Mount Banahaw Mt. Banahaw de Lucban is one mountain where the challenge does not lie in the steepness or length of the trails, but in the flora and fauna thereof. Its misty forest has an immaculate quality when viewed in pictures, but it is actually a wild jungle: trees and views grow in an anarchic fashion, obstructing the trails and creating a obstacle course, decked with infinite thorns and spikes. Meanwhile, different species of blood leeches pose a constant menace: the green-striped leech (seen in photo) is known as bulalangwan and is notorious for attacking soft tissues. Wild boar, deer, and monkeys have been sighted in the forest; its rich biodiversity has gained scientific interest. This environment is uninterrupted from the basecamp to the summit; the trees obstruct not only movement but vision: there are no views atop this mountain, making it appreciable only to true enthusiasts who will enjoy the ‘4×4 trekking’ in a less-frequented, pristine mountain trail.