There’s more to these monthly hikes than just climbing mountains

Hiking is having its moment in the sun. More and more city dwellers are heeding the call of the outdoors, looking to get into hiking, and explore what else life has to offer beyond the daily urban grind.

It’s a great little hobby too: apart from getting some much-needed exercise, hiking also allows everybody to reconnect with nature.

RELATED: 12 career lessons trekking Mt. Binutasan in Rizal taught me

And this particular series of monthly hikes— which happen every third Sunday of the month — aims to open your eyes to the plight of refugees.

Starting May, UNHCR and eco-tourism group Trail Adventours will be organizing monthly hikes to “step in solidarity with refugees.”

For 12 months, the hikes courtesy of the partnership will try to cover a total of 2B kilometers, replicating the cumulative distance refugees around the world take to reach the first point of safety.

Before haters react and retort, “why should we care for refugees?” GMA reporter and UNHCR ambassador Atom Araullo says that is a valid point.

“It's true maraming mahihirap sa atin. But I think it’s important for Filipinos to show solidarity [with refugees] if only because we know how that’s like. We know what it’s like to be displaced,” Atom Araullo told GMA News Online during the launch of the hikes at Rizal’s Mt. Nagpatong.

Atom Araullo, Trail Adventours, and various members of the media at Mt. Nagpatong in Rizal, the hiking launch of the 2B Km to safety.

“As we enjoying hiking in the beautiful mountains in the Philippines — the nature of these events, of these disasters is we never know when it’s going to happen. It’s a great equalizer,” he continues.

Through the monthly hikes, the 2B KM Road to Safety Campaign aims to match the aforementioned distance all refugees travel on a yearly basis.

Participants can log in their distances on the website of the global campaign, or through their fitness trackers.

You can join the hikes by registering on the Trail Adventours’ website. According to Guido Sarreal of Trail Adventours, interested hikers can register as early as they please, as there are only 18-20 slots per hike.

Guido adds they usually close registration Wednesday before the actual hike (which is on the 3rd Sunday of the month).  

After registering, interested hikers will have to pay a minimal fee, which varies depending on the mountain to be climbed, but is usually in the P1,800 ballpark.

All proceeds will go to the UNHCR’s efforts to protect and support refugees.

Newbies, don't worry. They will keep the hikes relatively easy and friendly to beginners, often selecting mountains that have a grade difficulty level of 3-4 (highest in 9).

Check out this month's hike here.

Are you ready to #StepWithRefugees? We think so. — LA, GMA News