REVIEW: Best Cabo Camel Ride on the Beach

Best Cabo Camel Ride Safari Tour

⏳ Tour Length: ~3 hours (+ transportation) | ⭐ Ratings: 5 out of 5 stars (6100+ reviews)
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I took this Outback and Camel Safari with Cabo Adventures and had a fantastic time!

This is one of the most comprehensive tours, from the air-conditioned bus ride to the educational nature walk and camel trivia with our fun guide Bill, to a Mexican buffet. 

And of course, the highlight of the day was the camel ride!  (Although if you like tequila a lot, perhaps the tequila would be the highlight for you!)

“Most amazing experience riding a camel with ocean view. Buffet provided was delicious and staff was amazing. Tequila tasting was also a plus. I would recommend this adventure to anyone. One for the books. My boyfriend and I truly had an awesome time….”

Katlen Z (Read more reviews)

If you don’t speak Spanish, never fear!  The guides are bilingual, even cracking jokes in English.

Here’s what to expect on your Cabo San Lucas Camel Safari:

Cabo Hotel Pick-Up

There are nearly 100 Cabo hotels that Cabo Adventures will pick you up from.  If you happen to be staying in one that’s not on the list, just pick one that’s close when you are booking your tour.

I took this tour as a shore excursion on my Celebrity Eclipse Mexican Riviera cruise, so our group walked from the port over to the Cabo Adventures building.

The Outback and Camel Safari Tour is offered at several different times through the day, so you can pick the time slot that is best for you.

Tip:  If you choose the 3PM tour time, then you can gather around a campfire and enjoy watching the sunset over the Pacific Ocean.

Drive to the Tierra Sagrada Ranch

Next, kick back, relax, and enjoy the scenery on your ride to the Tierra Sagrada Ranch.  Don’t worry, your van or bus is air-conditioned.

That’s a good thing since it gets pretty toasty in Cabo San Lucas.  My camel safari tour was in November, and I was still sweating in the sun.  (And I’m from Phoenix, so it’s not like I’m not used to hot weather..)

Our bus ride to the ranch took about an hour each way.

I was surprised at how green the landscape was on our drive. I expected it to be more dry desert terrain, but the hills were covered with a lot of greenery.  Our guide said they had gotten a lot of rain the week before, so that probably perked the plants up quite a bit.

As you get close to the ranch, you’ll start getting peeks at the Pacific Ocean.

Once you get to the ranch, there are restrooms and even a coffee shop if you need some caffeine before you embark on your outback adventure.

Nature Walk

Since we were part of a large group from the cruise ship, we were divided up into four smaller groups, each with our own guide.

Each group did the activities but in a different order.  Some groups started with the camel ride, but my small group tour started with the educational nature walk.

My tour guide’s name was Bill.  He joked that his name was not a very traditionally ‘Mexcian’ name, even though I think he was from Mexico City.

He also said that he preferred starting with the nature walk rather than jumping right into the camel ride, since that way you can stretch out your legs a little.

(I mentally scoffed at the idea of needing to stretch, but the next day my legs were a bit sore from my camel ride.  Camels are wider than horses, so you may feel it the next day!)

Bill entertained us with Mexico trivia and educational information about various cacti and other plants in the Los Cabos desert. 

For example, if you’re lost in the desert, you want to find a mature barrel cactus for water (I already knew that one). 

Meet a Camel

The next phase of the outback camel adventure was to meet a camel up close and learn some information about camels and the Ranch.

Worried about the treatment of the camels?  The Tierra Sagrada Ranch has received Humane Certified approval, meaning they meet high standards of animal treatment and care.

The camel our group had as a photo shoot partner was Hercules.  He’s a Bactrian camel, meaning he has two humps.  (The camels that we rode later are Dromedary camels, which only have one hump.)

Camels store fat in their humps (not water) and can survive for 2 weeks without food.  (I also store fat in two locations, but I don’t think I can survive for 2 weeks without food!)

Camels can carry half their body weight – impressive!  This does mean that there are weight limits for riding the camels.

Each group — or individual, in my case — had an up-close session with our camel Hercules.

When it was my turn, the Cabo Adventures photographer directed me through various shots.  These ranged from me ‘hugging’ the camel, to Hercules giving me a kiss, to me giving the camel a kiss. 

At the end of my session, I rewarded Hercules by feeding him a bit of jicama from my palm.  Not a fan of camel slobber?  There is hand sanitizer to take care of that for you.

Note:  You’re not allowed to use your own camera in this area, or while you are riding the camels.  If you want pictures of your camel experience, you’ll need to purchase photos from the tour company.

Prepare for your Camel Ride

Our group saved the best for last, and we were excited and ready to actually ride the camels!

We moved to the preparation zone.  You’ll need to wear a helmet to ride the camel (this part is not negotiable). 

To make it look more like you are in the desert, there are white scarf head coverings that cover the helmet.  Those are optional, but everyone in our group chose to use them (it looks better than just wearing the helmet!)

It’s also required to put any bags and hats into a storage bin, since the camels associate bags with food.  You don’t want the camel behind you to start chewing on your bag!

All of the camels we rode were Dromedary camels, which have one hump. 

The experienced guides at Cabo Adventures pick out which camel you should ride, and whether you should sit in the front or the back.

You climb up the stairs to a platform which puts you at the same height as your camel.

The camels were outfitted with a metal framework with blankets and padding for you to sit on.  One person sits in front of the hump, and the other sits toward the back of the hump.

Since I was traveling solo (and since my group was only 12 people rather than 14) I was able to have a camel to myself.  I was directed to sit in the ‘front seat’, as was the other solo traveler who had the camel behind me.

The hardest part was hoisting my leg up high enough to get over the framework and get into my seat. (That was probably because I was wearing jeans.)

Cabo Camel Ride on the Beach

Then we started off on our camel ride.  We traveled through a short desert trail and then the majority of the camel ride was along the beach, with the waves of the Pacific Ocean lapping against the sand.

You’re not allowed to use your phone while on the camel ride, as you need to hold onto the metal framework for stability.  And it’s critical that you’re holding on if your camel decides to sit down.

(This actually happened to the folks in the camel train that was leaving as ours unloaded!  Camels are stubborn so they just unhooked that camel from the train and left him sitting there.)

You might even see a whale during your camel ride if it’s whale-watching season.  (Our guide Bill joked that if you see a whale that’s $20 extra.  And no, I didn’t see any whales.)

During the small-group camel safari tour, the photographers at Cabo Adventures take pictures of you and your group.  They also took a video using a drone – the drone took me by surprise as we were riding.

The camel ride is about 20 minutes long in total.  And I’d say that’s the right duration.

I expected camel riding in Cabo San Lucas to be like riding a horse, but camels have a plodding gait that is more of a side-to-side motion.

I was holding onto the metal framework pretty tightly for the first five minutes of the ride as I was worried about slipping off.  But the seating was very secure and after I got used to the side-to-side motion, I got more comfortable and was able to appreciate the scenery.

When the ride was complete, our guides led the camels back to the platform so that we could dismount from the camels. I found getting off to be easier than getting on. 

Souvenir photos and videos

Next, your group is driven a short distance to the cantina and shop area.

If you think you’re going to want to get pictures or videos as souvenirs of your Cabo San Lucas camel ride, get those first.  There won’t be time after you eat.

I looked through the photos, which they have pre-organized by group on the computer.  So, you can easily find the ones of you as an individual and your group camel ride pictures. 

I mentioned earlier that you’re not allowed to take your own photos in the camel interaction area or during the camel ride.  That’s so that they can sell you souvenir photos. 

That’s the only ‘negative’ about this Cabo San Lucas tour!

Since I was traveling solo, I found the prices to be kind of high.  To get the complete set of photos that I was in (about 15-20 images), the package would cost $94.   And if you only wanted one as a souvenir, that was a whopping $43!

I was at the computer next to the other solo lady from my group, and she said the same thing – that she really only wanted one photo but $43 was too steep.

The guy helping folks find their photos offered us a deal since we were both solo.  He allowed the two of us to share a package cost and to each get our set of photos. 

That was the perfect solution for us!  And that’s the reason I have so many photos to share with you from my Cabo camel ride.  (Otherwise, I would have only had one!)

Some pictures I like a lot, and some will require photoshopping before I’ll share them with anyone.  (Let’s just say to be happier with those photos I’d need to have sucked in my gut for the whole camel ride!)

They also had drone videos for sale of each camel group as we rode across the beach.  Those were really well done, and I kind of wish that I had gotten one.  (They were an extra fee on top of the photo package.)  Oh well!

Mexican buffet

Next up, it’s time for some lunch!

Your group will eat together at a long table hosted by your guide.  I enjoyed the great views overlooking the Pacific (still no whale sightings, though).

The Mexican food buffet options on our camel outback safari tour included:

• Chicken in a mole sauce (my favorite)
• Barbecue ribs
• Mexican rice
• Beans
• A variety of salads
• Vegetables (corn on the cob and a broccoli/cauliflower mix)
• Cheesy quesadillas
• Salsas

Load up your plate, and then grab a beverage. 

Water, fruit-infused water, tea, and beer are included. (And tequila, but we’ll get to that next).  I enjoyed the hibiscus tea which was more like a fruit juice than a tea.

If you want soda or a different alcoholic beverage, those are available for purchase from the bar area.

While we ate our tasty lunch, our guide Bill demonstrated how to make homemade tortillas.

And for dessert, we had some kind of crispy sugary tortillas. Yum!

Tequila and Mezcal tastings

As we finished up our meal, it was now time for the tequila tasting portion of our outback adventure tour!

We all had tiny shot-sized mugs for our tastings.  Bill handed around a plate with seasoned lime wedges and orange slices for us to have after our tequila and mezcal tastings.

Bill got ready to start pouring our first round of Tequila, and he said that he would give each of us as much as we wanted.

I’m a total lightweight with liquor (I really only like cocktails and drinks that don’t ‘taste like liquor’).  But I didn’t want to miss out on the experience, so I had Bill pour me very small samples.

Other folks in my groups asked for very hefty samples!  (Which were happily poured.)

We started off with two tequila tastings – tequila plata and tequila reposado.  Toast, drink your shot and follow it up with the salty lime.

Next up was the Mezcal tasting.  Bill said the way to tell if Mezcal is good is to put a drop on your hands, rub them together, and then smell.  It should smell like smoke, not like liquor.

You follow up your Mezcal shot with your orange slice.  I would have to say the Mezcal wasn’t my favorite (but I bet my husband Chris would have liked the smokiness).

Last up:  Damiana, a liquor I’d never heard of.  It’s called the ‘babymaker’, and the bottle is shaped like a pregnant woman.  This one had a strong flavor but I think it was my favorite of the group.

After all four shots, Bill offered another round of whichever liquor you liked best.  Since I’d already had four mini-shots, that was enough for me!

And with our toasts and tastings complete, it was time to finish off our tour with Cabo Adventures and head back to Cabo San Lucas.    

And, with all those tequila shots, it’s a good thing that round trip transportation is included!

Camel Riding in Cabo San Lucas FAQ

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Final Thoughts:  Cabo San Lucas Camel Riding

If you’re looking for a unique and unforgettable thing to do in Cabo San Lucas, I definitely recommend this camel riding tour!

The whole camel-riding experience was a lot of fun, with a little bit of education thrown in.  Along with the delicious Mexican buffet and generous tequila pours, I found it to be a good value for the money.

Plus, since Cabo Adventures is an American Humane Certified organization, you know you are having an ethical animal encounter with camels that are well cared-for.

They’re the first group to offer camel rides in Cabo, and the best!

If you’ve ever wanted to ride a camel, I highly recommend taking this camel ride safari – you’ll have a blast!

Don’t think camel riding is your ‘thing’? Check out this post about all of the best tours in Cabo San Lucas, from sailing to snorkeling!

• 11 Best Cabo San Lucas Tours: 5-Star Mexico Fun

Don’t miss out on all the Cabo San Lucas fun! Pin this for later!

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• Mexico City Centro Historico Guide
• Interesting and Fun Mexico Facts
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