The choice of tour modality in Baja California involves a series of reflections that have to do with the type of territory, mostly desert, in which you will enjoy your well-deserved vacation.
It should be noted that in trips organized by yourself, without a professional agency, it is very difficult to see all the sites that only a tour operator with a lot of experience understands and knows how to advise.
We are going to pay attention to the difference between a self-guided trip (that is, in complete autonomy) and a guided tour in Baja California and why choose one or the other.
The Desert in Baja California
To make everything clear, we must start from some general considerations about Baja California, a place little explored and little inhabited, characterized by deserted extensions where time seems to have stopped.
In Baja California, you can travel hundreds of kilometers without finding a soul, without having service and without water sources, along dirt roads that are modified after a storm.
If in some aspects it is an adventurous and attractive experience, the risks must also be taken into account.
Everything that is normally taken for granted must be questioned here.
It is an interesting exercise but a bit unsettling.
We have to face our trip being aware and prepared, equipping ourselves with the appropriate instruments to manage needs or face any unforeseen events so that we can live this adventure in the best possible conditions.
This premise does not yet answer the initial question, because all this is valid for both types of travel and it is important to highlight it.
Now, we can go back and return to the initial question: Is a guided tour or a self-guided trip better?
How we organize our guided tours in Baja California
We organize guided tours based on the places and activities of greatest interest and you can find them on our website: Timeless Baja.
During these tours, you will be accompanied by expert guides who will give added value to your trip both in acquiring experiences (one example among many: off-road driving) and in information (showing you the precious secret places to go).
Not only that. These tours, in some cases, offer the possibility of having experts in different disciplines close by who can combine wanderlust with other interests.
I am thinking, for example, of the photographic tours led by the talented Andrea Izzotti, who accompanies us and makes us masters, or the naturalist tours during which the documentary filmmaker, Claudia Capodarte, teaches us to get closer and play with marine animals in freedom including fish, whales or whale sharks.
On guided tours we go to lost places, often by jeep, and we camp overnight, guaranteeing maximum comfort without giving up adventure, but in complete safety.
We light a bonfire, we set up the tents, we prepare the table and thanks to a professional field kitchen, we prepare a good dinner for you.
Telling stories around the fire, where only our voices break the silence under a starry night and waking up in the morning on a deserted beach listening and watching the jumping of the dolphins that swim in crystal clear water is an unforgettable experience that alone makes the guided tour a fantastic experience.
But there is much more.
How we organize self-guided tours in Baja California
Self-guided is a type of tour in Baja California that you can live in full autonomy, choosing the itinerary you prefer, the times and the style.
We will suggest the places and activities based on your indications, your time and your interests to create an itinerary that fully satisfies you. We will reserve the hotels, we will give you the most suitable vehicle and we will provide you with a tablet programmed to measure with your itinerary and your maps, the GPS points and the information that will facilitate the movements between locations even without service.
We will also give you all the necessary tools to better visit the peninsula, whether you are alone, as a couple or with children.
At Baja California Travel, you can find the proposal explained with all the details.
The great advantage of this type of trip is that it offers total freedom in terms of choice, movement or possible itinerary variations that obviously the guided tour does not allow since it is organized with more people.
Safety in Baja California
Regarding the safety of a tour in Baja California, whether guided or self-guided, you can rest assured. The risks are almost nothing if you do not travel at dawn or after dark where the danger is the animals that pass on the road and is one of the main causes of accidents.
The perception of safety on a self-guided tour varies greatly from person to person. Sometimes, realizing that you are alone in a radius of 100 kilometers can cause a feeling of discomfort even if you know that you have everything you need after scrupulously following the suggestions and guidelines of the trip (plenty of water, full tank etc.) Perhaps it is just the novelty of a reality far removed from our experience in the city.
Even that case can be fascinating and disturbing at the same time, like many things in Baja California. This is the charm of this land, full of contrasts, but true.
One possibility to experience both emotions of these two types of tours to unite the charm of lost places and a trip in total autonomy to places a little more touristy is to add to a self-guided trip some days with a guide to experience what is known as the Real Baja Experience.
For this reason, we have planned some short, guided tours with free dates that you can combine with your self-guided trip in Baja California.
Tour 4 days “Real Baja Experience”
Tour 3 days “Real Baja Experience”
Tour 2 days “Real Baja Experience”
At this point, you just have to choose and start your journey!