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Saddling South - General Information

TOURS and RIDES - Multi-day camping venues in the area west of Loreto and in the Sierra San Francisco roack art canyons. - Ride the cowboy trails and experience life as it was on the California frontier. Multi day pack trips are designed to visit historic missions, traditional ranches and the waterholes used for centuries by local travelers. A campfire by a palm-lined pool ends a fantastic day on the trail when in the Siera Giganta near Loreto. In the Sierra SanFrancisco campfires are limited as of 2017.

San Javier B&B Trips - Enjoy quiet village life in the tiny mountain town of mission San Javier. Have the luxury of a bed in a flower covered bungalow, with daily rides on historic trails and visits to picturesque ranches.

TOUR COST INCLUDES - Local cowboy trail guides, riding and pack stock, a Saddling South bilingual liason and camp organizer, most expedition gear (see the packing list), breakfast, coffee andhot drinks in the morning and favorite camp dinners. For Custom trips and rates please check with us.

ANIMALS - On our tours our local guides select the best desert-trained mules and horses from the area, and do their best to match your skill level to an appropriate mount.

T r a v e l - For flights to Loreto, Baja California Sur, contact:

Alaska Airlines 800 426-0333 -- Flights from Los Angeles to Loreto 4-5 times per week.
Calafia Airlines - Tijuana to Loreto 3 times per week, for about $135 dollars one way (for their US-based number, dial 1 (213) 928-5692 ) Calafiaair.com.mx (with a walk-across bridge to the Tijuana airport it's easier than ever!) AND Westjet.com for direct flights from Calgary to Loreto.

Please check on flight availability early & inform our office of your travel arrangements as soon as they are confirmed.

For Travel to the Trailhead to meet for your selected ride click here or see the link at bottomof Itineraries list on the home page.

A c c o m m o d a t i o n s -

Check our lists of local hotels and contact the hotel direct to make a reservation.

E q u i p m e n t

Mules, or horses, and related equipment - western saddles and traditional regional saddles (western style with built-in leather pommel bags and saddle bags). Tents - one and two person sturdy A-frames and domes. First aid and repair kits. All other camp and commissary equipment. Please let us know in advance if you would like to rent a sleeping bag and/or ground pads - $20 -$25 per week. Limited # of bags and pads for rent.

P h y s i c a l     R e q u i r e m e n t s

Anyone in good physical condition and willing to share in an occasional camp chore is welcome on our tours. Some regular exercise and stretching will help if the activity is new to you. The trails in the sierras of Baja are very rugged and rocky. Please contact us if you have any concernes. Minimum age is 10 years old on posted trips, see about custom tours for families with small children.

F o o d

For our great camp dinners, served with a Baja flair, many guests exclaim, "I never knew one could eat so well on a camping trip!" Please note any specific dietary requirements on the reservation form. See the list of BYOL ideas for bringing your own cold lunch items. Vegan and Gluten Free folks or anyone with food allergies may need to bring additional personal meal supplements.

W a t e r

Drinking water used on trips will be purified. For those of you concerned about the possibility of an intestinal disorder, we suggest a daily dose of acidophilus for one to two months before travel. Be sure to buy the kind which needs no refrigeration, and remember to continue taking them for the duration of your trip.

G u i d e s

On our trips you may be accompanied by Trudi Angell and local cowboy guides. Trudi has spent the last 40 years exploring and living in Mexico. She speaks fluent Spanish, is an experienced trip organizer and is a friend to the ranch folks we meet along the trail. Other Saddling South guides may be scheduled to lead a tour for some trips. The local guides are respected friends who share wonderful stories of desert lore and local history and make us feel at home with their genuine ranch hospitality.

Tipping: If you choose to reflect your satisfaction with a wrangler or a cook/liason's performance, consider a tip of $3 to $5 per day per person (sometimes there are 3 or more "guides" on the rock art rides). On Traditional Ranches rides there will generally be just 2 helpers unless the group size is larger than 6 riders. Usually a group will pool tips and present it at the end of the trip.

W e a t h e r

Baja California has essentially two seasons - hot and humid in summer / mild and windy in winter, with conditions for touring best from fall through spring. As everywhere in the outdoors weather conditions may alter a travel plan and an itinerary may change if necessary.

A v e r a g e   D a y t i m e   T e m p e r a t u r e - Please NOTE that in the central peninsula on the Rock Art rides in the sierra San Francisco, we are at a higher altitude and temps can be colder mid winter.

Rain is infrequent. Only a few trips each winter might experience a day or two of wet weather. Night temperatures can occasionally fall to 30's mid-winter if a cold front swings down from the north.

S p e c i a l     N o t e s

A valid passport is required for entry into Mexico. You will be issued a tourist card on your flight, which will be stamped upon arrival at the Loreto International Airport. See Discover Baja Travel Club for travel and immigration information if you are driving to San Ignacio or Loreto.

No immunizations are required for entry into Baja.

We request that alcohol intake be kept to a minimum while in remote environments. Wine or beer with dinner is occasionally provided on a tour. Any illegal substances are strictly prohibited by Mexican laws.

I n s u r a n c e

It is strongly recommended that participants have trip cancellation insurance to protect against the unexpected need to cancel your reservation at a late date. We also encourage you to consider insurance coverage for expenses caused by accidents in and evacuation from remote areas. Saddling South is not responsible for re-imbursement of tour-related funds in case of travel warnings or travel carrier default. See Allianz travel insurance as one possibility.

I n f o r m a t i o n     R e s o u r c e s   /   B o o k s

Almost an Island by Bruce Berger / Gathering the Desert by Gary Nabhan / A Desert Country Near the Sea by Ann Zwinger / Into a Desert Place by Graham MacIntosh / Travels with a Baja Burro by Graham MacIntosh / Baja California Plant Field Guide by Roberts / Loreto: First Mission and Capital of Spanish California, by Ann O'Neil / Last of the Californios by Harry Crosby* / Cave Paintings of Baja California by Harry Crosby* / *note: that most of the Crosby books are out of print and can be ordered via your local library, anything he has written on Baja is well worth reading!

R e s e r v a t i o n s

Click here to make a reservation. A deposit of $250 per person is required to reserve a space. The balance is payable 60 days prior to the trip starting date. If you must cancel 31 days or more before a trip, the fee less the $250 per person deposit will be refunded. No refund will be available for cancellations up to 30 days before a trip. See information above for details and suggestions for trip cancellation insurance. For more information or to check availability of trip spaces please contact our office .

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