Private Tour to Hot Springs and Waterfall in Santiago

Trade the resort pool for a desert oasis. This private outing from San José del Cabo takes you into the agricultural town of Santiago for Santa Rita Hot Springs and Sol de Mayo Waterfall. I like the mix of a quiet one-mile hot-springs walk and a second canyon hike with swimming pools. I also like having Jason or Gen handle the drive, timing, and local stops in a clean, air-conditioned Toyota Tundra.

The main consideration is the physical side. You should be comfortable with a short desert hike, uneven ground, and swimming in natural pools. The tour is private, but $260 per person is a serious price unless you value personal guiding, pickup, park fees, snacks, and a full day away from the coast.

Key points to know before booking

• Santa Rita Hot Springs comes first, when the morning air is cooler and the desert walk is more comfortable.
• Sol de Mayo has a five-meter waterfall, a lagoon-fed swimming pool, and a small sandy beach.
• The tour is private, so only your group joins the activity and the day can feel more personal than a large bus outing.
• Pickup is included in downtown San José del Cabo, with a La Comer meeting option for people staying outside the pickup area.
• Jason and Gen are central to the experience, combining area knowledge, humor, clean transport, and help with local food stops.
• The price includes useful extras, such as park fees, bottled water, healthy snacks, fruit, an ice chest, and snorkeling equipment.

Leaving San José del Cabo for Santiago

The tour begins around San José del Cabo, with pickup offered at your accommodation in the downtown area. The vehicle is a desert-sand Toyota Tundra, and pickup is scheduled about five minutes before the activity begins. Keep your phone handy, especially if you are staying inside a resort or gated community, since the guide may need to call for entry authorization.

If your accommodation sits outside downtown San José del Cabo, you can meet at the basement parking lot of La Comer on Boulevard Mauricio Castro. This is also a useful choice if you have your own rental car and need somewhere safe to leave it for the day.

The drive north takes about an hour. That shift matters. You leave the hotel zone and reach Santiago, a small agricultural town surrounded by the foothills of the Sierra de la Laguna. This is a different side of Baja California Sur, with more open country, palms, dry mountain terrain, and working rural communities.

I like that the day is not built around a single photo stop. You get a change of setting, two separate nature sites, and the chance to stop for Mexican food or small local shops on the way back. Jason and Gen also add personality to the drive. One of the strongest parts of the experience is the sense that you are being shown an area they know well, rather than simply moved from one attraction to another.

Santa Rita Hot Springs and the one-mile loop

Santa Rita Hot Springs is the first stop, and the timing makes sense. The morning is usually the fresher part of the day, so you complete the first walk before the heat builds.

The trail is a short loop of about one mile. It passes through native desert plants and tall palm trees, a striking combination in a dry region. You should expect a natural trail rather than a paved park path, and the tour asks for a moderate fitness level. Wear shoes suited to uneven ground and bring sun protection.

At the end, natural hot tubs provide the reward. The appeal is simple: warm water, palms, and a quiet desert setting. The pools are described as a place to clear your head and relax, so this stop is less about rushing through a checklist and more about taking your time.

Water temperature can shape your experience. Since this is a hot spring, the water may feel especially warm once the sun rises. I would treat the stop as a calm first swim, not a long soak for everyone in your group. If you prefer cooler water, the later waterfall stop gives you that option.

The supplied equipment includes snorkeling gear, though the main description does not promise a dedicated snorkeling activity at Santa Rita or Sol de Mayo. You can ask the guide how and where it is intended to be used rather than assuming it is part of a structured snorkeling session.

Sol de Mayo and the five-meter waterfall

After Santa Rita, you drive about 15 minutes to the second site, Sol de Mayo Waterfall in Cañon de la Zorra. This short transfer keeps the day moving without adding another long stretch in the vehicle.

The route is described as a two-mile out-and-back hike into the canyon, although the main oasis appears after roughly a quarter mile. That means you may have the choice to enjoy the waterfall area early or continue farther along the canyon path, depending on conditions, timing, and your group’s pace. Ask Jason or Gen how much of the route they expect you to cover on the day.

The main attraction is a five-meter waterfall dropping into refreshing pools fed by a lagoon. A small sandy beach beside the main pool gives you a place to sit, dry off, and watch the water. This is the tour’s most scenic stop, and it gives the day a strong contrast with the hot springs. Santa Rita warms you up. Sol de Mayo cools you down.

The setting is appealing because the water feels tied to the canyon, not built for a resort. You see native plant life around the pools and the base of the Sierra de la Laguna. The experience is still active, though. The trail and rocks can be uneven, and a moderate fitness level is expected. If you have trouble walking on rough ground, this may not be the right outing.

Bring a swimsuit under your clothes and a towel if you have room. Bottled water, snacks, and an ice chest are provided, but the supplied details do not confirm towel service or changing facilities. That is a small point, but it matters when you plan to swim far from your hotel.

What the private format changes

A private tour is valuable here because the day includes two natural areas with different walking and swimming needs. Your group does not have to match the pace of a large busload, and you can ask questions during the drive without waiting for a guide to address everyone.

The private setup also makes the food stop more flexible. On the way back, there are options for authentic Mexican food and small shops selling local honey and homemade ice cream. These stops are not presented as fixed guarantees, so think of them as possible additions based on time and your group’s interests.

Jason and Gen receive the strongest praise for their friendly approach, humor, clean vehicle, and personal attention. Jason is described as a host who revealed places that were not obvious from a standard Cabo stay. The guides also helped make the day fun, not just informative. That matters on a six-and-a-half-hour outing, since a quiet vehicle and awkward pacing can make a long day feel longer.

The Toyota Tundra is another practical plus. One person specifically found the ride comfortable and did not experience the usual car sickness. That is not a promise that every passenger will feel the same, but a clean, well-kept vehicle can make the hour-long drive and rougher rural roads easier.

Food, honey, and homemade ice cream

The return route may include a local restaurant, tourist gift shops, honey, and homemade ice cream. The tour does not include lunch, so plan to pay separately for any meal, drinks, or purchases. Alcoholic beverages are also not included.

The food stop is one of the best ways to keep this from feeling like a sealed-off resort excursion. A local taco meal was singled out as one of the best meals of the trip by one guest, which gives you a useful reason to leave room for lunch. Still, the exact restaurant is not specified, and the stop is optional rather than a fixed part of the stated itinerary.

Healthy snacks and fruit are included during the day. Bottled water is included too, and the ice chest should help keep drinks and food cool. Even so, I would bring extra water if you know you drink a lot in warm weather. The supplied information does not state a personal water limit or the exact amount provided.

The honey and ice cream shops offer a more modest but memorable finish. Local honey is easy to pack, and homemade ice cream is a welcome treat after walking and swimming. These purchases are optional, so you can keep the return simple if you are tired.

Is $260 per person a fair price?

At $260 per person, this is not a budget nature outing. The value comes from the private vehicle, guide, pickup, park fees, snacks, water, ice chest, and access to two sites in one half-day. You are also paying for someone else to manage the rural driving and connect the stops into a practical route.

The price makes more sense for a small group that wants privacy and personal attention. If you are traveling with friends or family, group discounts may improve the value. The supplied details do not state the discount amount, so ask before booking.

The tour is less compelling for someone who only wants a quick swim and does not care about a guide or local food stop. You may prefer a cheaper shared option if your main goal is simply seeing the waterfall. On the other hand, independent driving adds its own work, and this experience removes much of that planning.

A six-and-a-half-hour duration also gives the price context. This is not a two-hour transfer with a brief photo stop. You spend much of the day outside San José del Cabo, with two walks, two water settings, and a possible meal stop. For people who want to see more of Baja beyond the hotel zone, that broader day is the main reason to consider the cost.

Who will enjoy this day most

I would recommend it to active couples, families with older children, and small groups of friends who want a private day outdoors. It suits people who enjoy swimming, short hikes, desert scenery, and informal stops for food and local products.

You should have a moderate fitness level and be comfortable walking on natural terrain. The activity is not presented as accessible for people who need flat, paved routes, and no accessibility details are provided. If anyone in your group has mobility limits, ask the operator for current trail conditions before paying.

This tour also works well for repeat visitors to San José del Cabo. The guides can show you a quieter inland side of the region, far from the beach clubs and hotel pools. One person who had already explored Cabo said the area was still a surprise, which captures the value of the trip: it changes your sense of what the destination includes.

It may not suit a group that wants a slow spa day. The hot springs are relaxing, but you also have a waterfall hike, vehicle transfers, and time outdoors in the heat. I would not book it if your ideal holiday day means staying close to your hotel or avoiding uneven paths.

Practical details that can make the day easier

Wear a swimsuit, walking shoes, a hat, and sun protection. Bring a towel and a change of clothes because swimming is part of the appeal, even though towels and changing rooms are not listed among the included items.

Keep your phone available at pickup. If you stay in a gated resort or community, the guide may need to call you to gain entry. The tour returns to the original meeting point, so arrange your evening plans with enough time after the stated six-and-a-half-hour duration.

The tour is offered in English, and confirmation is provided at booking. It requires good weather. You can cancel up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund, but cancellations or changes inside that window are not refunded or accepted. If poor weather forces cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund.

Should you book this Santiago excursion?

Book it if you want to swap a standard Cabo day for hot springs, a waterfall, rural Santiago, and a local meal stop. The strongest reasons are the private format, the two very different water experiences, and the personal service from Jason and Gen.

Skip it if $260 per person feels too high for a half-day outdoor outing, or if uneven trails and natural swimming areas are not your style. For an active group that values comfort, local guidance, and freedom from a large tour bus, this is a well-rounded way to see inland Baja California Sur.

FAQ

How long does the tour last?

The experience lasts approximately six hours and 30 minutes, including transportation, the two nature stops, and possible food or shopping stops.

Where does pickup take place?

Pickup is offered in downtown San José del Cabo. The listed meeting point is La Comer, Boulevard Mauricio Castro number 4650. If you stay outside downtown San José del Cabo, you can meet at the basement parking lot of La Comer.

What vehicle is used for pickup?

Pickup is provided in a desert-sand Toyota Tundra. The vehicle is air-conditioned.

What is included in the price?

The price includes healthy snacks, fruit, bottled water, snorkeling equipment, an ice chest, an air-conditioned vehicle, a licensed guide, and park fees. Alcoholic beverages and tips are not included.

How much walking is involved?

Santa Rita Hot Springs includes a one-mile loop. The Sol de Mayo route is described as a two-mile out-and-back hike, with the waterfall oasis reached after about a quarter mile. A moderate fitness level is recommended.

Can I cancel for a refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Poor weather may result in a different date or a full refund.