Three years ago we went to Baja on a break from riding in Asia. We invited some old cycling friends along and there were few expectations for the trip. We’d never been south of our driver Ivan’s hometown, Ensenada, which we’d to only occasionally during races and fun rides. Our impressions of Baja “sur” were mostly Cabo resorts, margaritaville cantinas, whale watching and kayaking on the Sea of Cortez andoIf anything bike-related, usually stories about bikepacking.
What we discovered was a revelation. One that brought us back to the thrill we had finding new places to rides in far-flung corners of the world, such as Vietnam, Turkey, and other unknown places that had quietly become the places to ride. Baja we found has too become one of the best road cycling destinations in the world, with hundreds of miles of newly-paved roads, upscale hotels, sublime landscapes, little traffic, and tranquility away from violence that affects other areas.
The Baja we ride has new pavement with patient and polite drivers (far better behaved than on our California roads). We marveled at sublime and expansive landscapes rivaling Joshua Tree, Moab, Big Sur, and fire-red mesas of Idaho. Towering cactus spread across valleys as far as the eye could see, tens of miles under bright blue skies. Indeed, most striking about Baja is the tranquility. Almost 3/4 of Baja’s 3.3 million residents live near the border cities of Tijuana and Ensenada. The rest of the 55,366-square-mile peninsula—is wide-open space, an increasing amount of which has and is becoming preserved as federal and private nature and marine reserves.
With travel restrictions and uncertainty you’ve been missing France and Italy, come enjoy equally fabulous and kind people, great cuisine, and wonderful riding – all under warm sunny skies.
Why are we fixated on Baja? We feel there are three things that make a great bike trip: interesting rides, friendly people, and good grub. Baja delivers on all of these, in spades, with a bonus of warm sunny weather and clear skies. And here it was in our backyard all along. But we also understand how fleeting these places are. Things are changing quickly in Baja, but for now come ride easy peaceful miles on tranquilo roads, enjoying the peninsula’s sublime rugged beauty, before it too was another place missed when it was most special.
After these past years of crisscrossing the peninsula, no one knows these roads better. Our journey travels the length of Baja, riding through the bourgeoning Guadalupe wine region, past towering- cactus nature preserves, palm-fringed oases, small rustic towns, historic misions, high-desert mesas, jagged coastal cliffs, islands, and turquoise marine parks.
Note: In light of travel with the uncertainty of Cornavirus, Baja is a close destination with easy and frequent connections home, and a place with few people – ideal for a close and safe getaway with a familiar culture.
—VeloAsia
ITINERARY Day 1: Arrive Tijuana Day 2: Tecate to Guadalupe Day 3: Guadalupe to San Quintin Day 4: San Quintan to Cataviña Day 5: Cataviña to San Ignacio Day 6: San Ignacio to Mulegé Day 7: Mulegé to Loreto Day 8: Loreto to La Paz | DATES & PRICES 1/ February 4 to 11 2/ February 21 to 38 3/ March 4-10, 2021 FULL 4/ March 17-24 8 days / 7 nights Per Person pricing from $4,680 | |
ARRANGE A PRIVATE TRIP | ||
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
| Why JOIN this tRIP
|
CALIFORNIA {U.S)
.,...
•• . ---··········
# -;.
ARIZONA {U.S)
TIJUANA Gaudalupe Valley
Gulf of Mexico
SONORA
GUERRERO NEGRO
BA J A
CALIFORNIA
Va/can las Tres Virgenes
PACIFIC OCEAN
ITINERARY Day 1: Arrive Tijuana Day 2: Tecate to Guadalupe Day 3: Guadalupe to San Quintin Day 4: San Quintan to Catavifia Day 5: Catavifia to San Ignacio Day 6: San Ignacio to Mulege Day 7: Mulege to Loreto | |||||
Day | 8: | Loreto | to | La | Paz |
Lareta Bay
National Marine Park
LA PAZ
CABO
SAN LUCAS e
Caba Pu/ma Bay National Morine Pork
Arrive and meet your driver for transport into town to our hotel. After introductions, we’ll unpack and assist building your bike up and testing on a short ride. Long known as a rundown party mecca, sprawling Tijuana has undergone massive redevelopment in the last few years, with a pleasant central promenade, stylish hotels, and upscale dining. In 2017, Tijuana was named one of the The New York Times’ top travel destinations.
As a culinary destination, Tijuana is famous for its street food, especially mariscos, birria and tacos of all stripes, which we can sample after building up our bikes. Tonight, we’ll enjoy a special dinner and wine tasting planned by chef owner Javier Plascencia at his elegant cocina de Baja, Mision 19. Javier is one of a the a new breed of natives driving Tijuana’s revitalization. Read more about his efforts in the New York Time’s Master of a New Tijuana.
Today we ride the classic Tecate to Ensenada route, but on a new highway with wide shoulders and gentler grades. Our ride meanders through green countryside, few small towns, and finally, through the vineyards of the Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico’s fast growing wine region. After arrival, we’ll enjoy lunch in a local winery and spend the afternoon visiting other local wineries. Our driver, Ivan lives here and leads trips in the valley. After, we’ll enjoy an swim, dinner featuring regional specialties, and overnight in a villa overlooking the valley.
After a delicious breakfast of fresh flour tortillas, huevos, queso, chilis, frijoles and fruit, we’ll shuttle up the road for our day start in the verdant mountains under expansive skies of Baja, rolling along the green pastures and through green landscapes past small farms. As we crest hills, the empty landscapes open up and we’ll enjoy breathtaking views over the expansive green valleys, rugged canyons, and scrub arroyos. In the afternoon, we reach our secluded beach resort with time to enjoy a walk on the sand before our dinner banquet.
This morning, as the sunrises over the waves, we’ll ride along the coast before climbing into the magnificent and massive Valle de los Cirios nature preserve, with stunning landscapes resembling Joshua Tree with towering sienna-colored mesas. Along this desolate road without any towns and little traffic we’ll marvel at our first glimpse of thousands of towering Cardón or Elephant Cactus, the world’s largest cactus, which can reach up to 65 feet high, as well as boojum, yucca, and elephant trees, and wild ocotillos as far as the eye can see. As we climb up onto the plateau, the wild landscapes seem one vast expanse under bright blues skies, and the only sounds are light breezes.
As we near our destination, a remote tranquilo outpost situated upon an oasis, Cataviña, a vast plain of giant rock boulders appears, an area that is popular with eco-tourists and rock climbers. Today is our longest ride and there will be cold cervezas by the pool after we arrive.
If you're awake early, we’ll have a short hike before breakfast, watching the sun rise over the boulder plain as the colors change on the massive rocks in the morning light. All around our route today is the bed of ancient ocean, now dotted with cactus and other desert plants as far as you can see. This day captures the wonderful solitude of Baja, with only a single town during the flattest ride of our trip over newer pavement.
After stopping and loading up, we’ll van to Guerrero Negro for a lunch of delicious fresh local lobster and seafood before crossing into Baja Sur (south) and on to San Ignacio, location of an early mission with a small colonial-era plaza with an impressive well-preserved church.
Sprawling canyons spread over the landscape, as we gradually climb, rewarded at the summit with incredible views of a massive valley of organ pipe and golden barrel cactus. As we descend, suddenly there is a cools breeze as the blue waters of the Sea of Cortez appear.
After reaching the coast, we’ll lunch along the coast before reaching the small oasis town of Mulegé, at the mouth of Río de Santa Rosalía. Settled by Jesuits in the mid-1700s it was location of the first mission in Baja. Recently, it has become a bohemian enclave of artists.
Today’s ride out of Mulegé, rolling along the coast, is the most spectacular of the trip. We meander along the cliffs along postcard-perfect beach coves and lagoons with bright red cliffs rising dramatically on the inland side. Midway through our ride, we pass through rolling desert plains passing arroyos and pequeño pueblos. At ride’s end, we roll into Loreto, which has just renovated it’s central district in 2020 and has a distinct local flavor.
After another delicious Mexican breakfast, we’ll ride along the coast with sublime views of the Loreto Bay National Marine Park dotted with islands with a mix of stunning cliffs, wide sandy beaches and rock formations.
One the longest climbs of our trip appears as we turn inland, but it’s a gentle grade of only two and half miles, followed by stunning canyon landscapes of red and green. In the afternoon, we reach the one of the most pleasant towns in Mexico, La Paz.
Stay on longer for well-deserved R&R in Cabo, or whale watching, sport fishing, sailing, cooking classes, yoga, wind surfing, snorkeling (Jacques Cousteau famously called the Sea of Cortez, home to some 800 varieties of fish, “the world’s aquarium”), mountain biking, or visiting nearby towns, such as the vibrant artist town of Todos Santos.
---=::::::::::
....
I
. .-
·- - ---,
, ( "'y.
,--
1
7,,
-
-
,
-
-
-\.."" I;>
- - ..
2021 will mark our 3rd season of cycling Baja, during which we’ve refined the trip to the best biking routes, places to stay, eating, and training of a world-class support crew with over 20 years’ experience leading trips. This eight-day journey is fully-supported. Riders can expect beautiful, safe rides, plenty of delicious Mexican grub, hot showers, and cultural activities on the side. This 8-day trip is limited to 10 riders. This trip may be organized as a private, custom tour for you and your friends or family. For more information about this trip, please see: www.veloasia.com/baja.html
PRE-DEPARTURE
In addition to a pre-tour preparation packet for Baja, all riders are welcome to contact us in advance of the trip, for questions and information they may need.
ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE
Please contact us before arranging your flights for recommendations, and even for booking a ticket. If you are flying in, you’ll want to arrive into San Diego or Tijuana Airports, with departure from Cabo San Lucas. For a moderate additional cost, we will arrange transport from the airport in San Diego for you to join us in Tijuana, including a stop to obtain your visa at the border.
DAY-TO-DAY
Our Baja trips are designed for moderate to advanced riders comfortable riding 2-5 hours at a steady pace, though all riding is optional—our Sag wagon is always nearby, even for a catching a quick lift up the longer climbs. We typically ride as a group, though faster riders may ride ahead if desired or add additional mileage. We typically depart mid-morning around 9 AM each day, with a break for a pleasant lunch. Afternoons after arrival with include some time free, or we will have scheduled sightseeing, such as visiting the historical Jesuit missions along our route.
Mornings before we depart also provides some time to see local sights.
WEATHER
The weather in Baja during our touring season is always sunny and warm, with no rainfall, and typically reaching into the 70s to 80s midday. Evenings are pleasantly cool but not chilly.
BIKES & BIKE RENTALS
We always recommend you bring your own bike. Airlines have become more adept with handling bikes, and also have sharply reduced charges. We will assist with transport of your bike from and to airports, assembly, maintenance, disassembly and packing up. Contact us if you are interested in renting a bike for available models in your size. Our support van and your guides will have all necessary tools, pumps, tubes, tires and other essentials to keep you rolling.
HOTELS
In places where there are choices, such as Guadalupe and La Paz, we stay at the finest properties available, such as Encuentro overlooking the vast expanses of Valle de Guadalupe (below), while in other places, such as Cataviña, we stay in the only accommodation available, rustic yet comfortable. Contact us for specific hotels by location for the dates of your trip.
Encuentro Guadalupe
DINING
Our past travelers will tell you our trips are as much as about the food as the riding. In fact, after 20 years our Iron Chef Vietnam culinary cycling trip remains our most popular. Our meals feature a variety of the best of Baja, from the most delicious tacos in the world, fresh seafood, including lobster, grilled and rotisserie meats, sinful chilaquiles, heaping bowls of fresh guacamole with handmade chips always served with piping hot flour tortillas and fresh salsas.
Guadalupe-produced vinos are available throughout our route. Our van is stocked with typical rider’s fuel, including carbo mix, bars, bananas and other fruit, but also a variety of cold beverages and local snacks popular in each location.
EMERGENCY & MEDICAL
For expediency, VeloAsia will arrange medical and evacuation coverage for your participation through a local service who is experienced. The cost of this service is included in your trip cost.
Patrick Morris
"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.“
Willard Ford
"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.”
John Brady
"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. “
Ivan Tolentino
"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. “
Victor Ayala
"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. “
TRIP COST
See page 4 for trip dates and costs. Single rooms are limited, at an additional cost of $1,280.
What’s included
Emergency medical and evacuation insurance
Pre-trip packet
All accommodations, meals, snacks, bottled water
Technical support and supplies (tools, tubes, tires, cables, etc.) Not included
Flight to and from Baja (can be arranged through us)
Visa ($20, issued upon arrival)
Bicycle and gear (rental can be arranged)
Alcoholic beverages
Expenses of a personal nature
Airport transfers (we will arrange, extra cost dependent on arrival airport)
PRIVATE CUSTOM TRIPS
Most of our trips are private, organized for groups of friends or families. This trip may be organized as a private tour for you and your friends or family, fully-customized to your group’s preferences, including balance of cycling and off-bike activities and sightseeing, even for non- cyclists who want to accompany the trip yet still be engaged with Baja’s sights, attractions, and people. Contact us for more details about arranging a private custom trip to Baja for your group. Note: hotels are limited and can fill for whale-watching high-season up to a year in advance.
ABOUT
Since 1993, VeloAsia has organized bike tours to the most exciting cycling destinations in the world, including Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Turkey, Myanmar, Sumatra, Albania, Bhutan, Chiapas, China, and more. See more about this and other trips at www.veloasia.com.
NEXT STEPS?
If you are ready to sign up, or if you have questions about this trip, or our other trips, or questions in general, please give us a call at between 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) or send an email to veloasia@gmail.com. To secure your spot on this trip, submit a non-refundable deposit of $1,000 per person. Once we receive your deposit, we’ll contact you about arrival and departure information and other details, and send you a pre-trip packet to you containing detailed information about the Baja trip. This trip may also be arranged as a private, custom tour for you and your friends or family. Register for this trip at veloasia.com