Explore the old town and discover the real Los Cabos. Beyond beaches, resorts and parties, there is a local community with rich history and culture. Learn about the authentic historical highlights of Los Cabos, the Californian peninsula and Mexico. The 1.5 hour group city tour, walks around the old town of San Jose del Cabo sightseeing and learning about the history, culture and legends; how the ‘Pericu’ tribe lived, the conqueror Hernán Cortés, the Pacific Ocean Pirates, the Mission church, the battle in the San José del Cabo main square, famous celebrities and more.
We met Kristian Sandoval, our tour guide at Cochimi Cafe on the main gallery street in the Art District. He provided us with a briefing on Cabo City Tours and their objective – to raise funds to provide school children with an education about the history and the culture of Baja by taking them on these tours at no cost. Kristian provided a basic history of the Baja and Los Cabos. He told us that there are actually five capes and not just two – at Los Frailes below Cabo Pulmo, Punta Gorda by Zacatitos, San Jose Del Cabo, Land’s End and the point past Land’s end that is actually the junction to the Pacific Ocean from the Sea of Cortez.
He described how the creation of the missions along the Baja were built to be a one day ride between each, allowing people traveling the Baja to have someplace to spend the night on their trip to the mission in San Jose del Cabo. The history of the local native tribes and the settling of Los Cabos by pirates was a fascinating part of the description.
After the introduction, we started the walking tour in the Art District. The first stop was at the corner of Jose Maria Morelos, which he said was the original center of San Jose del Cabo with the one gas station on the corner where the Amario Cafe now stands. We walked down to El Encanto Inn & Suites, where he took us inside the door and showed us the historical pictures on the wall and used these as a way to talk more about the history of the town. The photos included the picture of the original gas station. Moving inside the Inn, he pointed out the different types of trees and plants and talked about their importance to the local environment. We then walked to the corner with Centenario. Pointing across the street to the dirt road leading to the Organic Market, he said that this was the original main entrance to San Jose del Cabo.
There is so much interesting history discussed in this tour that it is very worthwhile and makes a difference to local school children, who also need to learn the history of the area where they live.
For more information about Cabo City Tours visit their website at http://www.cabocitytours.com/ or visit them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CaboCityTours
