4x4 Desert Safari

It's hard to believe that a place like Cabo was once a drowsy little Mexican town, unfamiliar to most other than the locals who called it home. Today, it is the destination for a tropical resort getaway; or, if you're in college, where you flock to come Spring. What little there is left of Cabo can still be found, not in a hotel or a club, but a little further outside city limits, where the land is unspoiled, welcoming adventure.

There is no doubt that you'll want to stay in one of mainland-Cabo's luxury resorts, but that doesn't need to prevent you from breaking loose those shackles and exploring the surprisingly rugged terrain of San Lucas. When we stayed at Melia Cabo Real, we made use of the concierge to arrange something "adventurous"; something "out of the ordinary," and what we got in return was the 4x4 Desert Safari.

Our tour began by convening at the Dolphin Center at Cabo's Marina. The six of us ate breakfast, that was provided, and spend a few minutes perusing the displays and aquariums. Following, we piled into a rebuilt Mercedes 4x4 SUV, circa 1960s, and departed for city limits. You can tell when you depart Cabo, the change in scenery is instant; as if someone switched the lights on in a dark room.



Once outside of town we snaked along backroads, and up hills, and over streamlets. Our guide seemed to be a pretty intelligent guy, identifying the different regions and indigenous wildlife. Occasionally, we would stop to explore and were provided snacks to keep up moving. It may sound a bit like a field trip, but it was the complete opposite.

As we reached the end of our 4-hour tour, we stopped off for lunch, feasting on a buffet of traditional Mexican food. We were also taught how to properly make tortillas and how to drink tequila (which involved a nice round of tastings).

What was especially nice about the 4x4 Desert Safari was how accommodating it was. The tour didn’t force us into sacrificing an entire day. We were able to see all of the real Cabo San Lucas and make it back to our resort in time to take a quick dip in the pool and head out for early dinner and shopping.