Cabo ATV tours and camel rides: what they're like, the limits and how to plan the day

Cabo ATV tours and camel rides take place on the Pacific side of the cape, on dunes, dry riverbeds and empty beaches roughly half an hour from town. Plan on about 3 hours door to door for an ATV tour and 3 to 4 hours for an ATV and camel combo. Drivers usually need to be 16 with a license, and age and weight limits change from one operator to the next, so check before you pay.

We're a boat agency and don't sell these tours. People ask us about them all day on WhatsApp because they want to fit one around a charter, so this is the practical version.

Where do the ATV tours and camel rides go?

The desert tours run out on the Pacific coast, northwest of Cabo San Lucas. Two areas come up most: the dunes and beach around Migriño, and the dunes west of town toward the old Cabo Falso lighthouse. You get picked up at your hotel or a meeting point and driven out to a ranch or base camp.

The scenery is cardón cactus, sand tracks and then a long, empty Pacific beach. That beach is for riding and photos. The surf on this side is heavy and nobody swims there.

If you want the lighthouse itself, know that it stands on private land and access by land has been restricted for years. Ask the operator how close the tour gets.

What is an ATV tour in Cabo like?

You check in, get a helmet and goggles, and sit through a short safety briefing. Then the group rides out behind a guide.

The route mixes desert trails, sandy arroyos and a stretch along the beach or the cliffs above it. There are stops for photos. It's bumpy and dusty.

You'll usually choose between a single ATV and a double, where a passenger rides behind the driver. Side-by-side buggies (UTVs) are the other common option. They have seats, seat belts and a roll cage, and they suit people who'd rather not straddle a quad for an hour.

Total time includes the transfers, usually around 25 minutes each way, plus check-in and the wait while everyone looks at the photos afterward.

What is a camel ride in Cabo like?

Calmer than you'd guess. The camels walk in a line along the beach and through the desert with handlers leading them, and riders usually go two to a camel. Getting on and off is the awkward part, since the camel stands up back legs first and tips you forward.

The ride itself lasts from about 25 minutes to an hour depending on the tour. Many tours add a walk through the desert plants with a guide, a Mexican lunch and a tequila tasting for the adults.

It's a good pick for mixed groups: grandparents, kids from about 5, and anyone who wants the desert without the dust and speed of the quads.

Cabo ATV and camel ride age and weight limits

These are set by each operator, and they do differ. The ranges below are what operators in Los Cabos publish. Treat them as a guide and confirm yours in writing.

On the camel ride weight limit, the spread comes from each company setting its own rule. If anyone in your group is near the limit, ask before booking so nobody gets turned away at the ranch.

Health rules are more consistent. Pregnant women can't ride either one, and the tours aren't recommended for people with back or neck problems or heart conditions. Bring the physical driver's license if you plan to drive.

What to wear and bring

Leave the white outfit for the boat. Contact lens wearers should bring drops, and long hair is easier tied back under the helmet.

Best time of day for an ATV tour

Go early in the warm months. The desert has no shade, and from June through October the middle of the day is hot. Morning departures are cooler and the light is softer for photos.

In winter the timing matters less, and late afternoon tours catch good light on the dunes. Winter also brings humpback whales to this coast. They start arriving in November, and from the Pacific beaches you can sometimes see them blowing offshore.

How to pair an ATV or camel tour with a private boat day

The same day works if you leave slack. Two orders make sense.

ATV in the morning, sunset on the water. This is the easy one. A morning tour has you back at the hotel by early afternoon, with time to shower off the dust and eat. The 2 hour Pacific sunset route then takes you around Land's End past the Arch and out toward Cabo Falso, so you see the coast you rode that morning from the sea. Sunset in Cabo ranges from about 5:36 PM in late November and December to about 7:09 PM in early July, and Cabo doesn't change its clocks.

Boat in the morning, desert in the late afternoon. The bay is at its calmest early, which is better for snorkeling and for anyone who gets queasy. Take a 3 or 4 hour charter from 8 or 9 AM, eat lunch, and book the last ATV or camel departure of the day.

Leave at least 2 hours between the two, since a late transfer back from the desert would eat into your charter.

Prices are per boat, not per person, with 16% IVA tax included. The customary 15% crew tip is not included.

The Sea Ray 36 comes with a captain and deckhand, snorkel gear, a cooler, bottled water, ice and towels. Twelve people on a 2 hour sunset comes to about USD 47 each. The Pontoon 38 is the one for big groups, the same crowd that fills a line of ATVs: up to 18 guests, a water slide off the upper deck and an enclosed head with a freshwater shower. Eighteen people on 3 hours works out to about USD 71 each.

We don't sell or serve alcohol on board, but guests 18 and over can bring their own. If your ATV tour ends with a tequila tasting, keep that in mind when you plan the afternoon.

Planning it

Book the boat first if your dates are fixed, since each yacht takes one group per time slot, and then fit the desert tour around it. Other land tours work the same way, including ziplines and horseback riding on the beach, and our list of the best excursions in Cabo compares them by time and who they suit.

For the water side, the experiences page shows what each kind of charter looks like. When you have a date and a head count, put them into the planner. We reply within 2 hours, 8 AM to 8 PM Cabo time.

Yachts in this guide

Chaparral 28Sport boat · up to 10 guestsfrom $519 / 2 hSea Ray 36Express cruiser · up to 12 guestsfrom $659 / 2 hPontoon 38Double-deck party pontoon · up to 18 guestsfrom $869 / 2 h

Questions people ask

How long is an ATV tour in Cabo?

Most run about 3 hours door to door, including hotel transfers, check-in and a safety briefing. Time on the ATV itself is usually 1 to 2 hours. A combo with a camel ride takes 3 to 4 hours.

What is the weight limit for a camel ride in Cabo?

It depends on the operator. Published limits range from about 250 to 330 pounds per rider, and many sit around 265 to 270 pounds (120 to 125 kg). Confirm with the operator before you book.

How old do you have to be to drive an ATV in Cabo?

Usually 16 with a valid driver's license, and 18 with some operators. Children can often ride as passengers on a double ATV from about age 7, and camel rides commonly start at age 5.

What should I wear on an ATV tour in Cabo?

Closed-toe shoes, clothes you don't mind getting dusty, sunglasses and sunscreen. Operators provide a helmet, goggles and usually a bandana for the dust.

Can you do an ATV tour and a boat tour on the same day in Cabo?

Yes. The easiest pairing is an ATV tour in the morning and a 2 hour private sunset cruise in the evening, which starts at USD 519 (MXN 9,799) per boat. Leave at least 2 hours between them.

Plan your day on the water

Pick a yacht, the hours and the food in the planner. A written reply within 2 hours, 8 AM to 8 PM Cabo time.

Check availabilitySee the fleet