As my trip to Cabo San Lucas unfolded, I was having an absolute blast on the water. It is legendary for all the activities you can do from boating, to snorkeling, to so much more, and it definitely exceeded all the expectations I had for it.
However, I wanted to spend some time on land as well. Living in La Vegas, I have grown to appreciate the beauty of my desert home. Cabo is similarly beautiful, having a similar landscape with much of the same vegetation. The major difference there, of course, is that they have an amazing ocean to look at as well.
Remembering the fun I had a couple years ago on a horseback trip I took, I was excited to see they offered a similar tour in Cabo. Rancho Carisuva, in fact, offers several tours, with the horseback riding being just one of them. They also have a tours on atv’s, as well as what they call a “burrito” safari, which is a hike where you are accompanied by a friendly Mexican donkey.
Another thing I really appreciate about Carisuva tours is that, much like my experience with the sea turtles, their mission is about more than just offering tours. They aim to educate children and tourists alike about the amazing environment in the Baja peninsula. They offer a variety of school programs and beach cleaning activities that help to protect the beaches and educate its visitors. I really appreciate groups like this that aim to protect the natural resources that have given them so much.
I was so excited to get going on my adventure! Not only would I be riding my horse through the amazing desert landscape, but I would also have the chance to ride right alongside the ocean. My brother is a cowboy back in Panama, so I was pretty sure he would be jealous with what I was going to be doing in a short time.
First things first, we had to get out to their location. They are a good bit outside of the city, so it is great that they come right to where you are staying to pick you up. We climbed in the van and picked up a few other people as well, and made our way out. It actually serves as a bit of a city tour as well, as you get to see much of Cabo San Lucas during that time. Overall, it took about an hour to get there, but by that time, we had found new friends with our fellow passengers.
As we pulled off the road into the ranch where the fun would begin, it was like pulling into another world. We drove down a dirt road to the exact location and climbed out of the van. You first walk into a little courtyard which overlooks the ranch. From there you could see everything. Not only are the horses and donkeys there, but they also have pigs, goats, chickens, and a couple of amazing dogs that would accompany us out on our trip.
Before we got going, we got to take a walk around and visit the animals. The goats were super friendly, and loved the attention we gave them. In fact, one got so excited, he jumped out of his pen and followed us around for awhile. However, one of the dogs, doing his job, eventually chased him back to his pen. They had a very young donkey who was also fond of us and attended the safety briefing we got before getting onto our horses.
Oscar was to serve as our guide and he asked about our level of experience, as well as told us what to expect on the ride. He then matched us up with the horse that would be our riding partner for the next hour. I was given Domino, and he seemed like a really great horse! What I found to be very cool was that all of the horses knew exactly where to go. They lined up in a single file line, and they had been perfectly trained to know exactly where their place in that line was.
Finally, we made our way out into the desert, with the dogs leading the way. Even though I live in the desert, like most people I rarely spend much time right in the middle of it. Usually, I am surrounded by asphalt and buildings, but here we were riding on trails right in the middle of it all. It is so beautiful when you are so close. Some of the cactuses were even in bloom and had beautiful flowers that made it look even more incredible. With the rolling hills and beautiful vegetation, it was hard to think that the view could get much better than this. But I was wrong!
After awhile of taking in the view and enjoying some light conversation with my fellow riders, something in the distance began to come a bit more into focus. It was, of course, the ocean! How amazing this view was with the desert landscape butted right up to the ocean, it was obvious why so many people have fallen in love with this part of the world. And for me, what made this part of the Baja so beautiful was that, unlike Cabo San Lucas, there were very few buildings. You had these amazing, pristine beaches that were almost completely empty. You could really enjoy the natural beauty of the land without all the man made interference.
We made our way to the shore and proceed to ride right along the edge of the water. I really enjoyed watching the dogs who seemed to be having more fun than we were. I couldn’t help but think that this was probably the absolute perfect life for a dog. They would run alongside of us, wrestle a little bit and go out a short way into the water as well. But Oscar would call them out immediately as he was worried that they could be caught up in the current.
As we rode along, enjoying one of the most beautiful views you could ever see, Oscar gave us some information. He pointed out that the sticks we were seeing in the sand were sea turtle nests. They were marked so that conservation groups could keep an eye on them, ensuring that as many would survive as possible. Also, he told us about the few buildings we actually did see. One was a hotel for yoga enthusiasts. It was completely empty though, so I guess not many people around there liked yoga.
As we made our way back and away from the water, something really cool happened. We saw a horse in the distance running towards us. It actually was the daughter of Oscar’s horse, and I guess she had had enough of not being included. She joined us and would walk alongside her mom for the rest of the trip. Oscar said that the horses were allowed to move back and forth, coming and going as they pleased. Because the location is so remote, they don’t have issues with things like theft.
Finally, we got back to base camp. We climbed off our horses and exchanged observations from the journey with our fellow travelers. I said goodbye to my new friend Domino and headed into the office to check out some of the things they had for sale, as well as check out photos from the trip. One cool thing they provide is a guy on an atv who would come in and out on occasion to take pictures of us. Because we were on horses, taking photos proved impossible, so this was really cool. He took so many great pictures of the group and I opted to get the entire package so that I would have them to go along with all the great memories.
Finally, we all got back onto the bus and headed back to our hotels. I loved my time so much, but also couldn’t help but be a little jealous of the people that had gone on the atv tour. That looked like a lot of fun as well! I have that to look forward to the next time I come to Cabo.
Oscar was the perfect guide and added so much to our enjoyment. It really was a very different, but incredible addition to my vacation. It was a great choice and I am glad I made it!
To see more about this tour and all the others they provide, you can visit their site HERE. It is definitely something you should do the next time you head down to Baja, Mexico.
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