A Spring Break to Remember at Baja Sur
A unique environment nestled on the Pacific coast and
guarded by the peaks of the southern Sierra, Baja is a serene
destination. Endless miles of virgin beaches and a vibrant
community of friendly local people are the trademarks of
Todos Santos, which will be your home for this surf and
service adventure. Spend your days putting productive
time in on service initiatives and surfing to your heart’s
content on some of the area’s most consistent breaks.
Watch skillful local fisherman negotiate the crashing
swells of the Pacific just as their grandfathers did, spot
coyotes and foxes on a desert hike up the dry riverbeds,
and watch day’s first light rise over the mountains as you
paddle out for an early morning surf session – this is Spring
Break at Baja Sur!
Service Projects That Make a Difference
As Todos Santos begins to open to the rest of the world,
the need for English language and computer skills will be
necessary to keep this community up to speed with the
times. As the local environment is home to a fragile desert
ecosystem and tourism is sure to grow in the near future, it
is imperative that growth in the area is sustainable. Todos
Santos has the benefit of learning from its neighbors
which developed much earlier (i.e., Cabo San Lucas), but the
community will need the skills and knowledge necessary
to control its destiny. Most afternoons are spent working
in the local community on a range of meaningful service
projects – tutor English to local students at an after-school
center, work side-by-side with these excited children to
clean up the local pueblos and beaches, and join other
environmental initiatives. On other days, pack up the
vans and hit the road for a unique and innovative service
programs working with the children of migrant workers at
local farms. These workers and their families live with only
the barest necessities, and their spirited children eagerly
await our arrival to play games, do art projects and share
toys. Traveling to these camps is a rare treat, and the heart
warming smiles of the children are sure to be one of the
highlights of the trip. It’s not all hard work though, as you’ll
have plenty of time to join the locals for pick-up baseball
or soccer games – a great way to finish the day with your
new friends!
The Todos Santos Vibe
The surf breaks of this area are well-known to surfers
across North America and beyond. In the winter, these
mighty breaks draw expert surfers from all over the globe,
but during the spring and summer months the perfectly
sculpted waves are ideal for surfers of all ability levels.
This program has something for everyone, whether you
are a seasoned pro or just discovering the greatest sport
in the world – surfing. Kayak crystal blue waters to a local
colony of sea lions or spotting parrot fish while snorkeling
around the ruins of the “lost port.” Visit a remote village
of mountain potters who have been shaping their lives
by making pottery using ancient techniques and learn
the traditional Mexican way to make earthenware and
delicious, homemade tortillas.
Return Home Feeling Good
Leave Todos Santos with a real sense of accomplishment,
not only in your finely honed surfing abilities, but also
knowing that you have left a positive and lasting mark on
a wonderful and deserving community. Baja Service and
Surf is an excellent blend of adventure and service for first
time travelers looking for an exotic adventure surprisingly
close to home. It is also sure to amaze veteran globe
trotters looking for a fantastic experience newly available
as a Rustic Pathways destination. For more information,
please contact gabe@rusticpathways.com.
Day 1- Saturday USA to Los Cabos
All students will be responsible for arranging their own airfare to Los Cabos International Airport. Please make sure that you arrive between 11am and 2pm on the first day of your program. Once everyone has arrived we will load up the van and depart to Todos Santos. This beautiful 1 hr ½ drive north winds along dessert coast line with the sierra towering to the east. Upon arrival we will get settled into Pescadero Surf Camp, our home for the next week, and have a brief orientation before heading out and exploring the local area a bit.
Day 2- Sunday AM- Surfing at Los Cerritos
Our mornings are spent at the local beach break of Los Cerritos and the surrounding surf breaks. The waves here are great for all abilities, so don’t worry if this is your first time surfing or your hundredth time. If you do not wish to surf the entire time, there are bogie boards and about a mile of beautiful beach to explore and relax on.
PM- Tours and Activities
Sunday is a time of rest and in the afternoon we will be headed out on a variety of activities. The Spring Break Programs generally have smaller numbers of students and we will tailor these activities to how the group is feeling as much as possible. We may hike to secluded coves , head to the hills to explore local villages and try our hand at creating local ceramics, or relax on Las Palmas, one of the area’s most beautiful and quiet beaches.
Evenings
Nights in Todos Santos are fairly laid back. There will be time to shop for artisan work in Todos Santos, email home, or just hang out by the pool at the surf camp.
Day 3- Monday AM- More Surfing PM- Community Service Projects
This afternoon we will be starting our community service projects. We work mainly with two different organizations throughout our time. Mondays are generally set aside to work with Fortalecer, a local non-profit that is working with children living in the migrant agricultural camps outside Todos Santos. You will be part of a “classroom on wheels” that brings toys, games, art supplies and other materials to children with very little access to many of things we take for granted here in the United States.
Day 4- Tuesday AM- More Surfing PM- Community Service Projects
Tuesdays we will generally be working with La Palapa society to work on an afterschool program for local high school students in Todos Santos. You will focus your time tutoring English to these eager students, though we frequently also do art projects, play sports, and paint murals in the local community.
Day 5- Wednesday AM- Surfing Los Cerritos PM- Community Service Projects
We will continue our work with Fortelecer and the Migrant worker camps.
Day 6- Thursday AM- Surfing Los Cerritos PM- Community Service Projects
We will continue our work with the afterschool program in Todos Santos.
Day 7- Friday AM- Surfing Los Cerritos PM- Community Service Projects
Today’s service will vary week to week, but will be mainly focused on environmental issues and community projects. This may include local beach clean-ups or finishing up painting murals in the town.
Day 8- Saturday Return to the U.S
All Students will need to depart in the morning of the last day of their program between 12pm and 3pm. The entire group will depart Pescadero Surf camp at around 8:15am and travel Los Cabos International Airfport for final good-byes.
** Due to the realities of international travel, Rustic Pathways reserves the right to change program itineraries.
Below you will find a general packing list for both Spring Break and Summer Baja Service & Surf programs. This packing list provides a general guideline to make your packing easier, though please make sure to bring all essential items!
Baja Climate: Packing for Baja programs is made easy by the fact that the climate there is mostly sunny and warm. Students should expect to deal with a day of rain or two, though this is not very common. Daytime temps can get quite warm, with average daytime highs in the 90s.
PLEASE DO NOT OVER PACK OR FORGET TO BRING ITEMS THAT WE HAVE DEEMED TO BE ESSENTIAL! ALL STUDENTS MUST BE ABLE TO CARRY WHAT THEY BRING!
Carry-On Luggage: A small backpack is the best carry on bag
Essential Items:
Passport and Wallet *Travel Wallet or safety wallet is a good idea.
Photo Copy of Passport
Medications
Emergency Contact numbers for Rustic Pathways
Recommended Items:
• Sunglasses
• 35mm camera, digital camera, and/or disposable camera *Baja is a dessert environment, and much time will be spent at the beach. Please don’t bring a extremely expensive camera can easily get broken, lost, or stolen.
• Journal and Pens
• Good Book (trade with buddies)
• Toiletries
Checked Luggage: A medium sized duffel bag or large back pack work best - wheeled bags are OK as long as they are medium sized and can easily be carried like a duffle over rough terrain.
Essential Items:
2 Photo Copies of Passport
Sunscreen (enough for your entire stay) Pack in PLASTIC BAG
Contact lenses and accompanying paraphernalia. Pack in PLASTIC BAG
A nice outfit for working in the migrant worker camps
*must wear long pants or dress below the knees and a long sleeve shirt. All men should wear a collared shirt
Recommended Items:
Long Pants (1 or 2, suggested to have 1 lightweight and 1 jeans or heavier)
*Non-cotton pants that zip off into shorts work well
Underwear (5 to 7)
Socks (5 to 7)
T-Shirts and tank tops (4 to 5) *having a couple of quick dry shirts like capilene or polypropilene is very nice.
One nice casual outfit for going to Todos Santos
Rain Jacket (1) *A lightweight breathable shell (Gore-Tex etc) works well
Shorts (2 or 3)
Swim Suit (1 or 2)
Athletic Shoes *Shoes that dry quickly and are suitable for light hiking work best
Sandals and/or Flip-Flops *it is recommended to have a pair of strap on sandals that will not fall off in water (Teva or Chaco brand sandals work great)
Toiletries:
Non-Fragrance Shampoo and Soap in a Plastic Dish
Non-Fragrance Deodorant,
Toothpaste and Toothbrush PLASTIC BAG
Surf Board (optional) – Rustic Pathways boards are available however experienced surfers may prefer to surf on their own boards. Airlines typically charge extra to transport surfboards. Please make sure to check with your airline regarding excess baggage restrictions and make sure that it is well padded!
Travel Pillow *a pillowcase can be a great dirty laundry bag or a comfortable pillow if you stuff it with a sweatshirt. So you could bring two pillowcases, one for each purpose.
Deck of Cards
Picture of mom, dad, boyfriend/girlfriend, dog, to share with local students
Frisbee, Aerobee, Hackysack, Football, Soccer Ball or Volleyball
Musical Instrument (Guitars and Harmonicas - smaller is better)
Donations: Both the community service projects that we work with in Baja can benefit greatly from donations that we are able to bring from the U.S. Many of these items may be things that you or friends already have and there is no need to go and buy donations unless you choose to.
ESL Textbooks/CDs for Spanish Speakers
Easy games like Go Fish and Uno to learn basic English, colors and numbers
Children’s books
School Supplies – paints, markers, pens, pencils, paper, notebooks
Clothing – for men, women, children, babies
Cleats, Soccer balls, and other soccer gear
Frisbees, Basketballs, Volleyballs and/or other sports gear
Coloring books, Children’s toys, stuffed animals and Games
LIVE in the chilled-out town of Todos Santos, a
vibrant community nestled in Mexico’s beautiful
Baja Peninsula
LEND A HAND on progressive service projects
around town and help make a difference
SURF the famous breaks of Los Cerritos, and
improve your skills with our experienced staff
EXPLORE remote mountain villages and learn
how to make tortillas and pottery using
traditional techniques
TEACH English to locals while practicing your
Spanish
CREATE learning opportunities for the indigenous
children of migrant workers with hands-on
activities, music projects, and sporting events
»Ages :14 and up »Length :8 days from the USA
»Cost :$ 1,295 »Hours:Up to 18 service hours awarded »Departures : »Airfare :Airfare is not included in the above cost
SPRING BREAK
Departs Saturday
SPRING BREAK
Returns Saturday
March 8
March 15
March 15
March 22
March 22
March 29
April 5
April 12
Most Rustic Pathways trips interconnect,
allowing you to design your own perfect
summer program.
COMMUNITY SERVICE 
A Spring Break to Remember at Baja Sur
it
is imperative that growth in the area is sustainable. Todos
Santos has the benefit of learning from its neighbors
which developed much earlier (i.e., Cabo San Lucas), but the
community will need the skills and knowledge necessary
to control its destiny. Most afternoons are spent working
in the local community on a range of meaningful service
projects – tutor English to local students at an after-school
center, work side-by-side with these excited children to
clean up the local pueblos and beaches, and join other
environmental initiatives. On other days, pack up the
vans and hit the road for a unique and innovative service
programs working with the children of migrant workers at
local farms. These workers and their families live with only
the barest necessities, and their spirited children eagerly
await our arrival to play games, do art projects and share
toys. Traveling to these camps is a rare treat, and the heart
warming smiles of the children are sure to be one of the
highlights of the trip. It’s not all hard work though, as you’ll
have plenty of time to join the locals for pick-up baseball
or soccer games – a great way to finish the day with your
new friends!
Return Home Feeling Good
