The Baja California Secretariat of Tourism officially unveiled the first edition of the 2026 Indigenous Community Tourism Catalogue during the annual Nativa Festival: Living Art and Culture.
Designed to empower local indigenous families and safeguard Baja California’s biocultural heritage, Secretary of Tourism Miguel Ángel Badiola Montaño stated that the publication reflects an effort to expand platform access for native communities, allowing them to share ancestral wisdom on their own terms.
First Edition of the Indigenous Community Tourism Catalogue
This first edition of the Indigenous Community Tourism Catalogue aims to lay the foundation for an initiative that will grow year after year by bringing together community tourism projects that, thanks to their track record in welcoming visitors, have or are close to establishing unique experiences.
It also opens the door for more communities and projects to join in future editions.
“Understanding our origins allows us to better comprehend who we are and where we are heading,” Badiola Montaño said. “Recognizing the history, knowledge, and traditions of our Indigenous peoples is essential to building a future that values cultural diversity and preserves this legacy for generations to come.”
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Discovering the Rich Heritage of Indigenous Communities
Developed in partnership with the National Institute of Indigenous Peoples (INPI), the catalogue brings together nine tourism experiences offered directly by Indigenous families in their communities, with proposals that allow visitors to discover the natural, cultural, and gastronomic wealth of native people.
By placing local communities at the center of their own economic development, Badiola Montaño aims to ensure that tourism revenue directly benefits the families preserving Baja California’s living heritage.
The initiative promotes a regenerative, sustainable model centered on respect for indigenous lands, languages, and customs.
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Nine Authentic Ways to Experience Baja California’s Indigenous Heritage
- The Path of Oak and Acorn (El camino del encino y la bellota) — San Antonio Necua (Kumiai): An interpretive trek through ancestral lands in the Guadalupe Valley, featuring acorn atole tastings, traditional gastronomy, and native flora lore.
- In the Footsteps of My Ancestors (Las huellas de mis ancestros) — San José de la Zorra (Kumiai): An immersive journey combining hiking, biodiversity, community storytelling, traditional singing, dancing, games, and Kumiai culinary customs.
- Kumiai Trail Network (Red de senderos Kumiay) — San José de la Zorra: A series of marked wilderness routes designed to highlight the profound connection between native landscapes and indigenous knowledge.
- Mat Kiñush Interpretive Trail (Sendero BC-6 Mat Kiñush / “Tierra Bonita”) — San José de la Zorra: A 1.6-kilometer loop featuring nine cultural stations focused on ethnobotany, medicinal plants, and a local Kumiai vineyard.
- The Path of the Ant (El camino de la hormiga, Math Junajl) — San José de Tecate: A 300-meter guided trail offering 12 distinct educational stops dedicated to Kumiai history and tradition.
- Walking Living Culture (Caminando la cultura viva) — Santa Catarina (Paipai): An interactive day featuring birdwatching, traditional cooking, sacred dances, ancestral games, and visits to a traditional house of medicine.
- Ku’ahl Memory and Nature (Memoria y naturaleza Ku’ahl) — Santa Catarina: A hands-on cultural workshop covering clay modeling, natural fiber weaving, and seed jewelry making, paired with tours of a community ranch and family museum.
- Vive Kiliwa — Arroyo de León: A day and a half semi-desert excursion featuring petroglyph site visits, traditional cuisine, artisan crafts, and overnight stays in rustic cabins or campsites.
- From Pine Nut to Table (El camino del piñón a la mesa) — La Huerta (Kumiai): A mountain culinary experience tracking the harvest and preparation of local pine nuts into traditional regional dishes.
The Indigenous Community Tourism Catalogue was developed in partnership with INPI following months of field research and community workshops initiated in May 2026.
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Expo Nativa: Indigenous People’s Culture and Traditions
The Baja California Secretariat Tourism took part for the first time in the Nativa Festival: Living Art and Culture, held at Ventana al Mar in Ensenada, which was made possible through open dialogue with native Indigenous communities.
The secretary said he felt honored by the opportunity, calling it a recognition of the cultures, traditions, and work of communities that have preserved and shared their heritage for generations.
“I will never get tired of recognizing the hard work that every member of our communities puts into celebrating their history and sharing it with the world,” he said.
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He also noted that every custom, tradition, and ceremony is an invaluable part of the region’s identity and that all Baja California residents should know and recognize, since it forms a vital part of their collective identity and community development.
Event highlights include cultural exchanges between Yuman communities from both sides of the border, along with traditional Kuri Kuri songs.
Beyond direct sales of handicrafts and regional gastronomy, the festival offers spaces for dialogue on languages, territory, and the passing down of ancestral knowledge.
The Secretariat of Tourism’s participation this year marks a significant step toward bringing official tourism initiatives closer to native Indigenous community projects. It also acknowledges their vital role in heritage conservation while creating opportunities for more people to experience these cultures respectfully.
