BAJA SUR

Unforgettable trip that my family and I were soooo glad to have experienced! Everything was carefully and well planned out from the lodging to trip itinerary to food and transportation.

• Day 1: Welcome to Rancho Cacachilas!

  After arrival on your own to La Paz, BCS, we will meet at a hotel downtown (this info will be provided to participants) at 2pm for a 45-minute transfer to Rancho Cacachilas.

  Our guides will welcome us at the ranch where we’ll have a tour of the property and get settled into our glamping tents for the next few days. We’ll have free time at the ranch this afternoon to explore, relax, and get to know each other before coming together for our first group dinner.

• Day 2: Ranch Activities

  After breakfast, you’ll get to participate in your choice of adventure activities:

  • Mule Ride
  • Mountain Bike Ride (Intermediate-Advanced riders only)
  • Hike

  Each participant has the opportunity to select their first choice of activity (first-come, first-served) upon booking (see “Ranch Activities” under the Logistics & FAQ tab for more details).

  Then we’ll have lunch together and enjoy a free afternoon at the ranch until happy hour and dinner. At night, weather permitting, we’ll be able to watch the stars from the star gazing deck.

• Day 3: Ranch Activities

  After breakfast, we have the opportunity to participate either in a workshop or another choice of adventure activities:

  Workshops:

  • Regional Cooking
  • Artisanal Cheese
  • Photography with your Smartphone

  Adventure Activities:

  • Mule Ride
  • Mountain Bike Ride (Intermediate-Advanced riders only)
  • Hike

  Each participant has the opportunity to select their first choice of workshop and activity (first-come, first-served) upon booking (see “Ranch Activities” under the Logistics & FAQ tab for more details).

  Then we’ll have lunch together and enjoy a free afternoon at the ranch until happy hour and dinner. At night, weather permitting, we’ll be able to watch the stars from the star gazing deck.

• Day 4: Welcome to Isla Espiritu Santo!

  After breakfast, we’ll say goodbye to our guides at the ranch and transfer back to La Paz. There we’ll get our wet suits and snorkeling gear loaded up and head out by boat to Espiritu Santo Island and the gorgeous Camp Cecil.

  The boat transfer is about an hour through the waters of the Sea of Cortez into Espiritu Santo National Park, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the best marine life viewing destinations in the world. Whales, dolphins, whale sharks, sea turtles, manta rays and plenty of beautiful tropical fish call the surrounding waters home, while a terrific range of bird species including Blue-footed Boobies, Reddish Egrets, Great Blue Herons and Yellow-footed Gulls frequent the island’s skies and shores. The island itself is stunning, with magnificent towering cliffs, spectacular sandy bays, amazing lava rock formations, and rock art left by the now-extinct Guaycura and Pericu Indians. There’s even an endemic ring-tailed cat, the babisuri. It’s a remarkable place to explore, and it is our home for the next three nights.

  Once there, the island crew will give us a tour of the camp, get us settled into our tents, then feed us the first of many wonderful meals. The next few days will follow a rhythm of relaxing, eating delicious food freshly prepared by our private, on-island chef, and venturing out to explore our surroundings via our choice of adventure activities.

  Some of these activities must be accessed by boat and will therefore be organized ahead of time each day, and some are at leisure.

  These adventure activities include:

  • Kayaking (organized activity)
  • Swimming/Snorkeling with Sea Lions (organized activity)
  • Stand Up Paddle Boarding (SUPs are available at camp and may be used at leisure)
  • Birding
  • Hiking (organized activity)
  • Star Gazing
  • Hanging out on the beach!

  Each day we’ll come together for meals and drinks, but this adventure will be what you choose to make of it!

• Day 5: Isla Espiritu Santo Activities

  Each day we’ll come together for meals and drinks, but this adventure will be what you choose to make of it!

  Some of these activities must be accessed by boat and will therefore be organized ahead of time each day, and some are at leisure.

  Here are the adventure activity options at Camp Cecil:

  • Kayaking (organized activity)
  • Swimming/Snorkeling with Sea Lions (organized activity)
  • Stand Up Paddle Boarding (SUPs are available at camp and may be used at leisure)
  • Birding
  • Hiking (organized activity)
  • Star Gazing
  • Hanging out on the beach!

• Day 6: Isla Espiritu Santo Activities

  Each day we’ll come together for meals and drinks, but this adventure will be what you choose to make of it!

  Some of these activities must be accessed by boat and will therefore be organized ahead of time each day, and some are at leisure.

  Here are the adventure activity options at Camp Cecil:

  • Kayaking (organized activity)
  • Swimming/Snorkeling with Sea Lions (organized activity)
  • Stand Up Paddle Boarding (SUPs are available at camp and may be used at leisure)
  • Birding
  • Hiking (organized activity)
  • Star Gazing
  • Hanging out on the beach!

• Day 7: Depart Isla Espiritu Santo, Transfer to La Paz

  After breakfast we will bid farewell to our island home and get back on the boat to head back to La Paz. We will be dropped off around 11am at the same hotel where we met at the beginning of the week. This is where our trip ends.

  Onward travels and transfers are on your own.

From the moment we met up with Jackie… I instantly felt like we were in good hands. She knew the language extremely well, knew the area, and most importantly had a laid back “we’ve got this” enjoyable vibe. …The guides that Jackie had arranged were not just top notch, but FUN, and unforgettable. Each of them were knowledgeable about the area, history, wildlife, plants and ecology. They obviously loved what they did and loved sharing it with others.

TRIP COST: $2,995 per person

WHAT’S INCLUDED

• All meals from dinner on Day 1 through breakfast on final day
• Accommodations in canvas glamping tent or indoor suite at ranch
• Roundtrip from La Paz ranch transfer
• Ranch to table meals throughout your stay at the ranch
• 1-2 adventure activities and/or 1 workshop at the ranch
• Certified bilingual guide at ranch
• Island experience: Bilingual naturalist guide/professionally licensed driver who is a certified Wilderness First Responder, NOM-9 graduate and Leave No Trace certified
• Roundtrip from La Paz Island transfer
• Daily happy hour
• All adventures and related equipment including swimming with sea lions, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, birding, hiking, snorkeling, and star gazing
• Accommodations on island in large dome tents with real beds, lovely linens, towels for beach and bath, outside chairs. Tents are 6′ high, 83 sq. ft. and can have one king bed or 2 twin beds. Camp has compost toilet cabanas and sunshower cabanas.
• Panga support during island adventure activities
• Entrance fees and permits

WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED

• Flights, baggage fees, delay costs
• Public transportation outside of itinerary
• Mountain bike rental at ranch
• Travel insurance, medical insurance including Covid-19, immunizations, visas, passports
• Tips and gratuities
• Alcohol outside of what’s provided
• Personal expenses and equipment

Hello friend,

Jackie here with a personal invitation for you to join me in Baja California Sur this February. If you’ve been following my story for many, many years, you may know that I first came to Baja in 2014 on a Workaway (episode 5 of my podcast). That was literally the same week I launched the podcast into the world (like I said, seems like forever ago).

On another life-changing visit to Baja in 2015, I was introduced to some of the endless adventure activities in the region, and I was also introduced to the magical town (literally, it’s a “pueblo mágico”) of Loreto, with which, for reasons inexplicable (magic?), I immediately fell in love.

I ended up moving to Loreto at the end of 2016 for a few months while I was nomadic, and my time there marked a major milestone in my personal healing journey since my “departure” in 2015. What can I say, there’s a LOT of sunshine in Baja.

I have continued to go back and visit this very special-to-me place as often as makes sense, and I have continued to explore the endless adventures that this unique and beautiful region has to offer. Long have I wanted to share these adventures and discoveries with you beyond the stories in a podcast episode, and now I’ve finally figured out how to start doing just that.

Enter – this gorgeous itinerary that brings together two of the most important elements of Baja’s tradition and culture – the mountain ranch experience, and the wild nature of the sea.

I hope you decide to see what Baja has in store for YOU by accepting my invitation to simply show up, alongside me, ready for adventure and open to opportunity.

I hope to see you in Baja this February!

❤️ Jackie

Take a chance, ignore that voice in your head that fills you with doubt and let this new experience change you. The experiences you will have, friends you will make, food you will eat, laughs you will share, and challenges you will overcome far outweigh any negative thoughts or self doubt you had before you left.

• TRIP LEADER & GUIDES

  Jackie will be there, and she can’t wait to introduce you to the expert guides from two partner companies she’s worked with in the past – Rancho Cacachilas and Todos Santos Eco Adventures.

• FLIGHT & TRANSPORTATION

  The state of Baja California Sur occupies the lower half of the Baja peninsula in Mexico. The two airport options are San Jose del Cabo (SJD, typically the better-served airport) and La Paz (LAP).

  This itinerary starts at 2pm on Day 1 with a pick up and ends at 11am on Day 7 with a drop off from a downtown hotel in the city of La Paz. Check Daily Itinerary for more info.

  Airfare and ground transportation to and from the start and end of this itinerary in La Paz are not included.

• RANCH ACTIVITIES

  While at Rancho Cacachilas, we will have the opportunity to choose from and participate in the following adventure activities, which may be selected by preference upon booking.

  Adventure Activities (Days 2 and 3 of itinerary):

  • Mule Ride: Mules have been a cultural tradition for generations in Baja, as they are bred for their strength, stamina, and sure-footedness in the rocky and sandy terrain of the desert. A local ranchero will guide you on this ride. Maximum 7 people. Minimum 2.
  • Mountain Bike Ride: Intermediate-Advanced riders only, cross country terrain, mountain bikes are not included but are available for rent, and you may make your selection upon booking, between a regular mountain bike ($65) or an e-mountain bike ($105) (full-suspension). You may also bring your own bike. Maximum 12 riders. Minimum 2.
  • Hike: Explore the trails deep into the desert mountain behind the ranch, learn about the ranch’s watershed and land management, learn about the flora and fauna of Baja. No maximum or minimum participants.

  Workshop Options (Day 3):

  • Regional Cuisine: Join our in-house chef for regional cuisine preparation and demonstration.
  • Artisanal Cheese: We have goats and our own creamery! Join us for an artisanal goat cheese workshop with the expert cheese-making team on our ranch property.
  • Photography with your Smartphone: Join a local photographer and learn about composition, lighting, color, and photo editing all with your cell phone, while using the desert landscape as your practice stage.

  Please note that on Day 3, the adventure activities and the workshops take place at the same time, so you will only have time to choose one on Day 3. You may make your preferred selections upon booking (first-come, first-served). We will do our best to accommodate everyone’s preferences, as long as we hit the right minimums and stay within our maximums for each activity.

• ISLAND ACTIVITIES

  Espiritu Santo National Park in the Sea of Cortez is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is one of the best marine life viewing destinations in the world. Whales, dolphins, whale sharks, sea turtles, manta rays and plenty of beautiful tropical fish call the surrounding waters home, while a terrific range of bird species including Blue-footed Boobies, Reddish Egrets, Great Blue Herons and Yellow-footed Gulls frequent the island’s skies and shores.

  The island itself is stunning, with magnificent towering cliffs, spectacular sandy bays, amazing lava rock formations, and rock art left by the now-extinct Guaycura and Pericu Indians. There’s even an endemic ring-tailed cat, the babisuri.

  You can spend each day doing exactly what pleases you – kayaking, snorkeling, hiking, swimming with sea lions, stand up paddle boarding, bird watching. Checking out cave art, hidden lagoons, deserted beaches. Reading, napping, swimming, chillin’. Sipping margaritas, gazing at stars. It’s a remarkable place to explore.

  Some of these activities must be accessed by boat and will therefore be organized ahead of time each day, and some are at leisure.

  Island Adventure Activities:

  • Kayaking (organized activity)
  • Swimming/Snorkeling with Sea Lions (organized activity)
  • Stand Up Paddle Boarding (SUPs are available at camp and may be used at leisure)
  • Birding
  • Hiking (organized activity)
  • Star Gazing
  • Hanging out on the beach!

• GLAMPING TENTS & RANCH SUITES

  *If you would specifically like to stay in the ranch suite, you can let us know upon booking

  Rancho Cacachilas Canvas Tents:

  During your stay, you can sleep in our original Palapa Casitas. Safari style tents immersed in the desert ecosystem of the Sierra de las Cacachilas, with amazing views of the bay of La Ventana.

  Inside your Palapa Casita you will find:

  • King Size bed or 2 twin size beds
  • Reading chair
  • Terrace with hammocks, chairs and table
  • Bed side tables
  • Water jug
  • Mirror
  • Bench
  • Interior light
  • Battery for charging your phone
  • Radio for communication with guides
  • Storage space
  • Towel

  Ranch suite (limited availability: 3-4 spots total – this would be perfect for a group of friends who don’t want to sleep in a tent for the entire trip – you can request upon booking):
  Cozy private room, decorated in the true Ranchero style, surrounded by desert flora and a mesmerizing, panoramic view of the Sea of Cortes and to the Sierra de las Cacachilas from its terrace.

  Inside the suite you will find:

  • Queen size bed
  • Bunk beds
  • Table and chairs
  • Dresser
  • Towel
  • Plugs to charge your phone
  • Fan
  • Interior light and terrace
  • Radio for communication with guides
  • Water jug

  Camp Cecil Dome Tents:

  Our camp features large dome tents with real beds, lovely linens, towels for beach and bath, and chairs for sitting outside.

• DOUBLE OCCUPANCY

  Rates are based on double occupancy, which means everyone will have a roommate with twin share rooms. Solo travelers will be placed with same gender roommates (you do not need a travel buddy to sign up!). If you’re signing up with friends, you may request your roommate upon booking.

  If you’d like a single room all to yourself, you must book and pay for two spots, as space is limited at our camps.

• TRAVEL INSURANCE

  Deposits are non-refundable. Please click here to view our Booking Terms & Conditions. Each participant is highly encouraged to purchase CFAR (Cancel For Any Reason insurance) as soon as you book your trip, to protect your travel investment as well as have personal luggage and medical coverage, not to mention peace of mind! Click here to get CFAR quotes from battleface insurance.

• BANKING & CURRENCY

  The currency of Mexico is the Mexican peso (MXN). Current exchange rates can be found at http://x-rates.com. Dollars are widely accepted throughout Baja Sur, and many, but not all, locations accept credit cards, mainly Visa and MasterCard. In general, only the largest resorts accept American Express.

• MEXICO ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

  All U.S. and Canadian citizens and permanent residents visiting Mexico must have a valid passport (and permanent residency card, if applicable) to enter. Upon arrival to the airport, you must present fully completed immigration and customs forms (provided on inbound flight). Keep the bottom part of the immigration form in your passport. This is your tourist visa for the duration of your stay in Mexico, and you must present it when you exit the country. Proceed through baggage claim and customs. At customs you will be asked to push a button. If the light glows green, you are free to go. If the light glows red, your luggage will be subject to further inspection before exiting the secure area.

• INTERNET AVAILABILITY

  Internet is available in all regions. Most hotels in the mid-range and above categories provide Wi-Fi or access to connected computer terminals.

  While there is WiFi provided in the common area at the ranch, cell service may be limited.

  There is no WiFi or cell service available on the island. Prepare to be off grid for the second half of this itinerary.

• BATHROOMS & SHOWERS

  At the ranch, we will have bucket showers and hydraulic toilets.

  BUCKET SHOWERS – In order to preserve water, our most precious resource in the desert, we offer an authentic ranch experience with our bucket showers so you can shower like a true Ranchero!

  HYDRAULIC TOILETS – You will also find 3 stations with hydraulic toilets throughout our camp.

  On the island, we will have sun showers and compost toilet cabañas.

• ELECTRICITY & PLUG STANDARDS

  Electrical outlets, plugs, and voltage are all exactly the same as in the United States, so if your electronics work there, they will work in Mexico with no adaptors or converters required. From other parts of the globe, you will need the same adaptations you would need for traveling to the United States.

  At the ranch, there are charging stations in the common area.

  On the island, we will have access to solar panels for charging phones and cameras.

  Bring a battery pack for charging your items in the glamping tents.

• CLIMATE & WEATHER

  The weather from November through April is generally perfect, with highs during the day in the mid to upper 70s and lows at night in the upper 50s to mid-60s. There may be windy days that can have an impact on certain adventures, and the occasional rainy day.