The Baja Border Tour Experience

Baja Border Tours provides small group (6-14 people) tours which allows us to personalize your experience and ensure that all of our customers get to do and see what they want.  The information on this page answers some of the most frequent questions we receive about our tours. If you have additional questions or concerns we are always happy to answer them either through email ([email protected]) or over the phone (+1-619-722-5277).  Whether in California or Mexico, our goal is to provide you with an unforgettable experience.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Crossing the Border
All passengers, including U.S. and Canadian citizens, must have a valid (unexpired) passport to cross the border both into Mexico from the U.S. and returning to the U.S. from Mexico. 

If you do not have a U.S. passport, you must have a multi-entry visa.  Please make sure that you bring your U.S. passport, legal permanent resident card or foreign passport with any necessary visa paperwork to avoid any delay at the border crossing. Most visitors to the U.S. are allowed reenty from Mexico but please verify that your particular visa allows reentry from Mexico. More information about requirements for entry into the United States can be found here www.dhs.gov/how-do-i/cross-us-borders.  

Border crossing times vary so we can never predict our exact return time. We do our best to provide you with a hassle-free return trip but we can't control the amount of traffic at the border at any given time.   
What to bring / what not to bring
  • All travelers including U.S. & Canadian citizens must bring a valid (unexpired) passport or passport card. All non U.S citizens also need an ESTA or I-94 form, multiple entry visa or Permanent Resident Card. Please consult with your embassy to ensure you have the proper documentation for reentry to the United States. 
  • Baja Border Tours provides meals, food tastings, bottled water and sunscreen during the tour.  You may wish to bring money to buy other beverages, snacks or souvenirs.  Please do bring some small bills for tipping your waitstaff (generally $9 per person for the day). U.S. Dollars are accepted throughout Baja so there is no need to exchange money prior to the tour. Many of the souvenir vendors do not take credit cards so please be aware that you will need cash for any souvenirs you wish to purchase.
  • We recommend bringing a sweater or light jacket and wearing good walking shoes rather than sandals.  Although a lot of walking is not required, the sidewalks and pathways may be more rugged than you are used to in the United States.
  • If you take any prescription medication, please bring it in a prescription bottle with your name on it in case you need to explain where the medication came from at the border crossing. Do NOT purchase any medications during the tour in Mexico.
  • DO NOT bring weapons or drugs (including medical or recreational marijuana) with you as these are illegal and prohibited under the laws of both the United States and Mexico. Despite changes in the law regarding marijuana, you may be arrested and prosecuted by U.S. or Mexican authorities for purchasing or transporting marijuana or other controlled substances across the border.
  • Do not bring or purchase any items which may be prohibited under U.S. or Mexican law including but not limited to fireworks, ammunition, and firearms. If you have any doubts about whether something can be purchased to bring back to the U.S., please ask your tour guide before making the purchase or check the Customs and Border Patrol website for a list of restricted items.
  • For the comfort of all passengers, no smoking or vaping is allowed in Baja Border Tours' vehicles.
  • Please refrain from using strong perfumes or colognes as other passengers may be allergic or sensitive to the odor. 
  • Most important of all - please bring your good humor, appetite and sense of adventure for a fun filled day getting to know Baja California, Mexico! 
Safety and comfort
Tourism is a vital industry in Mexico and the well-being of visitors is a priority for the government and people of Mexico. It is also a priority for Baja Border Tours.  While bad stuff can happen anywhere, Baja Border Tours makes sure that the areas we visit are areas we are comfortable visiting with our own families. It is our goal to provide all of our customers with a fun day getting to know a beautiful area of Mexico in a safe and comfortable environment.

Because everyone's comfort level with international travel is different, we encourage you to read our reviews to see what past visitors have said about their experience with us in Mexico and please do not hesitate to ask us any questions or let us know any concerns you may have before or during the trip. 

We also ask that our customers help us to provide a safe and fun trip for everyone by following some simple rules
- always wear a seatbelt;
- no smoking, vaping or drinking alcohol in any Baja Border Tours' vehicle;
- please follow all instructions from your tour guide and driver as they are looking out for your safety and well-being;
​- please do not leave your travel documents or valuables unattended in the vehicle;
- when in a vehicle, please be considerate of your driver so that he can focus on road conditions;
- please be on time to all meeting spots so that the group is not delayed;
- please remember that everyone (including your tour guide, driver and servers) appreciates being treated in a courteous manner so please don't forget to use "please" and "thank you" when making a request;
- please be mindful that other passengers may have different political or religious views so try to refrain from engaging in conversations in those areas which can sometimes lead to heated debates and hurt feelings - remember, this is a group tour and everyone will be spending the day together.

We always have plenty of bottled water, sunscreen and other conveniences available so that our guests can enjoy their trip in comfort without having to worry about the little details. 
Conditions in mexico
Generally it is warm in Baja during the day and cooler at night. Depending on the time of year, temperatures may reach into the mid eighties and drop into the fifties. The weather is usually similar to coastal San Diego.  Please check the weather before your tour.  We recommend bringing a sweater or light jacket and wearing comfortable walking shoes (not sandals).  While a lot of walking is not required, the walkways may be uneven or rough.

Road conditions in Mexico are not the same as in the U.S. Most of the roads we travel on are well-maintained and our drivers are experienced in dealing with the idiosyncrasies of driving in Mexico. We want your drive to be comfortable and worry-free. 
PAYMENTS, CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS
We accept payment by cash or credit card. We do not charge for a tour until we have met our 6 person minimum.
Gratuities for waiters and service staff in Mexico are not included in the tour price. Please plan to bring some small bills to tip your servers (usually $7-10 per person for the day).

CANCELLATIONS
Refunds less a $20 cancellation fee are permitted up to two weeks prior to the tour date. Customers who cancel within two weeks and at least 48 hours prior to tour date will be provided with a credit for a future tour. Baja Border Tours reserves the right to charge full fare for no-shows or cancellations made within 48 hours of a scheduled tour. ​While rare, if Baja Border Tours has to cancel a tour for any reason, all customers will receive full refunds.
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DEPOSITS
Private tours require a 50% deposit in order to hold a tour date.  Deposits are refundable less a $30 handling fee up to 2 weeks prior to the tour date. If the customer cancels the tour within 2 weeks of the tour date, the deposit will be retained but may be used as a credit towards a rescheduled tour within sixty days of original tour date.
overtime and waiting time
Please note, our small group tours provide time for everyone to wander on their own to explore an area or visit souvenir shops.  Your guide will tell you when and where to meet back up with the group.  We ask that all of our passengers be considerate of the whole group and return to the meeting place on time. Passengers who delay the whole group by failing to return at a designated meeting time, may be charged overtime at a rate of $75 per hour or portion of an hour that the group has to wait.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Please thoroughly review our Terms and Conditions prior to booking. Also please note that all passengers are required to sign a Waiver and Release of Liability to attend our tours. A copy of the Waiver is available on the Terms & Conditions page of our website. Once we have confirmed your booking, we will email you a link where you can complete the waiver online.
The BOOKING PROCESS
Please click on our "Book Now" button to see the available dates for the tour you are interested in. If a date is marked as sold out or otherwise unavailable, feel free to give us a call at 619-722-5277 and we will see what we can do to accommodate your request.
You will be asked to answer a few questions about your booking and to enter your credit card information. Your card will NOT be charged until we are able to confirm with you via email that we have met our minimum for that tour.
Meeting up for the tour - Directions
We will meet you for the tour on the US side of the border in San Ysidro near Las Americas Premium Outlet Mall. There is a large parking lot there if you are coming by car. It is also conveniently located near a trolley stop if you are coming by public transportation. Once your tour is confirmed, we will send you detailed instructions on how to get to the meet up spot, where to park, and how to find us. 

PICK UP AND DROP OFF LOCATIONS

Please Note: We are not currently offering drop off and pick up in the United States.  Due to the drop off in tourism and increased cost of insurance for passenger vans since Covid-19 we are not currently able to justify the expense of providing this service. In the meantime, we will meet you on the US side of the border and accompany you through the border crossing. We continue to provide transportation in Mexico. 

We will email you detailed instructions for how to get to the border and where to meet us.
Have additional questions - please call us at 619-722-5277 or send an email to [email protected]