Baja, Mexico. To some, it brings thoughts of fear; to others, it is an epic location filled with adventure, culture, and fantastic food. For Nathan Stuart, one of the founders of Legends Overlanding, this place is home, and the people are his community.
Over the past 20 years, he has spent much of his life in Baja and has been immersed in its culture. This makes Legends Overlanding different from other guided trips through Baja; the staff lives in Baja full-time.
They know the locals; they have connections with ranchers and landowners and can get to spots others cannot. They are part of the community and have spent years learning the area.
Crafted Tours
If you have been to Baja, you know it can be unforgiving. It is remote, there is little access to water, and if you break down it could be days before someone comes by. But if you survive, you can become one of the legends of Baja. Modern legends may take the form of the Baja desert racers, but over the centuries other legends have arisen from the dust.
These places and stories are what Nathan Stuart and the team want to bring to the overland community. From remote hot springs to dry lake beds, from picturesque coasts to forested mountains, you can explore areas of Baja that have a rich history and are filled with stories.
While Legends Overlanding is only a few years old, the outfit has grown quickly. Stuart and the team have spent years exploring the region, learning roads, meeting locals, establishing rapport, and working to set the foundation for successful trips.
These trips are crafted for your desired experience and around what vehicles are coming. But know that trucks will only be with trucks, and vans will only be with vans.
If you want to go to Baja but do not have a vehicle you want to take or one built for off-roading, you can rent a vehicle from Topo Terra in San Diego, California. Trips can be planned from a few days to over a week, so you can explore areas at your leisure and sample some of the land’s rich history and food.
A Culinary Experience
Speaking of food, you will experience some outstanding meals on this trip. It’s not just sandwiches and chips; when I was on a trip with Legends, the first night we had lasagna that was cooked in a stone oven overlooking a hot spring. The pasta was made fresh and hand-rolled.
Chef Alex was raised in Ensenada, and after receiving his culinary degree he cooked all over the world before moving back to Ensenada and joining Legends Overlanding, where he is the head chef for their mobile restaurant, Picacho.
The team at Legends works to source local ingredients, sometimes using items found next to camp to bring your experience to the next level. If you camp by the ocean, you may have fresh fish and clams. If you are farther inland, you might have dishes with local dates, fruits, and fowl; everything they make is better than what you might find in a high-end restaurant Stateside.
Best of Baja
The goal for Stuart and the team is to show people the best of Baja. People can experience top local wines and food and see places they would typically not get to see. One of the most significant issues that Legends Overlanding faces is the perception that Baja is dangerous.
While there are high crime regions in Northern Baja, the majority of it is cartel-related in urban settings like Tijuana and Rosarito. Outside these areas, tourists are just as safe as they would be in the States. The whole time that we were on our trip with Legends, there was never once that we did not feel secure.
If you are looking for an amazing experience in Baja, contact the Legends Overlanding team and schedule a trip. Visit them at legendsoverlanding.com.
This article originally appeared in OVR Issue 04. For more informative articles like this, consider subscribing to OVR Magazine in print or digital versions here. You can also find the print edition of OVR at your local newsstand by using our Magazine Finder.
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