Wright Park Hotel. There are no reservations, and seats go first come, first served, so give yourself some buffer time.
For entrance details and annual passes, visit mtcamisong.com.
One more thing before you go
Gunita isn’t really about fear. It’s about the people and the stories we carry, and giving ourselves a few October days somewhere quiet enough to actually remember them. Pick the one that fits your crowd, whether that’s a mystery with friends, a drink at golden hour, or a treasure hunt with the kids. Then come find us in the ferns.
