- What's the weather like?
- What is Baja anyway?
- Do I need to know Spanish?
- What kind of clothes should I bring?
- Do I need vaccines?
- What if I've never camped before?
- How can Baja Trek operate such low cost tours?
- Is it safe?
- Do I need a visa?
- Are there any specials or discounts?
- Is there any kind of hidden charge, fuel levy or local payment?
- How do I reserve a seat?
- How many people are on each trek? Age?
- Will I need travelers' insurance?
- Where do we meet?
- Are you really eco-friendly?
- What about internet?
- Do you provide bathrooms? What about showers?
- Do I need to return back to San Diego after the Trek is over?
- What about a passport?
- When is the next Trek?
- What does '70% of meals' include?
- How many people can fit in Gus the Baja Beach Bus?
- Does everyone sleep in Gus?
- Who organizes and cooks the food?
Copyright ©2008 Baja Trek
Baja California Mexico is fortunate to have, arguably, some of the best weather anywhere. It is often sunny and dry throughout the year with cloudless skies. The average high daily temperature in June for example, is 89 degrees F/ 31 degrees C and 77 degrees F / 25 degrees C in December. Due to the low humidity of the region it seldom feels very hot or very cold. The corresponding weather in an area with Weather Underground - www.wunderground.com.
Baja
is naturally short for Baja California Mexico and is also sometimes
referred to as Lower California or the other California. It is the second
longest peninsula in the world and is part of Mexico. With water on
3 sides it is connected by land to the U.S. State of California.
Due to it's location and distance from the mainland of Mexico it has developed a unique culture. For many years it was thought to be an island. Because of it's sparse population it is known for spectacular uninhabited beaches, beautiful wildlife and is still considered to be undiscovered by tourism standards even though it is easy to reach by crossing the Border from the U.S. State of California. For more information on Baja please click here.
Contact Information
Email us
at:
trekkers@bajatrek.com
US number:
619-937-1546
Mexico
number:
+52-1-665-391-1682
Office
hours:
Mon-Fri. 9 am-5 pm PST
Not on the bus.
Fortunately, you can count on frequent stops that are made when needed
or asked for. On many Treks portable solar showers are carried and
provided. They are subject to the availability of fresh water. In some instances, during camping, the U.S. Forest Service approved Cathole method is used. On
a side note, we also carry an extensive first aid kit in case of an
emergency and plenty of pure drinking water. Many places we visit
do include showers and bathrooms so not to worry.
No. You certainly do not. Some people prefer to continue their adventure without going back while others simply love a spot too much and prefer to stay longer. The choice is yours.
The
food fund includes group prepared meals provided for in camp while camping. It also
includes camping and national park fees. It doesn't include meals
in restaurants, taco stands, outside vendors or alcoholic beverages of any kind.
Gus can comfortably seat up to 22-25 people including gear.
We usually stop to camp at predetermined camping areas for the night on the way to our destination. People can camp either in Gus or pitch a tent for a little more privacy outside for the night.
It's a community effort. Keeping with our community spirit everyone pitches in and helps in the preperation of meals. There are flexible menus prepared before hand as a guide but people pretty much cook, clean and get supplies as a community to maximize time and the experience while creating more value for available travel funds.
There
are no required immunizations or vaccinations to enter Baja California
. In general, Baja has a reputation for being more hygienic than the
mainland. A great travel resource for all countries is Mdtravelhealth.com.
On a side note, Baja Trek also carries large quantities of bottled and
purified water as well as an extensive first aid kit. 
Not to worry. You may like it more than sleeping at home. Baja Trek provides easy setup equipment that makes camping fun. Just bring a sleeping bag and we'll supply the rest. After a few nights under the stars with beautiful morning sunrises don't be surprised to find yourself camping frequently once you're back home. We'll show you how. Enjoy the experience.
No Senor. You will seldom encounter a situation where you will need extensive Spanish language skills. Many people in Baja have a grasp of English and are willing to help out the traveler.
A Backpack packed with the travel basics such as shorts, pants, long and short sleeved shirts, pullover hoodie, jacket, swimsuit, tent, sleeping pad, and a sleeping bag should be sufficient. If you don't have a sleeping bag they may be purchased in town at various stores prior to the start of the trek. We also have tents and sleeping pads you may use at no cost.
Glad you asked! We think we have four things going for us that makes the experience special and low cost.
- Our costs of operation are based on the local economy since all treks are in Mexico.
- A good portion of our fuel
on our Baja Vibe style adventures is recycled bio fuel which was
donated to our Co-op. You may wish to read about it here.
- We live in, work in and love Baja
- Group participation during treks keeps cost low.
All of us at Baja Trek pride ourselves in offering a safe, comfortable journey. Though Mexico and Mexico City on the mainland has had it's share of bad press recently it is not Baja. You simply won't find the crime in Baja as you would on the mainland or in Mexico City. Unfortunately, stereotypes still persist.
The recent edition of the Moon Travel Handbook for Baja states: "Statistics clearly show that violent crime is overall less common in Mexico than anywhere in the United States. In Baja California, crime statistics are many times lower than the United States national average." Further, with our experience, knowledge and group travel, as well as the presence of people who know the area well, you can be assured of a safe trek.
Absent a few scraped knees, safety
has never been an issue on any of the treks. There are no U.S. travel
warnings for Baja and the current global peace index for the whole of
Mexico is higher than the U.S.A. at an outstanding 79.
No visa is needed for treks to northern Baja California Mexico (Baja Norte). On trips into southern Baja (Baja Sur) a simple Tourist permit should be obtained. These Visa cards are very easy to obtain and inexpensive. The time it takes to be issued is usually only a few minutes. They may be purchased at the border or from a Consulate office. Canadian and U.S. Citizens returning home to the States only need a passport or a Driver's license and either a birth certificate, naturalization certificate or citizenship card to enter back into the U.S. For Trekkers other than Canadian or U.S. citizens the existing passport and visa requirements as always are still in effect.
Yes, specials and discounts are offered from time to time. Please see the discount page or call our office for more details.
Nope, nada. There are no hidden charges, fuel levies or local payments of any kind.
You may call us
through the following phone numbers to place your reservations or please
check our reserve page.
- Toll Free in US/Canada: 1-888-WOW-TREK
- Mexico number: +52-1-665-391-1682
It usually depends on the trek and the time of year but you can expect about 20 fellow travelers on the Baja Vibe excursions while the Baja Adventurer has up to two vehicles carrying from 7 to 14 Trekkers. The vast majority of people are between the ages of 18 and 35. Most are traveling solo with an equal amount of females and males on board. The oldest Trekker to date has been 71 year old Fritz from Germany. The youngest Trekker award goes to 3 year old Jack from Australia. Cheers!
While you are in the Trek vehicles you are insured as a passenger. The insurance does not cover you while you are not in the vehicle, so traveler's insurance is recommended.
All treks begin and end in the San Diego, California area. In most instance we'll shuttle van over and start our journey in Gus in Baja. People may also be picked up along the way if they are already in Mexico. If you have any questions please call the trek office.
Thanks for asking! Please see our carbon neutral eco-page here.
We currently offer Wi-Fi access on our Baja Vibe buses. These are mobile hotspots and are free for passengers. However, once we are away from the border, access is only through internet cafes which may be found in most towns and is quite inexpensive.
Certainly a very
good question. You don't need a passport to return across the border.
The folks at the border have outlined two options to cross:
-
Single document option
This includes a choice of:
A-a passport
B -Military I.D.
C-Tribal Card
D-Merchant Marine card.
This information came from Federal Form 0644. If you don't have a passport than the second option would probably be the easiest. Most people just bring a driver's license and a copy of their birth certificate.
Check out our Trek Schedule. We have treks crisscrossing Baja every month. Hopefully, there's one that fits into your schedule.
