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Bucketlist Bri

Bucketlist Bri

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Your Guide to Sandboarding the Mogote Dunes in La Paz, Mexico

Last Updated: March 17, 2023 · Baja California Sur

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).

4x4 Tour guide and tourist holding sand board on the dunes of Mogote near La Paz.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links that may earn me a small commission should you decide to click through and make a valid purchase (at no extra cost to you). Thanks so much for your support!

Field of cacti in the desert near La Paz, Mexico, with mountains in the distance.

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?

Woman walks with sand board at the El Mogote sand dunes near La Paz, Mexico

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! 🌵

Table of Contents show
Sandboarding the Dunas del Mogote in La Paz, Baja California Sur
Where Is El Mogote Dunes & How to Get There
Sandboarding with 4×4 Tours in La Paz
Other Sandboarding & UTV Tours in La Paz
What to Wear & Pack for Sandboarding in La Paz

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.

Woman with arms up on the Mogote Sand Dunes (Dunes del Mogote) overlooking the sea of Cortez in the background.

You can see this peninsula jutting out into La Paz Bay on a map.

If you are standing on La Paz’s seaside boardwalk (malécon), 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.

Aerial view of the El Mogote Peninsula and sand dunes.
Screenshot of directions by car to El Mogote from La Paz, Mexico.
Getting to El Mogote from La Paz city center takes about 35 minutes / 35km (Credit: Google Earth/Maps)

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!

Guy sandboards down Mogote sand dunes with the sea of Cortez in the distance.
Maverick sport off-roading vehicle parked on sandy beach near La Paz, Mexico

Sandboarding with 4×4 Tours in La Paz

Paul and I have been based in La Paz for a few months, but until now had never been to El Mogote.

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.

Inside a sand dune Maverick UTV vehicle.
4x4 Tours tour guide and tourist posing with sandboards at the Dunas del Mogote.
Woman posing inside off-road sand dune buggy at 4x4 Tours office in La Paz, Mexico.

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.

Female tourist in the driver's seat of an off-roading sand dune buggy.

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!

A plane flies over the sea of cortez with mountains in the distance.
Tourist on a sandboarding tour in La Paz standing beside a UTV off-roading vehicle on the beach.
A whale shark fin on the surface of the sea of Cortez / La Paz bay in Mexico.

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!!) 🙈

Tourist on a sandboarding tour in La Paz, Mexico.

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.

UTV speeding up sand dunes at Mogote, La Paz.

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 ✨

UTV speeding up sand dunes at Mogote, La Paz.

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).

Woman standing with sandboard at Mogote Sand Dunes near La Paz, Mexico.
Woman standing with UTV Maverick vehicle at Mogote Sand Dunes near La Paz, Mexico.

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
Woman standing with sandboard at Mogote Sand Dunes near La Paz, Mexico.

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! 🌿

A tourist sandboards on sand dunes.
Tourist and driver getting into off-roading Maverick sport vehicle in sand dunes.
Red jeep parked in the middle of sand dunes at El Mogote, La Paz, Baja Mexico
Man standing with sandboard at Mogote Sand Dunes near La Paz, Mexico.

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!

By: Bri · In: Baja California Sur

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When you already feel nostalgic for leaving a plac When you already feel nostalgic for leaving a place you’ve only just arrived in... Do you know the feeling I’m talking about?? 

We are here in Goa, India 🇮🇳 for an amazing digital nomad retreat hosted by @nurall_co and are feeling so pumped and grateful to be here! ✨

We’ve already spent our first few hours diving into butter paneer masala and chai at the lovely @caferasagoa and wandering the historic Latin Quarter in awe of its Portuguese tiles and little hole-in-the-wall tapas bars. And it’s safe to say we’re hooked. 🤩 

Can’t wait to uncover even more treasures that Panjim and Goa hold 🫶

... And so begins Day 1/40 of my trip through India, Taiwan, and Japan! Follow along for the journey 🤗

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I can’t believe I’m posting this from the othe I can’t believe I’m posting this from the other side of this 3-day journey to get my visa processed and reunite with Paul in India!! 

That first day I wallowed in what Jen Sincero coins as “self-suckery” — I beat myself up, looked at only the negative side, and genuinely felt like I deserved what was “happening to me” because it was my mistake for having uploaded the pdf of my old passport and not my new one (yes, I really did that) — a simple error that resulted in ridiculous e-visa delays for which I could do nothing about, 3 days of transiting between airports, lots of tears, and an out-of-pocket cost of $850 for two flight changes + $$ for airport junk food (which pretty much costs the same as a meal in a Michelin star restaurant) + $150 in Uber rides and hotel fees, and countless hours of lost sleep. My real mistake, in hindsight, was rushing; not going slow, as I always preach. I rushed what I was doing and got caught in the senseless consequences. 

Little did I know then, but Day 1 was just the beginning of this near-72-hour journey to India and back to Paul. What is certain is that I DID NOT expect our big trip back to Asia to start like this. 

But I’m so, so glad it did. 

#indiatravel #airportlife #travelstories #evisa #qatarairways #asiatrip
If you know how this song ends, you know how this If you know how this song ends, you know how this video ends 💀

PS — I still have the scar 😂🥲🪦🍑

📍 El Mogote sand dunes in Baja California Sur w/ @4xfourtours 

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Is Mexico a good digital nomad destination?? Here Is Mexico a good digital nomad destination??

Here’s why Mexico is a GREAT destination for remote workers and travelers:

🌮 Amazingggg food — Literally the best! I just came back from eating Baja fish tacos and they cost just $1.50 each, like whatttt

🇲🇽 Culture / people — I find Mexicans to be some of the kindest and friendliest people on Earth. If there is a reason I keep coming back to Mexico it is because I have felt, and do feel, at home here.

🌿 Outdoors / nature / adventure — Mexico has it ALL and I mean it ALL (islands, beaches, mountains, rainforests, deserts, volcanoes, amazing marine life + wildlife, allll types of activities, etc)

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🥂 Community — There is a growing community of nomads and it’s a pretty diverse mix!

💰 Cost of living — It’s more affordable to live, which is great for beginner nomads who are still building their biz

I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to slow travel/live as a digital nomad in Mexico since 2018 — Baja California Sur marks our 5th state out of the 32 Mexican states (+ Nayarit, Quintana Roo, Chiapas, Oaxaca).

This country gives and gives, so let’s give back as guests! Please visit Mexico as a digital nomad (or tourist in general) responsibly and mindfully. Stay local, eat local, drink local, shop local, + support local. Leave No Trace and be conscious of your choices and impact!

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If there’s one activity you shouldn’t skip out If there’s one activity you shouldn’t skip out on when in Baja California Sur, it’s off-roading and sandboarding in the Mogote Sand Dunes!

✨ Make sure to save this to your Baja, Mexico bucket list! 

📍 El Mogote (near La Paz)

🏂 w/ @4xfourtours

💻 read all about it + book the experience on my blog! (🔗 in bio)

#lapaz #bajacaliforniasur #sandboarding #elmogote #sanddunes #offroading #adventuretravel #bajamexico #desertadventures
What do you pack first?! 🎒🤔 As a homebase- What do you pack first?! 🎒🤔 

As a homebase-less nomad, I move countries with only these two backpacks, so I’m not worried about fitting all I need for my 40-day trot through Asia! 🌏

But I would LOVE your travel tips and recs, in particular for Taiwan and Japan (I’ll be solo in 🇯🇵)!!! Send me all your fav street foodie suggestions, secret gardens, cute towns, onsens, temples — all of it! 🏯

I’m so excited to feel EXCITED about going somewhere I’ve never been before. I haven’t been to India since 2018 and I’ve never been to Taiwan or Japan! 

Have you been to any of the three? 🇮🇳🇯🇵🇹🇼 

Backpacks (not spons):
🎒 @rei 40L recycled rucksack 
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