This eight-day, seven-night Overlanding-Style Tour begins in Calexico, California and ends in Tecate, Mexico. The tour will follow a fairly easy route with some off-roading through exceptionally scenic landscapes. You will visit San Felipe, Bahia San Luis Gonzaga, and Bahia de los Angeles on the Sea of Cortez side. The tour then travels off-road to Mission San Borjia in the middle of the Baja peninsula. From them Mission the tour crosses the peninsula to Hwy 1 and travels through Catavina, Punta Banda, and Ensenada. Camping during this tour is mostly on remote beaches. Each tour participant will need to secure and pay for Mexican Vehicle Insurance through Baja Bound and secure a Mexican Tourist Card. YOU WILL NEED A VALID PASSPORT OR PASSPORT CARD TO JOIN THIS TOUR. NOTE: If your passport document is set to expire in 180 days or less from the time you apply for a Mexican Tourist Card, you will NOT be able to secure that card and be a part of the tour. Off-Road Safety Academy walks you through the entire process of securing Mexican Auto Insurance and your Tourist Card. If you’ve never crossed an international border while overlanding, this is the tour for you. We make it easy and teach you all the important particulars of international border crossings.
Cost: $1600.00 per vehicle.
Tour Terms and Conditions – READ CAREFULLY Prior to Sign-Up
Cancellation Policy
FULL refunds (TicketLeap credit card fees and tour fee) for ALL tours are only possible up to 60-days AFTER TOUR PURCHASE. Partial refunds (tour fee minus TicketLeap credit card fees) are possible 60-days prior to the first day of the tour. No refunds are possible after this 60-day cutoff date unless there is a person on the waitlist to take your spot.
Vehicle Requirements
All vehicles must have 4-Lo gearing capability, reasonable ground clearance, seat belts for all passengers, plus front and rear frame-mounted recovery points. A trailer hitch in the rear can serve as a frame-mounted recovery point. The spare tire must match the size mounted on the vehicle. On this tour, you must NOT use a hitch-mounted tow ball, cargo "basket," spare tire mount, or bicycle rack on the rear of your truck. Unless you have an off-road designed trailer, you must not have anything attached to your rear truck trailer hitch. Also: If you have a camper on your truck, do not come with camper risers on four corners. Please, no tall campers over 11 feet from ground to top of camper. (Call if yours is taller.)
Vehicle Self-Assessment
It is the sole responsibility of each participant to make sure his or her vehicle is in TOP mechanical condition. “Top condition” means mechanically sound to the manufacturer’s specification, plus, no fluid leaks, dangling wires/cables, bad tires, or repetitive squeaks while moving. Be courteous to others on the tour – do not come with a vehicle that is not in TOP condition. If you are in doubt that your vehicle is not in top condition, then it probably isn’t. You will NOT be allowed on the tour with a vehicle that shows signs of poor maintenance.
Remote Backcountry Vehicle Breakdowns
With appropriate considerations for the entire group, Off-Road Safety Academy may assist with the repair and/or towing of a broken-down vehicle. In some cases however, a professional towing of a disabled vehicle may be needed. Most towing insurance is not applicable when off-road (AAA, roadside assistance, etc.). If you breakdown in the backcountry, it may be necessary to organize special off-road towing of your vehicle. Often times professional off-road specific towing is very expensive and requires the use of a credit card to begin extraction. These expenses will be the sole responsibility of the tour participant whose vehicle is disabled. Off-Road Safety Academy will be able to communicate with these services in the backcountry. If your vehicle becomes disabled in the backcountry, be prepared to be left behind as you wait for an off-road tow truck to arrive. The tour must go on, but no tour participant will be left behind in an unsafe manner.
Self-Reliance
Each outing is an overlanding-style tour. This means camping at different locations each night and each vehicle being completely self-reliant (food, water, fuel, vehicle in top condition, sleeping accommodations, human waste, etc.). You will need to bring a campsite toilet. This can be a PETT-style toilet and disposable bags or other types of campsite toilets. We must haul out our trash and solid body waste.
Extra Fuel
Participants will need at least 3-5 gallons of extra fuel (unless you have a 400+ mile fuel cell/tank). This fuel must be stored in compliant and legal containers and stored outside the vehicle. There is no exception to this requirement. If you have questions regarding safely storing extra fuel outside your vehicle, call for more information.
Environmental Sensitivity
Please use biodegradable dish/hand cleaning liquids while in the backcountry (Dr. Bonners or Ms. Meyers). At most camping sites you must not discharge wastewater on the ground – shower, kitchen, cooking, or washing water. All drivers will adhere to TreadLightly principles.
Changes in the Trip’s Itinerary
Off-Road Safety Academy’s tours are conducted in the natural environment. As such, tours are subject to bad weather; trail washouts, and other unforeseen conditions. To the best of the tour leader’s ability, all tours will be conducted as advertised. However, unforeseen conditions may cause the tour to be modified based on trip safety. Each tour participant must come with a flexible and self-reliant attitude and ability. Group safety will always come before the objective of reaching the advertised destinations.
Medical Self-Assessment and SAR Expenses
Off-roading and overlanding have inherent risks. Included are the risks of an illness or injury in a remote location. All tours will be conducted within a location that is remote by both distance and time to Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and local hospitals. Off-Road Safety Academy does not require pre-tour medical screening to join the organized outing. By enrolling in the tour, you are certifying that you are medically capable of participating. Should you experience an unfortunate medical condition during the tour, requiring emergency extraction from the backcountry, participants will be responsible for any/all Search And Rescue (SAR) or helicopter expenses. NOTE: The tour leader is a Wilderness First Aid Instructor with an AED and well-supplied wilderness first aid kit. Most illnesses and injuries can be handled on site.
Pet Policy
In consideration for the love and safety of your pets, they are not allowed on the Baja Mexico Tours.
Children Passengers
Well behaved, school-age children are always welcome on the Tours.
Driver Requirements
Each driver must be a licensed driver with proper vehicle insurance. All state and local driving laws apply while off-road on this tour. Drivers must adhere to these regulations.
Paperwork
Each tour participant must complete and sign a registration form that includes emergency contact information and tour guidelines and notes. Each tour participant must complete and sign Off-Road Safety Academy’s Liability Release and Assumption of Risk form.
Car-To-Car Communications
The tour leader will provide you with a handheld Rugged Radio for use in your vehicle during the tour. Via radio, the leader will provide historical, biological, geological and 4WD information and tips while we drive.