Exploring the cultural wealth of Baja California extends far beyond its tourist destinations. Community tourism allows travelers to traverse ancient pathways, savor cuisine crafted from recipes handed down through generations, and listen directly from local voices to the stories and traditions that have shaped the identity of the Baja California’s indigenous peoples.
Marking International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples on August 9, Secretary of Tourism Miguel Ángel Badiola Montaño called on the residents of Baja California to engage with native communities and recognize them as an essential pillar of the culture and identity that define the region.
“The Yuman peoples are the past, present, and future of Baja California,” he said. “Within their communities, a vital part of our history remains vibrantly alive, yet they also hold immense potential for building new opportunities. Our commitment is to walk alongside them and transform community tourism into a tool for preservation, cultural sharing, and the generation of well-being.”
For over two decades, these native communities have welcomed visitors with warmth and hospitality, offering genuine encounters with their traditions and ancestral lands. Today, standout experiences include the Siñaw Kuatay Ecotourism Center and the Wa Kumiai Tabita restaurant in San Antonio Necua, alongside hiking, gastronomic, and artisanal tours in San José de la Zorra, all of which have become flagship models of community-based tourism in the state.
SAN ANTONIO NECUA – KUMIAI
Located in the municipality of Ensenada, this community has cultivated a range of experiences centered on handicrafts, museums, lodging, and traditional cuisine. Its territory is home to the Siñaw Kuatay Ecotourism Center and the Mis Tíos interpretive trail, a route that invites visitors to explore the natural landscape while uncovering the community’s shared heritage.
The ecotourism center directly supports 40 families, with women comprising 80% of active participants. Meanwhile, the Wa Kumiai Tabita restaurant positively affects 20 families, with female participation reaching 90%.
SAN JOSÉ DE LA ZORRA – KUMIAI
In this community, located in Playas de Rosarito, tradition is shared through the Tipai Wamp ecotourism center, where guests can familiarize themselves with time-honored flavors, local crafts, and the distinctive natural environment of the area.
The offering also includes lodging, camping, a vineyard, horseback rides, and the interpretive trails Tierra Bonita and Mat Kuatay/Cerro Grande. Tipai Wamp directly benefits 20 families and boasts a 95% female participation rate.
SANTA CATARINA – PAI PAI
With a population of fewer than 200 people, this community extends a warm welcome to those who venture to Ensenada for hiking and camping excursions. Its artisanal creations are particularly noteworthy for their technique, use of locally sourced materials, and respect for nature.
EL MAYOR CUCAPÁ – CUCAPÁ
On the outskirts of Mexicali, El Mayor Cucapá specializes in adventure tourism experiences. Visitors can paddle by kayak along the Hardy River, a natural extension of the Colorado River, while also exploring handicrafts, traditional cooking, and interpretive trails.
LA HUERTA – KUMIAI
In La Huerta, a Kumiai community in Ensenada, the experience revolves around communal living. Travelers can engage with handicrafts, stroll along paths offering stunning viewpoints surrounded by local flora and fauna, or stay at the Arroyo el Barbón ecotourism center. Additional activities include horseback riding and cheese-making demonstrations.
ARROYO DE LEÓN – KILIWA
Arroyo de León stands as one of the last strongholds where the Kiliwa people preserve their deep connection to the land. The community offers serene spaces for resting amid natural sounds, opportunities to acquire authentic handcrafted pieces, and a menu of dishes that carry centuries of culinary tradition in every bite. With its on-site museum and hiking routes leading to ancient petroglyphs, Arroyo de León serves as a gateway to the history and cultural heritage of this population.
SAN JOSÉ DE TECATE – KUMIAI
In San José de Tecate, the Kumiai community shares experiences intertwined with nature, cuisine, and the purest expressions of their identity. The Waña Chimilj ecotourism center provides an alternative way to explore the territory, complete with camping facilities, handicraft workshops, and routes that reveal a different facet of Baja California.
JUNTAS DE NEJÍ Y ANEXOS – KUMIAI
Juntas de Nejí y Anexos preserves cultural activities that bring visitors closer to Kumiai traditions through handicrafts, traditional cooking, and immersion in the natural world. The Las Abuelas interpretive trail and the hiking paths leading to Cerro La Hormiga offer compelling reasons to discover and appreciate Baja California from the very footsteps of its earliest inhabitants.
SANTA GERTRUDIS – COCHIMÍ
Located in the southern part of the state, Santa Gertrudis represents the enduring presence of the Cochimí people within Baja California’s cultural heritage. The community has been incorporated into the regional catalog and into programs dedicated to biocultural preservation.
INITIATIVES TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY TOURISM
Between 2022 and 2026, the Secretariat of Tourism has rolled out a comprehensive strategy aimed at bolstering the capacities of Yuman communities, enhancing community tourism, and ensuring that the growth of this sector directly benefits local residents.
The agency has invested over 630,000 pesos in productive projects, artisanal supplies, production areas, restroom facilities, and communal infrastructure. An additional 250,000 pesos have been allocated for trail infrastructure and signage, while 665,500 pesos were channeled through the Corazones Viajeros program, facilitating the deployment of 155 buses to promote and raise awareness of the region’s many attractions.
During this same period, four routes were designed and signed under the first official trail model spearheaded by a Tourism Secretariat in Mexico: Las Abuelas in Juntas de Nejí; Tierra Bonita and Mat Kuatay/Cerro Grande in San José de la Zorra; and Mis Tíos in San Antonio Necua.
Through the “Walk and Eat” product, visitors can enjoy combined experiences that weave together hiking, ancestral gastronomy, piñon juice preparation, and handicraft workshops in San Antonio Necua and San José de la Zorra. In 2026, the Tourist Trail Design: Signage, Marking, and Standardization Course was also delivered to the Kumiai territory.
Traditional gastronomy has been given special prominence: five traditional cooks have earned certification under standard EC1084, “Preparation of Popular and Traditional Mexican Gastronomy,” marking the first time members of the Yuman peoples have received such national recognition.
In addition, the Traditional Mexican Cooking Forum was organized for gastronomy students, alongside the Kumiai Gastronomic Encounter, where traditional dishes such as acorn atole, beef broth with beans and corn, barbacoa meat, and acorn coffee were shared and celebrated.
THE YUMAN PEOPLES: BAJA CALIFORNIA’S LIVING IDENTITY
Baja California is home to five indigenous peoples belonging to the Yuman ethnolinguistic family: the Cucapá, Kiliwa, Pai Pai, Kumiai, and Cochimí. Each group maintains a distinct relationship with its ancestral territory and preserves cultural expressions that constitute an invaluable part of the state’s biocultural heritage.
The Secretariat of Tourism remains steadfast in its commitment to accompany these communities through actions that honor their identity and autonomous decisions, ensuring that community tourism serves as a vehicle for preserving Baja California’s roots and advancing the goal of Shared Well-being.
