Camel Safari Tours

The honest truth about camels in Cabo

Yes, there are camels in Baja California — brought over decades ago, now living at eco-ranches in the desert outside Cabo. No, it's not "authentic Mexico." It's a genuinely enjoyable oddity: a slow, swaying ride through desert and along a Pacific beach, usually bundled with tequila tasting and a good ranch lunch. Kids are obsessed with it, adults are charmed despite themselves, and the established ranches take visibly good care of the animals. Treat it as the delightful sideshow it is, not a cultural experience, and you'll love it.

What the experience actually looks like

The camel ride itself is 30–45 minutes: you climb a platform, settle into the saddle (one rider per camel, or a parent with a small child), and sway through the desert at walking pace to the beach and back. The camels are calm to the point of comedy — they groan, they pose for photos, they have strong opinions about snacks.

Almost nobody books "just camels" — the standard product is the combo: camel ride + ATV or UTV + tequila tasting + Mexican buffet lunch at the ranch, running 4–5 hours door to door. As a combo it's one of the best-value half-days in Cabo.

What it costs (typical 2026 prices)

• Camel ride only: $70–90 per person (rarely sold standalone)
• Camel + ATV/UTV combo: $130–170 per person
• Full ranch day (camels + ATV + lunch + tequila tasting): $150–190 per person
• Private camel ride: $150+ per person, available at some ranches

Transport from Cabo is typically included. The lunch is genuinely good at the established ranches — ranch-style Mexican food, not a tourist afterthought.

How to pick

1. Go to an established eco-ranch, not a pop-up. The reputable ranches (the ones with names you see across tour operators) have permanent facilities, veterinary care, and long-tenured staff. If the "ranch" is a tent and a rope fence, skip it.
2. Look at the camels. Good weight, clean coats, calm demeanor, no sores from saddles. The animals' condition is the ranch's résumé.
3. Ask about the camels' day. How many rides per camel per day? Rest days? Shade and water between rides? Good ranches answer proudly; bad ones deflect.
4. Book the combo, not the standalone. The camel ride alone is a 40-minute novelty; the combo is a full, satisfying day. The price difference is small.
5. Check the tequila tasting format. At good ranches it's an education (blanco vs. reposado vs. añejo, how to taste); at bad ones it's a sales pitch for overpriced bottles. Both are fun if you know which you're getting.

What to bring and wear

Long pants and closed-toe shoes (ranch rules, and the saddle will chafe bare legs), sunscreen, a hat, and cash for tips and the inevitable gift shop. The ride is slow and shaded in parts — it's the least physically demanding "adventure" in Cabo. Bring the camera; the camel beach photos are the ones that make people back home do a double-take.

Good to know

• Weight limits (~200–220 lbs) are about the camels' welfare and are enforced at good ranches. They're stated upfront — respect them.
• Kids love this more than almost anything in Cabo — ages 5+ ride solo, younger ones ride with a parent. It's the rare activity that's perfect for the 6-year-old and the 70-year-old simultaneously.
• The camels are dromedaries (one hump), rescued or ranch-born — ask the guides about their stories; the good guides love telling them.
• Morning combos beat afternoon ones: cooler for you and the animals, better light, and you get the ranch lunch at the right time.
• The "safari" framing is tongue-in-cheek and everyone knows it — lean into the absurdity. The people having the most fun are the ones who committed to the bit.

Frequently asked questions