During the first night of our #LakbayNorte8 in Pampanga, we were taken to a lawn-covered ground surrounded by towering trees in Clark. “We’re going to go glamping,” our host told us travel writers and vloggers as we got out of our chartered bus. Surveying the scene, I immediately saw the rows of tents pitched for us and a wooden table full of charcuterie boards screaming of an incoming feast.
Lakbay Norte 8: Bonfire Bonding, Charcuterie Feasting and Glamping at El Kabayo | Pampanga
The cold January wind made the location a perfect place to go camping without enduring the rigors of the outdoors, offering all the sleek conveniences of modern glamping instead. The lit bonfire, the clear nighttime skies, and the Christmas lights hanging beautifully on the pine trees made the scene a cinematographer's dream. Everything was incredibly appealing visually.
Grabbing my backpack from our bus, I hurried to my assigned tent. Inside was a soft, inviting mattress complete with curated self-care kits and premium toiletries.
Ditching the call of rest for the time being, I dumped my stuff inside before heading back out to the table where grand grazing boards filled with cold cuts, chips, cheese, nuts, rich dips, and bottles of wine awaited us.
The charcuterie spread was expertly catered by Amante Ribs x Steak, a popular steakhouse located directly within the property of El Kabayo Stables and Picnic Grounds. While helping myself to the sumptuous finger foods and a glass of wine, I saw the owner approaching to welcome our media group.
“Who Met the Sheriff?”
Known affectionately as "The Sheriff," Mr. Gabby Lao was the visionary owner of El Kabayo Stables and Picnic Grounds. According to him, the creative idea behind the property stemmed directly from his childhood memories of watching vintage Western TV shows. After acquiring that land parcel in Clark, he transformed that fantasy into reality by constructing a detailed, miniature Western-themed town replica, complete with old-school saloons and inns located right adjacent to the active campsite.
As a means of keeping their guests entertained, El Kabayo also offered an array of outdoor experiences, such as horseback riding, targeted archery, and classic carriage rides. Alongside the elegant dining setup, we also stuffed our mouths with sweet marshmallows roasted over a roaring open bonfire.
A few hundred meters from the main campsite area was where the fully integrated shower rooms and modern restrooms were located. There were also readily available electrical sockets positioned safely near the individual tents to charge up our electronic gadgets.
A Space for Team Building and Family Connections
While I still traditionally preferred to rough it out in the deep backcountry when given a choice to go camping, I thoroughly appreciated the comfortable, upscale outdoor vibe of El Kabayo. The property formed a highly logical spot to conduct corporative team building sessions or memorable bonding getaways for families and groups of friends.
Thanks to a wine-fueled conversation among my travel writer peers that stretched comfortably until midnight, combined with the cooling mountain breeze, I enjoyed a wonderful sleep inside my tent. I woke up briefly in the middle of the night to take a bathroom walk, and upon stepping outside, saw the stars completely visible across the clear dark sky.
The sudden romantic thought of just laying out directly on the grass appealed to me immensely, but ultimately, as I returned to my pod, the call of my soft mattress reverberated much louder.
Before stepping back inside my tent, I took a long, final look at the fancy fairy lights hanging from the trees and thought to myself, "This is such a wonderful place to spend our very first night of Lakbay Norte 8."
