After spending a glorious three months in La Ventana and an additional two weeks touring Baja, we made our final stop in Valle De Guadalupe - wine country. Little did we know that Baja had such a successful viticulture and amazing wines. Apparently, this area has been a growing industry for twenty years with over 100 wineries, hotels and some top-notch restaurants.

We took Highway 35 to cross from the Sea of Cortez to the Pacific side of Baja to arrive in Valle De Guadalupe, just Northeast of Ensenada. To be honest, I wasn’t too sure about going into this area of Baja because of the bad press Ensenada gets, but once again, I took everything I heard and read about on Facebook groups with a grain of salt. The drive on Highway 35 was absolutely breathtaking, changing from dessert like conditions to vibrant farmland as we manoeuvred our way through the lush mountains. The change in landscape was such a pleasant surprise. If anyone tells you not to drive here, ignore them.

We quickly set up our trailer at RV Guadalupe and made our way to our first winery, Adobe Guadalupe. This winery was created in honour of the owner’s son. There are a variety of experiences offered including cellar tastings, dinner, lodging and even touring the vineyard on horseback.

This was a perfect winery to begin with as both wine and non-wine drinkers like Brent will be satisfied. How anyone doesn’t like wine still baffles my mind? Isn’t it the source of life? Anyway, the tasting included four healthy servings of two whites and two reds. My drinks were accompanied with the tapas we ordered from the permanent, onsite food truck, along with a beer for Brent. The whole experience was awesome.

We continued our night at Finca Altozano surrounded by lush gardens, goats, dogs and fabulous food. This was a real treat after being on the road in a camper for four months. We highly recommend this restaurant for a special experience.

The next day, we visited Casa De Dona Lupe. Specializing in organic wines, olive oils, local food and preserves, this place can host big tour groups. Although the size is a bit daunting, it’s maintained it’s “small farm” feel. It reminded me of my grandma’s preserves in the cold cellar.

After leaving Casa De Dona Lupe, we decided to forego any more wine tours to hike a route we read about that would take us deep in the mountains to a local hot springs. We were told we needed a 4 X 4, so true to our nature we took off in our front wheel Dodge mini-van with high hopes. After passing through some of the most beautiful countryside and secret, out of the way vineyards I’ve ever seen, we made it to the trailhead. Don’t get me wrong, the roads were gnarly and we got lost a few times, but thanks to some local farmers with excellent skills in gesturing, we made it to the ranch located at the start of the hike. After paying the farmer 50 Pesos each, we hiked about 3 km through gorgeous green mountains and rocky valleys to arrive at a couple of unimpressive hot springs. They were tepid and dirty. Was it worth the long hike in - absolutely yes. We ended up hiking 8.5 Km through a magical part of Baja that most tourists wouldn’t even know about, let alone embark upon. It was a great adventure.

To complete our perfect day and celebrate the end of our Baja tour, we made a sunset reservation at Deckmans . Deckmans specializes in sustainable organic products that come from their own farms and the local wineries surrounding them. They cook on an outside kitchen over an open fire adding to the already romantic atmosphere. Dining here was a beautiful experience and an amazing way to end our Baja trip.

Cheers!