When you face the unknown—whether people, places, or concepts—the talons of fear have a way of gripping down relentlessly. The year was 2018, and my husband and I were facing doubts before overlanding into an unfamiliar country for the first time. We would have experienced less of a mental rollercoaster were it not for our one-year-old travel companion, who would turn two just before our trip.
A chance encounter relieved the pressure. While planning, we connected with a group of Mexican overland enthusiasts through an online forum. Introductions materialized into plans to convoy through central Mexico’s Sierra Gorda mountain region, tracing a route they were familiar with.
Over that long weekend with our new friends, we made a loop that began and ended in the monolith-graced town of Bernal. We descended dramatic switchbacks beside sharp drop-offs, made countless river crossings as cliffs hugged us on either side, and viewed majestic lakes that took our breath away. That time in the Sierra Gorda was the highlight of our 2,000-mile drive through Mexico in early 2019.
But it wasn’t what we saw that impacted us most; it was the people with us. Setting the tone for our international journey to follow, the privilege of becoming friends with the local people helped us better understand our surroundings and our place as visitors.
The brief trip made a significant impact in one other way. Afterward, our travel companions created a community called Overlander Mexico. Like many places in the world, overlanding is growing in popularity throughout Mexico; this group is now a resource for those who want to learn and a networking hub for those who believe in the value of traveling with friends.
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Please introduce yourself and the leading members of the Overlander Mexico group. Which parts of Mexico do you come from, and what vehicles do you drive?
I’m José Manuel Córdoba, known as Chepo (@chepocdt and @the_tankoma on Instagram). I own a 2011 Toyota Tacoma with a mid-travel kit, 35s, and some overlanding equipment. I like to off-road; sometimes, I’m a little hardcore, and that’s why I equipped my truck like that.
I love the outdoors: climbing, mountain biking, hiking, and water sports. So what I love about overlanding is you go to different, non-touristy places where you can enjoy nature and perform different activities while getting to know amazing people.
Overlander Mexico is comprised of five members. Three of them live in the state of Querétaro, one in Puebla, and I’m in Mexico City.
Israel Dávalos [is from Querétaro] (@4x4rocklander) and owns a 2001 Tacoma. He modified it with a solid axle at the front, 40s, and rock crawling equipment. This truck is a beast. Even with all his equipment, it can travel long distances and is on point for a comfortable ride. He travels with his wife and six-year-old son.
Abrahan Pérez’s (@ap_yotalndr) 2020 blue Tacoma is as good-looking as it gets. He’s riding on 37 x 13.5-inch tires, making his truck look completely different. It’s his daily work truck [in Querétaro]. He loves to restore vehicles, camp, and be outdoors.
Arturo Moreno (@arturo_mt28) is the only Jeep owner in our core group. He owns a two-door 2011 Jeep Wrangler equipped with a 3.5-inch lift and rides on 35s. He is a nature lover, trail runner, and mountain biker [from Querétaro].
[From Puebla,] Alberto Macip (@wild_hog_taco) has a 2019 Tacoma. He was the first with a 3rd-Gen in the group. With a truck modified as a weekend vehicle, he likes to go off-roading and camping in his spare time.
When did you first hear the term overlanding, and what was your first trip?
It was around 2016. I didn’t know the term but traveled many times as an overlander without as much equipment. I bought the truck in July 2011, and my first “off-road/camping/getting to know different places in a different way” [experience] was in November 2011. It was a five-day trip from Sierra Gorda in Querétaro to Huasteca Potosina in San Luis Potosí.
I joined Overland Bound in September 2016 (Member 2,227) and loved all the rigs, ideas, and equipment. I started to focus more on this lifestyle.
And what about the origin of Overlander Mexico? How did the group officially begin, and what is its purpose?
Israel was the one who contacted all of us. We traveled as a Tacoma group and noticed we had a lot of things in common, from the way we started building our trucks to our values: family first, keep everything clean, Leave no Trace, and always leave something positive in the communities and places we visit.
After that, [Brittany’s husband] Eric contacted us through Overland Bound, and we organized the trip to Sierra Gorda. One night while chatting, you gave us the idea of creating a group to grow the overland community in Mexico.
The main objective of Overlander Mexico is to promote our country for the locals and international travelers. Mexico is a great country with tons of different places—deserts, beaches, jungles, mountains. We have different cultures. Many people may think all Mexicans are the same, but no. If you are a “norteño” and go to Yucatán, you will not understand many words. You will find completely different ways of living, talking, architecture, and food.
While doing this, a community was created and has grown very quickly. We have more than 5,000 members in our Facebook group. Here we share ideas and places, and many expeditions have been organized. Having different contacts in the country is very valuable, not only for getting to know cities and towns but also in case of an emergency.
I’m sure you’re aware that many people fear driving in Mexico. What do you want them to know?
For many years, it has been said that Mexico is a very dangerous place to drive, mostly for Americans, but it is not. Mexico is a big country and, yes, there are some dangerous states and cities you should avoid, but almost all of Mexico is safe to drive.
Don’t drive at night—that’s the first rule. Not all the signs on the roads are clearly marked, and you may end up somewhere you don’t want [to be]. Also, as in many places of the world, bad people act at night.
Stay on main highways if that is an option. It is better to spend some money [on tolls] and be safe. All the roads ending with D are the ones where you pay [tolls].
Have a dashcam. It’s helpful for accidents or those officers that invent tickets. If an officer stops you, always ask them to give you the ticket and tell them you will pay at the transit office. In most of the corrupt cases, they will let you go.
There are far more good than bad people, and you will find many of them will invite you to different places. Mexicans are very proud of our culture and always want to share it.
I know you recently had a big adventure going to Baja. Give us your general route. What were the highlights?
We planned this one-month Baja trip with another group from Aguascalientes, @NomadAgs4x4. There were 14 cars from Querétaro, Mexico City, and Aguascalientes.
We started with a driver meeting, explaining the route and general information. We boarded the ferry from Mazatlán, Sinaloa. I recommend getting a suite because all the lights on this ferry stay on and it’s very uncomfortable if you want to sleep.
We arrived at La Paz and camped in El Tecolote. This was a “test” camp for the others in case they needed something. I’m glad we did that. The next morning, we had a broken Jeep, and most of the cars were late. After deciding who would stay behind to help with the Jeep, most needed to go shopping.
We had the luck to watch the Baja 1000 at San Ignacio. We camped near the trail, and what an experience! We had a show of racing motorcycles, quads, trophy trucks, and buggies all night long. Also, it was a lunar eclipse, so you can imagine the panorama, camping in the middle of the desert, watching the race cars, with an eclipse and good friends. There were no clouds, so when the eclipse happened, you could see all the stars with no light contamination from any town or city.
The next day, we decided to go back to the south because some families wanted to stay longer at some beaches, and we all agreed. So we went back to Bahía Concepción. This bay has many different beaches, all of them are beautiful. At Playa El Requesón, we watched hundreds of dolphins.
We [drove] part of the Baja 1000 [course] to Punta Arena de la Ventana and camped at Playa Turquesa for three nights.
After saying goodbye to part of the group, we took an off-road route with some local friends, visited an eco-tourist ranch and freed some turtles, and went to the famous Hotel California in Todos Santos. The time flew; we didn’t want to come back.
Here are several lessons we took away:
- In an expedition with so many vehicles and complete families, we learned that not everything will go as planned. The leader has to listen to the others but make decisions by himself. Beforehand, we decided to vote on a leader from Overlander Mexico. In this case, it was Abrahan, who had already experienced Baja. He was familiar with more places and understood how to navigate and where to camp.
- Off-the-grid communications are very important (Garmin InReach).
- If you plan everything as a group, not everyone will have to carry all the equipment. I started cooking with my friend Humberto and shared all the meals. If we had planned that before, we only would have brought one kitchen and its appliances, reducing weight and saving space.
- A dual fridge is better than a single one. In the beginning, I was going to freeze everything in my 35-quart Dometic. As I needed to prepare food, I would take it out and store it in the cooler. But since my mom brought food that had to stay dry but cold, I couldn’t do that. Also, one big fridge takes less space than a fridge and a cooler.
- Always take the little tent for the porta-potty. As my mom was traveling with me, I used the awning room as a toilet and changing room. When you only camp for one night, it’s easier to use the little potty tent than having to set up the awning room.
- Drinkable water defines your off-grid days, and having a filter will increase them. I didn’t have a water filter, so I filled all my tanks (around 80 liters or 21 gallons) with drinkable water. I never ran out of water but was always carrying extra weight.
Have you talked about other trips you’d like to take and what the future holds for Overlander Mexico?
We’d like to time a trip with the Coahuila 1000 race. Coahuila is a beautiful state in the north, and we are considering a five-day event going through the desert, mountains, and ghost towns in the Overland Edition of this race.
We are also considering an overland trip through all of Yucatán. There are many interesting things in this state, from ancient salt producers and unknown pyramids to one of the most iconic cities of Mexico, Mérida.
Every day there are more people interested in overlanding, so we are looking to organize an overlanding expo for 2023. Many Mexican brands that used to build only off-road equipment are looking at overland rigs as a new business.
Where is the most unforgettable place in Mexico you’ve spent the night with your truck?
My most memorable camp was in Ciénega de Gonzalez, Nuevo Leon. I camped there with my family that lives in Monterrey. The day before we went climbing, then stayed in a dry river in the middle of a canyon. We started a fire, shared food and hot chocolate, sang, played guitar, and talked about family stories.
What are the top three resources or suggestions you’d share with someone who is ready to take an overland trip into mainland Mexico for the first time?
- Try to learn some Spanish. As you already know, Mexicans are very open and helpful. But you won’t find bilingual people everywhere, and fewer if you go to little towns. So basic Spanish is very important, or maybe a translator.
- Tap water is not safe to drink. Bring your water filtration system or buy bottled water. You don’t want to get an infection in an [unfamiliar] country.
- IOverlander is very helpful, but not every campsite is updated. I would suggest investigating or calling before going to a place marked there.
Always talk to locals. They know the best places to have a meal, [the location of] an incredible view, and what to visit or where to go.
I’ll never forget how you welcomed our family during our first drive into Mexico. We fell in love with your country. For those who would like to connect with you and learn from your expertise, what is the best way to get in touch with the team at Overlander Mexico?
Anyone who would like to contact us can do it through our social media: Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube.
We will gladly help any overlander or traveler with anything we can. The community has been growing, and certainly, there would be someone nearby who is willing to help. As I told you before, we are very proud of our country. I love how people change the idea they had of Mexico when they really visit and travel through it.
I would like to make an open invitation [for you] to visit and travel through Mexico. Feel free to contact us with questions or doubts. We will gladly help you out. If you are already in Mexico, get in touch with us at Overlander Mexico. It would be nice to get to know other international overlanders. Having a meal while chatting around a fire is the best place to get to know new friends.
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