Your Guide to Sandboarding the Mogote Dunes in La Paz, Mexico
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which earn me a small commission from bookings at no extra cost to you. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!
If there’s one activity you shouldn’t skip out on when in La Paz, Baja California Sur, it’s off-roading and sandboarding in the Mogote Sand Dunes!
Adventure and adrenaline enthusiasts will essentially geek out at this awesome experience (we did).
The sand dunes of El Mogote (Dunas del Mogote) lie about 30 minutes outside of the city and feature soft, silky sand ideal for sandboarding.
From the beige dunes to the rich-blue sea to the hazy red mountains to the green cacti, the El Mogote nature preserve combines the best of Mother Nature’s color palette and it is simply stunning.
It’s a place you have to see for yourself—a place that combines all of the best natural landscapes and textures of La Paz and the desert of Baja California Sur.
And what better way to experience it all than on an epic sand dune boarding adventure?
In this guide, I’ll spill the tea on how to get to the Mogote Dunes and the best sandboarding tours, plus give you a glimpse at what to expect on a fun day trip to the sand dunes.
Here’s how to go sandboarding in La Paz, Baja California Sur! 🌵
Sandboarding the Dunas del Mogote in La Paz, Baja California Sur
Where Is El Mogote Dunes & How to Get There
The Mogote sand dunes are located on the protected natural area of the El Mogote Peninsula.
You can see this peninsula jutting out into La Paz Bay on a map.
If you are standing on La Paz’s seaside boardwalk (malecón), you will see high-rise hotels on the tip of this peninsula right opposite you.
It’s further down this peninsula where you will find the big sand dune hills. If you also go on a whale shark tour in La Paz, you will also boat to and swim off the coast of this peninsula.
Driving to the Mogote sand dunes from La Paz takes roughly 30+ minutes via highway 1.
Looking for a place to stay in La Paz? Here are my top recommendations for boutique hotels in La Paz (no high rises!).
While you can rent sandboards in the city and drive yourself to the sand dunes, I would highly recommend booking a sandboarding and off-roading tour with 4×4 Tours in La Paz (hosted trip).
Not only will you get to have plenty of fun sandboarding, but you’ll get to off-road up and over the dunes in style in a fun Can-am Maverick sport UTV (or X3).
Read more about our sandboarding tour below and the different options for sand dune tours from La Paz!
Sandboarding with 4×4 Tours in La Paz
Paul and I have been based in La Paz for a few months, but until recently had never been to El Mogote. (Don’t ask why, it’s one of the top things to do in La Paz, after all!)
So, when I was looking for tours, I wanted a fun, safe, and memorable experience.
That’s when I found 4×4 Tours and their stellar reviews.
Here’s what you can expect sandboarding and off-roading with 4×4 Tours.
4×4 Sandboarding Tours La Paz
💰 Cost: $82 per person
⏰ Duration: 3–4 hours
📆 When: Daily, tours depart at 8am or in the afternoon
➡️ How to book: Book online at Viator
First off, the fleet of UTVs and ATVs at the 4×4 Tours office is impressive!
After your pick-up or arrival at the office, you will get outfitted with a helmet and goggles and hit the road en route to El Mogote.
Tip: Wear a mask or bandana to protect your mouth/face as you will be on the highway and in the dunes to prevent sand and bugs from getting caught in your big smile! 😄
After a portion of driving on the road and Highway 1 in your UTV, you will veer off on a dirt path and trail that meanders nearby the mangroves and the shore of the bay.
If you go on the morning tour, you’ll have a wonderful view of the light and fog lifting off the water.
We stopped for a moment to take in the sight and saw lots of campervans and pelicans, and even saw a baby sand ray swimming near the shore!
I thought as soon as we had reached the dunes that our fun off-roading was over. But I was wrong…
Instead, we zoomed along the beach, saw a whale shark swimming peacefully on the surface, and then began our sandboarding lessons on beginner-friendly sand dunes with gentle slopes.
Then came the BIG sand dune hill, with a much longer slope (up to 100 ft).
For each round, our guide David prepared our boards with wax and gave us some pointers.
I’m proud to say I only took one tumble on the big hill, and that was the only time I went down riding on the zippy sled on my bum instead of standing up snowboard style.
(Thanks to that little sled with tire grip, I ended up ripping my shorts straight through to the cheek!!) 🙈
It was a good reminder for me to adventure outside my comfort zone, but safely!
That said, you should not forego travel medical insurance in Mexico.
I use SafetyWing (costs $40/4 weeks) for all my adventures abroad just in case.
You can read more about why you should get SafetyWing insurance for your travels abroad in my guide here.
To piggyback off talking about safety, this tour is definitely more for the adrenaline junkies at heart.
For some, the risk factor of those one-way sand dune roads might be a deal breaker, but just ask your guide to slow down if that is your concern.
Also Read:
Most riders on UTVs / ATVs all zoom around those blind curves, so do take that into consideration.
What made me feel more at ease is that I wasn’t driving this beasty vehicle on my own.
We loved the thrill of going up and down the dunes in the UTV (and getting picked up at the bottom of the slope each time) and the sandboarding experience.
Your guide will have more experience in handling those curves in case of a head-on situation.
All in all, the experience was fantastic. 10/10 recommend! 🌟
(Paul said I was grinning pretty much the whole time).
This area just showcases La Paz’s underrated natural beauty and adventure activities. Don’t miss out!
✨ Click here to book your sandboarding tour with 4×4 Tours ✨
Other Sandboarding & UTV Tours in La Paz
In case 4×4 isn’t available for some reason, there are other sandboarding tour options!
Next Experience Travel / On Board Baja (see on Viator)
A sandboarding tour at sunset? Yep! This is a great choice if you want to skip the UTV off-roading part and go straight to the sand dunes in a normal truck along with a small group. They also offer photos/videos at no additional cost.
Baja Desconocida
For a budget-friendly option (only for Mexican nationals), you can check out Baja Desconocida for their sandboarding tours which cost 1250 MXN pesos per person (about $65 USD).
Harkerboard Co. Tours
If you’ve strolled the malécon in La Paz, you might’ve seen the big and eye-catchy Harker restaurant and bar. These guys do a bit of everything—bar food, craft beer, and different La Paz tours from SUP to sandboarding to snorkeling.
You can step inside to book their tours. Just know they are a bit pricey; for the sandboarding tour (an all-day adventure including lunch plus photos/video), it costs around $125 per person (about 2500 MXN pesos).
Here are the best restaurants in La Paz!
What to Wear & Pack for Sandboarding in La Paz
Before you go, take my advice and follow this quick preparation and packing list.
- Biodegradable sunscreen
- Bandana (or face/mouth covering)
- Closed, comfortable shoes (the sand gets everywhere and is hot)
- Sunglasses (though, goggles are provided)
- Hat
- Reusable water bottle, filled up before you leave the house!
- SPF chapstick (the wind from the vehicle made my lips dry)
- A light jacket (the morning wind in the vehicle is cold on the highway)
- Long sleeves for sun protection
Don’t forget your camera gear! I brought my:
- GoPro Hero 11 for action vids with awesome stabilization
- iPhone 13 Pro for behind the scenes
- DJI Mini 3 for drone videos
Depending on your tour, you might have time to go for a dip in the sea. In that case, pack a swimsuit and a microfiber towel.
PS — Actually apply your sunscreen, folks! (I took my tin of sunscreen but didn’t use it, thinking I’d be fine… I wasn’t.)
Please remember to Leave No Trace and pick up any littered cans, plastic bottles, and trash you see out there. El Mogote is a beautifully preserved natural area, so let’s keep it clean! 🌿
Finally, HAVE FUN!!
I’m so glad that sandboarding and off-roading in a UTV in sand dunes are now checked off my bucket list!
If you have any questions for me or about our sandboarding excursion with 4×4 Tours, feel free to drop them in the comments below.
📍 Pin it to your Baja bucket list board!
Wow, sandboarding sounds like quite the fun adventure!