Private Todos Santos Jeep

The best part of this day is the change of pace. You leave Cabo San Lucas behind and trade resort crowds for Cerritos Beach, Todos Santos, and rough Baja back roads. The private Jeep keeps the outing personal, and guides such as Carlos and Sol add local detail to the drive.

I like the small three-person limit and the fact that lunch, water, snacks, and round-trip transport are included. I also like the mix of scenery: ocean views on the Transpeninsular Highway, a surf beach, a town full of galleries, and a rough 4×4 run near the Sierra Laguna Mountains. The main caution is lunch timing. One guest waited about 40 minutes for tacos during a busy event, so this is not a tightly timed sightseeing day.

Key points to know before you book

• Private Jeep for up to three people: Your group gets its own air-conditioned Jeep or Ford Bronco, depending on availability.
• Cerritos is the beach highlight: You get time to walk along a famous surf beach, then return for a Mexican meal by the water.
• Todos Santos adds culture: Free time covers galleries, craft shops, local streets, and the well-known Hotel California.
• Carlos and Sol are named guide options: Carlos receives praise for his driving and local explanations, while Sol is especially good at pointing out animals and details along the route.
• The day includes real road time: About six and a half hours includes transportation, with roughly an hour spent on the off-road portion.
• The price favors a full group: At $650 per Jeep, the cost is easier to justify when three people share it.

Leaving Cabo on the Transpeninsular Highway

The tour begins at 9 a.m. from Plaza Gali in central Cabo San Lucas, unless you arrange pickup at a hotel in San José del Cabo, the corridor, or the Cabo tourist area. Hotel pickup usually comes about an hour before the tour begins, so do not treat 9 a.m. as your actual pickup time if you are using the transport service.

The first hour follows the Transpeninsular Highway toward Cerritos. This is not dead time in a car. You get broad views of the Pacific Ocean on one side and Baja’s mountains on the other, with plenty of chances for photographs. The road gives you a useful sense of how quickly southern Baja changes once you leave Cabo’s hotel zone.

I like this opening because it eases you into the day. You are not thrown straight into rough roads before you know where you are going. The guide can point out the changing scenery as you move west toward the Pacific coast.

If you get carsick, tell the guide before setting out. One person who often feels sick in vehicles reported no trouble on this outing, but the trip still includes several hours in a Jeep and about an hour on back roads. Bring sunglasses, sunscreen, and a towel. Sandals or tennis shoes are recommended in the tour information, and comfortable footwear makes sense for the beach and town stops.

Cerritos Beach and the first taste of Baja

Cerritos Beach is the first major stop, with about an hour to walk around and enjoy the coast. It is known for large waves and surfing, so the beach has a more active Pacific feel than a quiet resort cove. You get sun, wind, open space, and time to look around without being rushed from one photograph to the next.

The tour does not promise a surf lesson, and you should not expect one. The included time is for enjoying the beach, walking, and taking in the setting. If you want to swim, use sensible judgment around the surf. The information provided describes Cerritos as a place famous for big waves, which is a useful reminder that the water may be powerful.

This is one of the strongest parts of the outing for anyone who wants to see more than Cabo’s marina and hotel strip. You get a coastal stop with a real surf-town character, not just a quick roadside photo pause.

The beach stop also gives the private format some value. Your guide can adjust the pace to your group. If you want more time to walk, you can ask. If heat, wind, or surf make you ready to move on, the day is not built around a large bus schedule.

Two hours in Todos Santos

The route continues to Todos Santos, one of Baja California Sur’s designated Magic Towns. Here you receive about two hours, enough for a relaxed look at the center rather than a hurried pass through town.

Use this time for the galleries and handcraft shops. Todos Santos is a good counterpoint to the beach because the focus shifts from open coastline to local art, small stores, and town streets. You can browse at your own speed and choose where to spend your time.

The itinerary also mentions the famous Hotel California. You can visit it during your free time, but keep your expectations sensible. The stop is not presented as a formal hotel tour or a long historical visit. It is simply one of the recognizable places you may want to see while walking around Todos Santos.

Lunch in town is part of the plan, though the main included meal is served later in Cerritos. The schedule gives you enough time to combine a stroll, shopping, and a break without trying to cover every corner of Todos Santos.

The private setup matters most here. A large group often means waiting while everyone finishes shopping or gathers at one meeting point. With only your party in the Jeep, you can tell the guide what interests you. If galleries are your priority, spend more of the free time there. If you prefer a short walk and more time outdoors, you can keep it simple.

The 4×4 run through southern Baja

After Todos Santos, the tour turns toward the back roads of southern Baja. This is where the experience changes from a sightseeing drive to an off-road outing. You ride in a 4×4 Jeep or, depending on availability, a Ford Bronco, with air conditioning and space for a maximum of three people.

The off-road section lasts about an hour. The route offers views toward the Sierra Laguna Mountains and gives you a look at the rougher side of the region. You are not simply being driven from one town to the next on a paved highway. The road itself becomes part of the day.

Carlos is specifically praised for driving through the desert and mountains and for taking his group to out-of-the-way places. Sol is praised for explaining the area and pointing out local animals. Guide assignments depend on availability, so you cannot count on receiving either one, but it is useful to know what kind of guide can make the day better.

You should also understand what this format means. A 4×4 tour can be dusty, bumpy, and less predictable than a standard coach excursion. The provided information does not promise a particular off-road route, so weather and road conditions may change the plan. Rain or road closures can lead to a changed location, a new date, or cancellation.

The experience is not designed for people who want a polished, quiet ride all day. It suits you if you enjoy scenery, open roads, and a bit of shake in the vehicle. The Jeep has air conditioning, which helps, but this remains an outdoor-focused day.

Mexican lunch in Cerritos

The included lunch takes place at a local restaurant in Cerritos Surf Town, near Cerritos Beach. The meal includes Mexican food such as fish tacos, shrimp, chips, sauces, guacamole, rice, beans, and flavored water. A vegetarian option includes items such as salads, quesadillas, beans, and rice.

This is a useful inclusion because you do not have to search for a restaurant during a day that already covers a lot of ground. It also keeps the meal tied to the place you are visiting rather than treating lunch as an anonymous stop on the highway.

The meal is optional, but you do not receive a discount if you skip it. You should also allow extra time. One guest waited around 40 minutes and left before the food arrived during a large event. The operator explained that the usual meal is three tacos with rice, beans, guacamole, salsas, and tortilla chips, with vegetarian choices available.

That detail is worth considering if you have a tight cruise schedule or a strict return time. The full activity lasts about six and a half hours including transport, but restaurant service can affect the pace. Tell your guide early if you need to return to Cabo by a specific time.

Punta Lobos and the final coastal view

The last listed stop is Punta Lobos, with about 15 minutes to enjoy the views. This is a short photo and scenery stop, not a long walk or extended beach visit.

The brief timing makes sense as a final look at the coast after the beach, town, and mountain roads. You can step out, take photographs, and enjoy the setting before heading back. Do not book this tour expecting a full afternoon at Punta Lobos. Its value is as a compact finishing stop.

The day then returns to Cabo San Lucas. Drop-off can be at Plaza Gali, your hotel, or Plaza Gali Downtown Cabo San Lucas, depending on your arrangements.

What the $650 price really covers

The price is $650 per private Jeep for one to three people. That price can look high if you are comparing it with a shared bus trip, but the comparison changes when you fill the vehicle.

For three people, the cost works out to about $217 per person before any separate personal spending. You receive a private guide, an air-conditioned 4×4 vehicle, hotel or port pickup and drop-off, lunch, bottled water, snacks, and granola bars. For two people, the per-person cost is higher. For one person, it is a premium day.

The strongest value comes from privacy and range. You cover beach, town, mountain roads, and a coastal viewpoint in one outing. You also avoid spending time organizing taxis between Cabo, Cerritos, and Todos Santos.

The value is weaker if you mainly want a long beach day or a simple visit to Todos Santos. In that case, a less expensive shared option may suit you better. This experience earns its price through the private vehicle, off-road access, flexible pacing, and included food rather than through a single major attraction.

Five Jeeps are available, but the capacity remains one to three passengers per Jeep. If your group has more than three people, expect to be split among vehicles rather than placed in one large private vehicle.

Pickup details that matter

Cruise ship passengers meet at Plaza Gali near the harbor. After walking from the tender pier through the security gate, turn right along the red sidewalk. Continue toward the Cruise Terminal building marked API, exit into the parking lot, and look for the Oxxo convenience store. The guide waits in front of the store.

If you drive yourself, go to the Plaza Gali parking lot in front of the Sandos Finisterra hotel. The meeting point is also the Oxxo at the parking lot exit.

Hotel transport covers the main tourist areas of San José del Cabo, the corridor, and Cabo San Lucas. It does not cover hotels outside the tourist area such as Hard Rock, Nobu, or Four Seasons. Those properties are about 50 minutes away from the tourist area, so pickup is at Plaza Gali instead.

Confirm your exact hotel pickup time the day before. This small step matters because the pickup can be roughly an hour before the 9 a.m. start.

Who will enjoy this private Baja day

I would choose this tour if you want to see several sides of the region without joining a large group. It is especially suitable for couples, families, or a small group of friends who can share the $650 vehicle price.

It also fits people who care more about scenery and local stops than formal sightseeing. The day gives you beach time, craft shops, a local restaurant, mountains, back roads, and a short stop at Punta Lobos. You do not need to plan every detail yourself.

The minimum age is six. Anyone who wants to drive must be at least 18 and bring a valid driver’s license. The information does not say that you must drive, so you can leave the vehicle in the guide’s hands and simply enjoy the ride.

I would hesitate to choose it if you dislike rough roads, need a precise return time, or want a long, unhurried visit at one place. Lunch may take longer than expected, and the weather can force route changes. The tour requires good weather, with a different date or full refund offered if the operator cancels because conditions are poor.

For cancellation, the supplied policy states free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start time, with no refund for later cancellations or no-shows. Another part of the tour information mentions 48 hours, so confirm the exact deadline when booking.

Should you book the Private Todos Santos Jeep?

Book it if you want a private Baja sampler rather than a single attraction. The best reasons are the three-person vehicle, the combination of Cerritos and Todos Santos, the off-road mountain route, and the included Mexican lunch.

I especially like the personal scale. Carlos and Sol are named as strong guide options, though assignments are not guaranteed. A good guide matters here because the scenery is the main attraction, and local explanations make the long drives feel worthwhile.

Skip it if your priority is a low-cost outing, a quiet beach day, or a strict schedule. For everyone else, especially a full group of three, this is a practical way to get beyond Cabo and see a more open, varied side of southern Baja.

FAQ

How long does the Private Todos Santos Jeep tour last?

The activity lasts about six and a half hours, including round-trip transportation. The listed stops add up to roughly six hours, with the remaining time used for transfers and the return to Cabo.

How many people can ride in one Jeep?

The price covers one Jeep for up to three passengers. Depending on availability, the vehicle may be a Jeep or a Ford Bronco, and five vehicles are available.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch includes Mexican food such as fish tacos, shrimp, chips, sauces, guacamole, rice, beans, and flavored water. Vegetarian choices such as salads, quesadillas, beans, and rice are available. Lunch is optional, but skipping it does not reduce the price.

Where does the tour meet?

The standard meeting point is the Plaza Gali parking lot at the Oxxo near the Cruise Terminal in Cabo San Lucas. Hotel pickup is offered in the main tourist areas of Cabo San Lucas, the corridor, and San José del Cabo.

Can I drive the Jeep?

You may drive if you are at least 18 years old and bring a valid driver’s license. Depending on the arrangements and conditions, you may also let the guide handle the driving.

What happens if the weather is bad?

The operator may change the location, reschedule, or cancel because of rain or road closures. If the operator cancels because of poor weather, you can choose a different date or receive a full refund.