Baja California Sur

Note: We did this trip in November, 2025, but life got in the way of posting it here. But finally… enjoy.

Wanting a break from the wet west coast fall weather, we decided to head to southern Baja, Mexico for a bike ride in the sun. Travelling with us were friends from Comox, Graeme and Lynda. They are experienced cyclists but relatively new to bike packing. We promised them a little adventure but not too much adventure.

We arrived at the Cactus Inn near the San José del Cabo airport after an uneventful flight from Vancouver. I always feel a bit gassed after a travel day but we went for a walk in search of food and found a nice little restaurant not too far away. It was 30C when we landed and the forecast for the days ahead is equally warm. It promises to be a hot bike ride.

Into The Desert

We started early with building the bikes. Once that was done it was time for breakfast. We found a little stand a couple blocks from the hotel where we had egg and sausage burritos and coffee.

A couple of stops at grocery shops for some food and we were finally ready to go. It was already pushing 30 degrees. Along the road out of town we made one more quick stop to buy fuel for our stoves.

The newly paved highway was fast and it didn’t take long to ride the 13 km to our turn off. This road will take us west into the mountains and out to the coast. Just a short distance down this dirt road we saw a road runner. Meep Meep.

As we climbed, the road got rougher and rougher. As a result, we met very little car traffic. It’s nearly impassable in some places but for us on our bikes it was not a problem. What was a problem was the heat. We rode in the heat of the day because of our late departure.

We crossed several small streams where we replenished our water supply. At a large creek we called it a day and made camp. We had only ridden 32 km but it was enough. I think we were all a bit dazed from the heat and dehydration.

First we bathed in the beautiful water. Downstream, some cows had the same idea. Time to eat and take on some electrolytes. Then off to bed. We’re all bushed. The evening is not too warm and a full moon passes slowly over our camp. We will sleep well.

El Pescadero

We had a warm night under a full moon. So bright. Between the cow bells and the frogs croaking I had a whole bunch of long naps and got up at first light to make a coffee. I love a quiet morning with a good brew in beautiful surroundings. And beautiful it was with the backlit palm trees and the mountains behind them.

It didn’t take long for the heat to build. As soon as the sun rose over the mountains the temperature went up quickly. We had hoped to leave earlier but things always take a bit more time at the beginning of a trip.

The road got rougher as we climbed and didn’t get much better once we were over the pass. From the pass the view opened up and we could see the Pacific Ocean in the distance.

Descending was only marginally faster than climbing but we made good progress, taking lots of short breaks in whatever shade was available to have a drink and snack.

There was a lot of rain in the Baja earlier this year which has done lot of damage to the dirt road. The good thing about that is that aquifers have been replenished, rivers are flowing and the landscape is green instead of brown. We crossed many creeks today where we could get more water and wet down hats and shirts. Riding with a wet shirt makes the heat bearable for about 10 minutes. Then it’s dry again.

We deviated off the Cape Loop route after 27 kilometres to take a road down to El Pescadero on the coast. We had been cooked enough in the heat.

We stopped at the first convenience store on the highway and we each drank a bottle of cold Electrolit and scarfed down a large bag of chips while looking for a place to stay.

There was a two-bedroom apartment just a few kilometres down the road in El Pescadero that we booked while having a beer in the adjacent restaurant called Don Nacho.

Before long we were settled in and having showers and then returned to Don Nachos for dinner. The special of the night was BBQ ribs which Graeme and I both ordered. Jan and Lynda each had shrimp fajitas. More cerveza and limonada for rehydration, of course.

It was a great way to wrap up another demanding day in the saddle. The heat really takes a toll and it’s impossible to take in enough fluids but we try to and we pay attention to replenishing electrolytes.

Let’s see what tomorrow brings.

Todos Santos

We had a fairly lazy morning with a lovely breakfast near the beach before riding only 17 km to Todos Santos where we spent the rest of the day not doing much of anything.

We needed a bit of a rest after two hot, hard days. We did some shopping and had a lovely lunch with tacos served on plates wrapped in plastic. Saves having to wash the dishes, I guess.

We stayed at the Todos Santos Hostel in glamping tents. Very comfortable and a nice atmosphere.

To El Rosario and La Paz

The ride out of Todos Santos was a breeze. We left early to try to beat the heat a bit as we were taking a track to El Rosario with only limited intel about the condition of the route.

The highway north to La Paz is four lanes wide with a big shoulder for us to ride on. Safe and fast. After just over an hour, we took a break at a busy roadside restaurant for some cold limonada. So refreshing. The chips and salsa we received were on the house.

At km 35 our track stretched east from the highway and we very quickly couldn’t ride any longer because of deep sand. The intel we had was that it was bad but should improve as we gained elevation. After 4 km of riding , pushing, riding, wallowing and pushing some more, the heat really got to us. We questioned the sanity of continuing given our rapidly diminishing water supply. But going back and having to walk back in the sand was also not appealing.

A ranch was not far away so I rode ahead while Jan, Lynda and Graeme had something to eat. The folks at the ranch were very friendly and gracious, letting me take as much water as I could carry.

With another 9 litres on board we continued on this abysmal track. It became mostly rideable, though not easy. There was still more pushing in sections of deep sand. We had dropped our tire pressure to 13-15 PSI which helped but only up to a point. Our tires are 2.6” and a 3” would probably have helped but…

We stopped at another ranch and got more water, although we were hesitant to drink it unfiltered as it came from a large cistern. The last few kilometres into El Rosario seemed to take forever.

El Rosario is a tiny hamlet but there was a small tienda that sold all important cold drinks. Never has a cold coke tasted so good. We also scarfed down a bag of chips for some carbs and salt.

The Cactus Café is the only other establishment in El Rosario. It offers food, rooms, camping and guided tours in the area and was recommended by friends who had been here two years before.

Elizabeth and Milton have built this amazingly hospitable environment over the last 10 years. It’s alive with plants and animals: 4 dogs, chickens, ducks and a beautiful white donkey.

They were already serving food to a group of researchers staying there and we were invited to take part in the meal. But we were too grimy to do that so we made camp and showered before sitting down to a delicious dinner of chicken mole with rice, tortillas and hibiscus juice.

The research team showed us some pictures and videos of the area. They are working on expanding the trail network and raising awareness of the ecological value of the area and hopefully increase tourism.

It had been a hard day but ending up within the embrace of hospitable people made it well worth the effort. Sleep came easily that night.

Waking up was even easier as a chorus of roosters began crowing at 4 a.m. They continued to do so every half hour until sunrise. The donkey also joined in the cacophony at one point.

We were served a beautiful breakfast of overnight oats with fruit, coffee, tea as well as omelettes with tortillas. Good fuel for our ride to La Paz.

Before getting on the road, we were given a tour by Milton of the Cactus Sanctuary. The sanctuary covers six hectares within a larger 50-hectare national reserve. More than 50 species of cacti can be found here as well as mesquite’s and a multitude of other plants and vines. Many species of birds, lizards and snakes can also be found here. Milton guided us along the sanctuary’s well marked paths and pointed out various things unique to this area.

With the sun steadily climbing, it was time to say goodbye to Milton and head on down the road to La Paz. It was a relatively easy ride on pavement that began just 6 kilometres from El Rosario.

We had booked an apartment for two nights in La Paz and we will enjoy the day off tomorrow. It was a day for laundry, a bit of light bike maintenance and a long, drawn-out breakfast.

The only activities today were a ride along the Malecon and a swim in the Sea of Cortez followed by a nice lunch at a beach-front restaurant.

La Ventana

Our day began with a birthday celebration for Graeme. It’s his 70th today and we decorated his bike helmet and tied balloons to his bike. The celebration will continue tonight.

The ride out of town was pretty straightforward and before long we were on ruta 246 that stretched ahead of us out to the horizon. No shoulder but drivers were courteous, giving us plenty of space (except for the one truck camper with Alberta plates who made a very unsafe pass to get past Lynda while there was oncoming traffic. Some people just don’t get it).

The road climbs steadily for about 20 kilometres but at an easy grade. Hot in the sun, though. Not much shade on offer. Near the top of the climb was a small café where we took a break in the shade with drinks and some locally made cookies with a mango pulp filling. Delicious.

The downhill was phenomenal. 15 km of screaming down back to sea level. Just brilliant. Unfortunately, a good northerly was blowing so the last few kilometres into La Ventana was work. But some fish tacos and cold drinks made everything alright.

La Ventana is for kite boarders. We sat on a lovely terrace at Aqua Ventana for lunch watching about 150 people with wing foils, kite boards wind surfers and various combinations thereof. A nice cool breeze blew from the north. The perfect ending for today’s ride from La Paz.

Campo De Los Sueños

Happy to be done today and camped on a beautiful beach. The heat continues to be our greatest nemesis. We can’t possibly drink enough. Another problem is nutrition. We don’t feel like eating even though our brains tell us to. There is just no appetite. So then we bonk. We did force a lunch down just before reaching the high point of our climb.

The day began with a ride out of La Ventana through the Cardin Cactus Forest. A fun trail past some ancient cacti. I saw many lizards scurrying about and maybe a roadrunner but it was not a good enough sighting to confirm that.

We got a little bit off track trying to make our way back to the road but we eventually did get there. In a little peubla we stocked up at the store with water, electrolytes and a few veggies. My bike was suddenly 10 kilos heavier. No problem on the flat, paved road but as soon as we began to climb the dirt track riding felt like a Sisyphian task.

After lunch we had a last push to get over the top and then began the equally slow and difficult descent. It looks like water has done a lot of damage to the road. Once we were riding along the Sea of Cortez we began looking for a place to camp. We knew of a spot where friends had camped two years before and when we saw it, we called it a day.

We leaned the bikes against some rock walls from a long-disappeared homestead and headed straight for the water. We floundered around for about 15 minutes and felt much refreshed after a hard ride. We dream of places like this. As it turns out, we are camped along La Bahia de Los Sueños: the Bay of Dreams.

We made camp and had a dinner of tortillas with cold pulled pork, refried beans, zucchini and tomatoes. And now we will dream of future camp spots like this one.

Los Barriles

Our sunrise was spectacular. At 6, the horizon glowed like fire with a deep azure sky above as the night gave way to another day. We had a nice breakfast of granola, coffee and tea, packed up our camp and we were on the road before 8.

Slow going in the heat but we made good progress. We had hoped for a second breakfast in El Cardonal but none of the restaurants were open yet. Instead of hanging around for an hour waiting for one to open, it seemed a better idea to try to get to Los Barriles as early as possible so we would have the afternoon and evening there to chill out.

We stocked up on water and electrolytes, had some snacks, and continued. It was a good move. We arrived in Los Barriles just after noon and found a great place to have breakfast for lunch called Good Coffee. My huevos rancheros were fabulous.

We checked at a hotel but they didn’t have rooms so we checked an RV park and they offered camping for MX$400 per tent, a 50 peso discount for being on bicycles.

We showered. We washed our grotty clothes and went to the pool for a drink and a swim. A really friendly atmosphere here. Lots of BC people here for the winter.

We did a bit of planning for the final segment of our journey and we feel comfortable with the distance left to cover in our four remaining riding days. We will alter our route slightly to ride some pavement. No point beating ourselves up in the sand in this heat.

Cabo Pulmo

We stocked up on some water and electrolytes at the store near the campground and rolled out of Los Barriles by 8. We rode a few kilometres of pavement but then turned onto the dirt road along the coast that is the South Cape Loop route. It was in quite good condition with only a few soft stretches.

As luck would have it, we met a grader working the road and had a nice hard surface to ride on all the way to La Ribera. What good fortune.

We went to two bakeries in search of treats. Sadly, both were closed. Instead, we bought more water and electrolytes and turned onto the highway heading south.

It’s so different riding the road. It’s fast but even hotter than the dirt roads. All that black asphalt probably makes it another 5 degrees hotter. But it was about covering some distance more efficiently. And we did exactly that.

Just as the pavement ended there was a track leading out to the beach and the water looked so inviting. We stripped and went for a swim. So good. After eating some lunch we carried on and got to Cabo Pulmo by 2 pm.

Cabo Pulmo is about snorkeling and diving. The reef around here is protected and species have thrived in the clear waters of the Sea of Cortez. The reef is the oldest of three coral reefs off the coast of North America. It’s been protected since 1995.

We looked for a place to stay but everything was booked. Camping on the beach just south of town was not very inviting. Lots of garbage and a bunch of dilapidated trailers and shacks turned us off. We eventually ended up at Pepe’s. Not a great spot either but it had showers and toilets and was conveniently in town near restaurants and the only store.

We had dinner across the street that night and the food was excellent. A very sweet dog named Lady hung out by our table and she was eventually rewarded with a small piece of bacon.

La VidaSoul

Despite the rather low-end camping at Pepe’s, we had a good night’s sleep. It was mostly quiet, which is unusual in towns. There’s almost always a mixture of thumping music, barking dogs and roosters trying to outdo each other. But not last night.

We have an extra day and have decided to do a short ride today to a nice beach-side hotel to pamper ourselves for a couple of nights and have a rest day before our final 50-kilometre- long ride back to San José del Cabo.

No grotty campsite and sitting on the ground eating tortillas with tuna, even though we love that. Instead we will sleep between Egyptian cotton sheets in an air conditioned room and eat fine Mexican cuisine prepared for us by the hotel’s staff for two nights.

We bought the necessary liquids and some snacks at Cabo Pulmo’s only tienda and turned our wheels onto the dusty track heading south.

The air was very still today. A lack of the usual breeze made it feel hotter than the 30 degrees it was. Sweat was pouring out of every available pore on my body. The road had lots of soft sandy sections so the going was slow. Thankfully we only had 28 kilometres to ride and we arrived at Vidasoul by noon.

We received a warm welcome from the staff and were given a cold welcome drink: fresh limonada. After showering and getting the road dust and sweat scrubbed off we sat down to a fabulous lunch: fish tacos, beet salad and chips with fresh guacamole and salsa, washed down with more cold drinks.

Sunrise beach walk. Breakfast. Rest. Lunch by the pool. Watching whales offshore. Drinks and dinner. Early to bed in preparation for our final day’s ride back to San José del Cabo. It was a real rest day.

San José Del Cabo

We’re back at the Cactus Inn where we started on Nov. 4. It was a great final day on the trail. We had arranged for an early breakfast with the staff at Vidasoul and we were up before the sun. The sky glowed a fiery orange as I sipped my coffee waiting for the others.

Ari brought us a nice breakfast of yogurt with granola and a heap of fresh fruit: cantaloupe, kiwi, papaya and pineapple. We ate as the sun rose. Amazing how quickly it climbs into the sky at this latitude near the Tropic of Cancer. We crossed it twice on this journey. Once on the west coast and again on the east coast.

We finished packing the bikes, said our farewells to our great hosts at Vidasoul and got on the road just after seven o’clock.

Today would be a longer ride back to our starting point but only the first 18 kilometres were on sand and gravel. After that it was all pavement into Cabo. We made a brief stop at the store in La Fortuna where we bought cold electrolyte and bananas and had a short break.

The coastal road was really beautiful. White sandy beaches outlined the azure water of the Sea of Cortez as we watched whales feeding just offshore. The road through the rolling desert landscape was pleasant to ride despite its rough and sandy surface at times.

Just before Cabo we met a couple heading north on bikes. They were Joel and Ellian from Tijuana and their kitten Siddhartha. They rode from Tijuana down the peninsula and had been working in Cabo the last four months. They hope to go all the way to Argentina.

We arrived in Cabo just before noon and went in search of a beach-side place to eat but the entire foreshore is full of resorts. Tourism gone awry. Maybe tomorrow we will try to get to the ocean. We have a whole day to explore and roam.

We ended up at Claro Fish Jr and had excellent tacos and burritos. We cooled off with cold drinks and an hour of chilling before riding the final few kilometres to the Cactus Inn where we were reunited with our bike boxes.

The bikes have been cleaned and are ready to be put in their boxes for the flight home but we will do that tomorrow or the next day. Now dinner at a sushi restaurant nearby.

The next day, we played tourist. Got a ride into Cabo San Lucas. Wandered around a bit. Did a boat tour. Went for a swim and we closed the day with sunset dinner at the Rooftop at the Cape, a chi-chi hotel in Cabo Bello.

The Southern Cape is a great winter cycling destination. You can make it as hard as you like by staying on the original Cape Loop or modify as we did by mixing in some pavement. It was unusually hot for November but with lots of water available on the west side. There was no water in any creeks on the east side of the peninsula. Click on the map for more details on our route.