For travelers who want adrenaline with their wine country, guided ATV and UTV tours rip across the dusty backroads, dry riverbeds and ridgelines of the Guadalupe Valley, then drop you at a winery for a well-earned tasting. It's a rare combination, dirt-road adventure and world-class wine in a single afternoon, with big-sky Baja scenery the whole way. A genuinely fun, active alternative to the standard sit-down tour.
What to expect
After a safety briefing and gear fitting, you'll ride in a guided convoy across open valley terrain, climbing to viewpoints over the vineyards before pulling into a winery for tastings to cap the ride. Expect dust, sun and some technical sections, so it's best for travelers comfortable with off-road machines. Groups are kept together with lead and sweep guides. The contrast of grit, then a glass of valley red, is the whole appeal.
Good to know
A valid driver's license is required to operate a machine and minimum-age rules apply (commonly 18-21, with 21+ for the wine portion). Wear closed shoes, sunglasses and clothes you don't mind getting dusty; helmets and goggles are provided. It's a 40-minute-plus transfer to the valley, so confirm total timing against all-aboard, and verify the operator's insurance and back-to-ship guarantee before booking independently.
Sail there
Luxury cruises that call at Ensenada — book through us, the fare is identical and your concierge stays on your side.
More to do in Ensenada
- Valle de Guadalupe wine country: boutique winery tastings (Decantos, Monte Xanic, Vena Cava) with a private driver
- La Bufadora: the giant marine blowhole on the Punta Banda peninsula
- Baja seafood pilgrimage: La Guerrerense tostadas and the Mercado Negro fish market
- Gray whale watching in Todos Santos Bay (December-April)
- Long lunch at a vineyard asador: Finca Altozano or Deckman's en el Mogor