You've seen them on the road from the airport — Can-Am Maverick X3s kicking up desert dust, heading somewhere that definitely isn't a resort pool. And at some point you've thought: I want to do that.
Here's the complete guide to booking a private Can-Am tour in Los Cabos: what it actually is, what it costs, what to look for in an operator, and why the private format makes a bigger difference than most people expect.
What Is a Can-Am Maverick X3?
The Can-Am Maverick X3 is a side-by-side off-road vehicle — you sit next to your partner like in a car, not straddling it like a motorcycle. It's powered by a turbocharged engine with 200+ horsepower, has a full steel roll cage, four-point racing harnesses, and a suspension built to handle serious terrain without the passengers feeling like they're being punished.
You drive it with a steering wheel and pedals. Automatic transmission. If you can drive a car, you can drive a Can-Am — most people are comfortable within the first ten minutes.
Private vs. Group: The Real Difference
Most tour operators in Los Cabos run group tours: 8 to 20 people sharing vehicles or rotating who drives, following a fixed route with no flexibility. A private Can-Am tour means the vehicle is exclusively yours for the duration — just your group, your guide, your pace.
In practice, private means:
The guide's full attention is on your group. You can ask questions, stop where you want, take photos when something catches your eye, and go faster or slower depending on your comfort level. You're not waiting for anyone else or being held back by a group pace.
If you're going with a partner or family, everyone who wants to drive gets to drive the whole time — not half the time.
The route can flex. If you're doing well and want to push further, the guide adjusts. If conditions on a trail are unexpected, you reroute without 15 people to coordinate.
What Routes Are Available in Los Cabos
Short experiences (3 hours) Desert trails near San José del Cabo — canyon formations, dry arroyos, volcanic rock terrain, viewpoints over the Sea of Cortez. Good for first-timers, resort guests with a half-day window, or anyone who wants to understand what the Can-Am can do before committing to a longer day.
Half-day to full-day (5–8 hours) More remote terrain, longer canyon descents, access to areas that require real off-road capability. Some routes reach the East Cape coastline of the Sea of Cortez — one of the most dramatic landscapes in all of Baja California Sur.
Full expeditions (10–16 hours) The serious options. The Cabo Pulmo expedition takes you 80 kilometers to the oldest coral reef in the Pacific — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — by crossing the East Cape on dirt roads that no tour van can reach. The longest routes cover Sierra de la Laguna foothills, coastal cliffs, and remote desert that feels genuinely untouched.
What's Typically Included
A properly run private Can-Am tour in Los Cabos should include:
- Vehicle: Current-year Can-Am Maverick X3 in good mechanical condition
- Bilingual guide: Someone who knows the terrain, speaks Spanish and English, and can navigate without relying on Google Maps (most of the best terrain isn't on Google Maps)
- Safety equipment: Helmets, goggles, gloves, neck gaiter
- Water and snacks for longer tours
- Hotel pickup and drop-off from the San José del Cabo/Cabo San Lucas corridor
What shouldn't be in a private tour: strangers sharing your vehicle. If an operator puts other guests in your Can-Am, it's a group tour with a different name.
What It Costs
Private Can-Am tours in Los Cabos are priced per vehicle, not per person — which changes the math significantly when you're traveling with someone.
Short experiences (3H): from $550/vehicle Half-day routes (5–6H): from $700/vehicle Full-day expeditions (9–10H): from $1,000/vehicle Extended routes (14–16H): from $1,500/vehicle
Split between two people, a full-day expedition runs $500–750 per person. For a once-in-a-trip experience in a destination known for $400 whale-watching cruises and $200 sunset boat rides, that's competitive — especially when the alternative is a group tour where you share a vehicle with strangers and get a fraction of the driving time.
How to Choose an Operator
Check the vehicle fleet. Current-year Can-Ams in good condition look and feel different from machines that have been running tours for four seasons. Ask when the fleet was last updated.
Confirm it's actually private. Some operators advertise "private" and then join groups at the meeting point. The vehicle should have only your group for the entire duration.
Ask about the guide. Is the guide inside the vehicle with you, or following in a separate truck? For the experience to be genuinely guided, they should be in the Can-Am.
Look for Can-Am BRP authorization. Authorized dealers maintain vehicles to factory standards and have direct access to BRP manufacturer support. An unauthorized operator running a fleet of used Can-Ams has no obligation to meet any maintenance standard.
Why Baja Curated
We're the only Authorized Can-Am BRP dealer in Los Cabos — which means our fleet is current-year, factory-maintained, and backed by the manufacturer. Every tour is 100% private: your vehicle, your guide, your group. We operate seven days a week from the GMS Can-Am showroom in San José del Cabo.
If it's your first time in a Can-Am, start with our Desert Intro 3H. If you're ready to see what Baja actually looks like beyond the resort corridor, start with the Explorer 6H.
Either way — the desert's waiting.