Featured Touring Baja California 2026

The BMW club organizes a monthly event. The club has multiple chapters in Mexico, and for March, it was our turn to organize the monthly ride. Everyone is free to suggest any location in the country. My chapter is in Guadalajara, Mexico, but we decided to gather everyone in Valle de Guadalupe—wine country—just south of Tijuana, and then ride to La Paz, at the south of the Baja Peninsula. It is a 1,600 km ride over 10 days.

Planning started over six months ago. We negotiated discounts on hotels along the route and published the details to each chapter so individuals could make their own travel arrangements.

From my chapter—which has 22 members—only five were able to attend. We shipped the bikes by truck 10 days before the event. This is peak motorcycle season for Baja, and since the shipping company had previous commitments, I was without a bike for a few days.

On Feb 27, we took a taxi at about 3:30 AM to catch a 6 AM flight to Tijuana. From there, we took another taxi to the shipping company, rode to the hotel, and dropped off our bags.

My wife does not ride on the bike but wanted to come, so we rented a car for her. This turned out to be quite useful for a few people.

 

On the first day, we gathered at the BMW dealer with most of the group—about 40 motorcycles. A friend from Guatemala came along and rented a Royal Enfield Himalayan. We were surprised (and so was he, as he owns an R1250GS) at how well the Himalayan performed.

We rode the Rumorosa, a sierra between Tijuana and Mexicali famous for its twisty roads, strong winds, and sometimes cool temperatures. I rode it two years ago and it lived up to its reputation then; but not this year. It was not windy, and at over 30°C, we were roasting.

At night, the dealer organized a cookout and served grilled sandwiches. The hotel was only two doors away from the dealer. Some riders needed work done on their motorcycles, so this turned out to be very practical.

Images from the Rumorosa, impressive sierra made of what look of stacked rocks
A view towards the USA, the dark line is the wall at the border


Later at the BMW dealer, everyone was a bit sad


Jersey of the event


The Himalayan

 

probably, but it was not with us

 

Day 2 We rode from Tijuana to Puerto Nuevo with a large group of motorcycles. The Motorrad sales manager, a small woman about 1.5m tall, led the group on a demo F800GS. it was nice following a local, as she knew how to navigate the traffic jams near the border crossing. Once we exited Tijuana, the ride followed Federal Hwy 1, which offers wonderful coastal views.

In Puerto Nuevo, we arrived at a restaurant famous for its lobster served with rice and beans. Their organization was amazing; everyone—about 60 people—was served quickly, and the prices were very reasonable.


We continued toward Valle de Guadalupe and stopped at a vineyard for a wine tasting session. Everyone had a small taste of red and rosé wines, but we mostly drank water as the temperature was again over 30°C.




Just a short distance away, we arrived at the hotel in Valle and enjoyed the facilities until it was time for the formal event. There, we exchanged the "estafeta," a symbolic baton representing the passing of hosting duties between chapters.

The day ended with a great dinner for over 60 people.

 

Day 3: From Valle de Guadalupe to San Felipe

We had planned to have breakfast at a famous restaurant with a Michelin star! However, I was guiding the group—just five bikes from Guadalajara — but there was no Wi-Fi and cell service was down. I had downloaded the maps to my phone, but it guided us the wrong way. Instead, we ended up at a taco place that was really nice: good food, quick service, and I’m certain the prices were not at "Michelin star" levels!

It turned out to be a good thing to get lost and find this place. We filled our tanks at a gas station along the way and took the coastal road again before taking Federal Highway 3 across the peninsula toward the Sea of Cortez. That road is an adventure, as the pavement is in dismal condition with potholes that could easily damage tires, wheels, and suspension. Fortunately, every bike arrived okay.

My wife, in the rental car, had two passengers and a few bags from riders who wanted to travel a bit lighter. They contributed toward the fuel, which wasn't necessary but was a nice gesture.

The car arrived with all the tires and wheels undamaged, but one of the plastic guards under the front fender came loose. It rubbed against the tire for who knows how long, so only pieces of it were left by the time we reached San Felipe. I secured the remainder of the plastic with zip ties, and it wasn't a problem for the rest of the trip.

For lunch, five of us jumped in the car and went to the malecón to find food. We had amazing ceviche tostadas.


Views from the beach at the hotel in San Felipe
The tide is out leaving a large expanse with no water




The next morning

 

Day 4: From San Felipe to Bahía de los Ángeles

I was looking forward to visiting Bahía since I had never been there. The day started with breakfast at the malecón, then we took Hwy 5 south, which runs along the coast of the Sea of Cortez. The views are amazing, with the contrast of the desert against the intense blue of the gulf. It was quite enjoyable.


We filled up in San Felipe and again at a lonely fuel station that only had regular fuel, just before the road turns west toward the inland.

On the way, we found a rider on the side of the road with a puncture in his rear tire. We stopped, and he mentioned the puncture was too large to repair with standard kits. One of his fellow riders had already taken the wheel to the crossroads a few kilometers ahead. At the junction of Hwy 5 and Hwy 1, there is a tire shop, but no one was there. As we were trying to find someone, a motorhome stopped to tell us about the stranded biker; we let them know we were aware and help was in progress.

Because there was no cell signal and the rider with the tire was nowhere to be seen, we continued. Along the route, we passed through Valle de los Cirios and stopped to take a photo. While there, a pickup truck stopped to mention the stranded rider again—a repeat of the previous encounter where we told the nice driver that help was in progress (or so we hoped).

At the next crossroads (Hwy 1 and Hwy 12), we turned east toward the gulf to head for Bahía de los Ángeles. Before doing so, we stopped at a shop/restaurant/hotel that felt like an oasis with AC, water, and a place to rest. It had Wi-Fi (Starlink?), and we figured out that a new tire had been located in the next town. It was to be fitted to the wheel and taken back to the rider—a feat that took all day.

We arrived at Bahía de los Ángeles, a tiny town. The hotel where we stayed, "Los Vientos," is really nice—bungalows in the middle of the desert right on the beach, with a great restaurant. The owner was right there making sure everything was fine. We had a lovely lunch, and for the next morning, the owner arranged three breakfast shifts (6:30, 7:00, and 7:30 AM) since the restaurant can only seat a few people.

At night, we went to a convenience store to get food for a light dinner, as we had been eating a lot. On the way back, we stopped to fill the car's tank. While there, I heard a local say he preferred to fill up at night because the fishermen come in groups early in the morning and sometimes the station runs out of gas. So, as soon as we got to the hotel, I put my gear back on and rode to the station to fill up my bike along with a few others.

 

Day 5: Bahía de los Ángeles to Mulegé

We had a great breakfast. As with every other day, the guys who were putting some of their luggage in the car were already up and waiting to load it.

We rode Hwy 12 west toward Hwy 1, and then continued south on Hwy 1 toward Guerrero Negro. This is where Baja Norte becomes Baja Sur, right in the middle of the peninsula. We stopped in Guerrero Negro for lunch at a famous taco place; we have stopped here every time we've driven through.

A unique thing about tacos in Baja is that they are mainly fish or shrimp, compared to tacos in mainland Mexico, which feature all sorts of meats, cheeses, etc.

The road turns east at Guerrero Negro to cross the peninsula toward the gulf once again. A few kilometers before reaching Santa Rosalía, we were at the top of a sierra at about 35°C. In a short stretch of road, the elevation drops to sea level, and the fresh air from the ocean dropped the temperature to about 22°C—it felt glorious.

Santa Rosalía was a copper mining town founded by French miners. The architecture is very unique, different from any other town we passed through. The church was designed by Gustave Eiffel—the same one who built the Eiffel Tower—and it is made of iron. On the corner by the church, there is an ice cream parlor, and we enjoyed a nice treat there.

Mulegé is not far from there. The town has a mission and is an oasis with a freshwater river flowing through it; today, it is home to many expats. The hotel we stayed at had a sign in front advertising AC and hot showers. It was clean and quiet, and there was a restaurant less than a kilometer away.

The hotel had an awesome view from the terrace on top

 

Day 6: From Mulegé to Loreto

It was a short ride, and we stayed two nights in Loreto. It was a nice, relaxed day that was very much needed. On the way between Mulegé and Loreto, there are several beaches on the gulf. We stopped at "El Burro" beach and ordered some refreshments at a café before continuing to Loreto.





We went to visit the San Javier Mission, 40 km west of Loreto in the middle of the sierra. It’s a very twisty road with steep inclines—a nice technical ride in contrast to the mostly easy roads of the previous days.

Interesting image of Pancho Villa on a motorcycle ... wonder of it is real , seen at a cafe in the mission





We stopped at the hotel to drop off our gear. Everyone arrived at the same time, and predictably, the check-in was a mess. This was compounded by the hotel having trouble with their reservation system, so it took over an hour of standing in line—while hot from the road—before we were given our room keys.

Afterward, four of us took the car to a restaurant about 20 km south, right on the beach. They had awesome seafood, and since there were only four of us, the service was quick.




Moonrise



The next day, we drove into Loreto and found a nice breakfast place right in front of the dock where the boat tours leave for whale watching. We agreed on a tour and boarded the boat after finishing breakfast. The tour took about four hours. Just a few minutes in, we saw blue whales! The whales barely show themselves above the water; the routine is to hear them breathe, followed by the back moving slowly above the water surface, and sometimes followed by the tail. Once they go under, it’s a matter of patience and luck to find another, but there were plenty, so we saw one every 10 or 15 minutes. Photos from a mobile phone don't come out great, so I’m not sharing any.

After the whales, we went around Isla Coronado. We saw a school of dolphins with a few young ones in the middle, as well as sea lions on the rocks coming in and out of the water. Then we disembarked on a nice beach with light sand and turquoise water, where we were able to snorkel and watch the sea life.

Afterward, we came back to Loreto, ate lunch, and stopped at a delicatessen to buy some wine and cheese to enjoy the evening on the beach.

 

Beach at isla coronado , amazing that the shade and chairs are carried in the little boat

 

Day 7: Loreto to La Paz

It was an uneventful ride to La Paz. We stayed at a Courtyard hotel near the ferry terminal. It is comfortable to stay at a chain hotel, although it feels soulless in comparison to all the other interesting locations, hotels, and restaurants we've visited. Everything works as expected, with no surprises that need to be dealt with.

We had dinner at a nearby place that has a great rooftop with views of the bay and the city.

View from the room


From the roof top at the nearby HBlue hotel

 

Days 8 and 9

Some of us were to take the ferry to Mazatlán across the gulf—a 12-hour boat ride. My wife, along with a few others, flew to different destinations. I accompanied my wife to return the rental car. I was expecting some trouble with the damaged part, but they didn’t say anything; I had full insurance anyway.

I rode back to the hotel and got together with the group to head to the ferry. The city was hosting a triathlon, and many streets and parts of the roads were closed at different times. While the ferry was scheduled to leave at 7:00 PM, we were at the terminal by around 2:00 PM. We boarded around 3:00 PM and waited on board. The boat has a nice dining room and a bar on the top deck. Since we were such a large group, there was always someone interesting to talk to and exchange experiences with from the trip.

The ferry left two hours late. Many cargo shipments and passengers were delayed due to the road closures, and the ferry was still half empty at 7:00 PM, the original departure time. The cabins were nice and clean; this is a new boat, much better than the one I took last year, which felt cramped and dark.

We arrived in Mazatlán, and each group started the ride back to their respective cities. I arrived home around 5:00 PM—not bad at all, about four hours to get from Mazatlán to Guadalajara.



waiting to go onboard


all tied down


= hope i can navigate properly


Finally leaving


Mazatlan in the distance

 

Ready for the next trip

 

It is fun to think back and document the trips and little details. You also do a fantastic job commenting your trips, always entertaining and informative.
Cheers!