Jump to content
Chapala.com Webboard

Route to Ensenada


Mad_Max

Recommended Posts

Ive been looking into this as well. The ferry seems like it´s a better option to take from topolobampo to La Paz versus Mazatlan...way less time on the boat (half!) and a little cheaper. Your dogs have to travel in crates in cargo (deck of the boat). Yes, it is expensive, mostly because of you car. I also made enquiries about that road at the top of Mexico to take you from the mainland to the baja and it´s safety (not sure what the hwy number is). Many years ago people used to say it was a little rough with bandits, but apparently it´s just fine now, except a lot of police that might come out like bandits if you speed. Either route, it´s still going to be 20 some odd hours.

www.nayarit4fun.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you do not wish to use the ferry, and want to avoid the Mexican route around the top, it might actually be easier and just as economical to head for Tucson, then go west to San Diego and you would be in the neighborhood of Ensenada.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ive been looking into this as well. The ferry seems like it´s a better option to take from topolobampo to La Paz versus Mazatlan...way less time on the boat (half!) and a little cheaper. Your dogs have to travel in crates in cargo (deck of the boat). Yes, it is expensive, mostly because of you car. I also made enquiries about that road at the top of Mexico to take you from the mainland to the baja and it´s safety (not sure what the hwy number is). Many years ago people used to say it was a little rough with bandits, but apparently it´s just fine now, except a lot of police that might come out like bandits if you speed. Either route, it´s still going to be 20 some odd hours.

www.nayarit4fun.com

"That road at the top of Mexico" is Rte. 2. There could possibly be bandits and/or speed traps, but the real make-your-eyes-fall-out part of this ride is La Rumorosa. It's not a drive I would make either day or night. In daylight, you can see what you're driving through--gulp. At night, you can't--gulp. I take the bus, if I have to take that route. Here's a video, but google La Rumorosa for still images and tales of the drive.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i agree with RV. Take Highway 15 from Joco to Guad to Nogales. Then up to Tucson and across to San Diego on Interstate 8. Then south to Ensenada. No reason to go east toward Laredo when you want to wind up west of Lake Chapala.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe easier, but don´t forget, this will require checking out with immigration (then back in on the baja side), papers for your 2 dogs, and the border waits. I´m kinda thinking the ferry might be worth it. And BTW, just how many km is this windy hwy 2 .... ? Is it really worse than the road from Las Varas to Tepic?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The 4 lane divided hwy. Mx.2 from Mexicali to TJ or actually you only need to go to Otay and the new Corredor Tijuana - Rosarito 2000 from Otay to Popotla to the Mx. 1 to Ensenada is very good and I have traveled it many times with no problems. Mx. 2, La Rumorosa, is hairpin turns for the first 30 minutes climbing up the mountains from the Mexicali Valley then you sail across the mesa to Tecate and encounter a few turns but very safe and they resurfaced the hwy a few years ago. My 3 friends from Mexicali rolled their crappy new Chevy 3 cylinder car down a slope in Tecate but survived with a few cuts and bruises. No need to exit Mexico and reenter if you don´t want to.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Joking aside; I watched the video and the road appears to be in excellent condition. Sure, it is a winding, mountain drive, but some of us actually enjoy such roads. They keep you awake. Flatlanders and city folk usually have different reactions. We once had visitors, who were driven down to Chapala from the border. Once here, those flatlanders refused to go anywhere in Mexico by car, even though their intention was to see some of the country. They were truly in a panic and we sent them home to the Canadian praries.......by bus, since they feared flying too. Never have heard from them again. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some friends of mine made that drive last December hauling a trailer. They spent the night at the bottom of La Rumorosa and made the drive over it first thing in the morning. They said it was no problem at all.

When I lived in Mexicali I drove that route many times. First to avoid the long lines at the border in Mexicali to enter the US and second to stay in TJ, Rosarito or Ensenada for awhile. I have to admit the sign entering the mountains on the hwy. that states turn your air conditioner off was dead on if I was not alone in my car. Alone and no weight, no problem.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Problem is this is one person, 2 dogs on a 5 day trip (to get from her to Ensenada)- with a packed car. In my younger years, I have driven lots of mountains with the AC off. I don't think I am into that this round. Might be different if it was day 1 out of 1 day in the US - and the car wasn't overflowing - etc. So RVg can call me a flatflander etc - but I want to minimize risk - it is going to be a long long trip that I really am not excited about. So windy mountain roads aren't my thing this trip.

Thanks for the comments on the ferry - think i will pass on that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Problem is this is one person, 2 dogs on a 5 day trip (to get from her to Ensenada)- with a packed car. In my younger years, I have driven lots of mountains with the AC off. I don't think I am into that this round. Might be different if it was day 1 out of 1 day in the US - and the car wasn't overflowing - etc. So RVg can call me a flatflander etc - but I want to minimize risk - it is going to be a long long trip that I really am not excited about. So windy mountain roads aren't my thing this trip.

Thanks for the comments on the ferry - think i will pass on that.

AC off for about 30 minutes until you reach the top, then AC back on, and flat almost to Tecate and on to Ensenada. Beware now and until Oct. Mexicali Valley temp. from about 1 to 8PM is always around 106 F. ,even on top of the mountian it is only a few degrees cooler in sunlight hours, sundown it cools but not until about 11PM is it in the low 90s.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We drove the route on the MX side along the border, the roads were very narrow and the shoulder had a big drop off, it you had to stop or broke down there is no where to go. There was an inspection site and it was really windy and cold in Dec. and it took us an hour to get through it, they tapped on the car looked under neath. I just wouldn't ever take this route again, was not comfortable doing it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Joking aside; I watched the video and the road appears to be in excellent condition. Sure, it is a winding, mountain drive, but some of us actually enjoy such roads. They keep you awake. Flatlanders and city folk usually have different reactions. We once had visitors, who were driven down to Chapala from the border. Once here, those flatlanders refused to go anywhere in Mexico by car, even though their intention was to see some of the country. They were truly in a panic and we sent them home to the Canadian praries.......by bus, since they feared flying too. Never have heard from them again. :)

Heck, for Mexico that looks like a great road. I've seen a lot worse in New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Arizona. Four lanes even, what a deal! And all those neat scenic pull outs.

My wife routinely would drive our 36 foot Country Coach on those mountain roads up north while I was riding my moto. She would think this one was a pleasure cruise.

Nice video!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The ferry from Topolobampo to La Paz is quite nice- the one from Mazatlan is a scow. Ferry from Topo about 7 hours (o'nite, book a room) Mazatlan 18.

As mentioned, animals have to be kenneled and go on cargo deck, not passenger deck, but as the Topo ferry is not that long, and o'nite, the animals shouldn't suffer too much. Do not believe anything you might be told over the phone from the ferry office re animals- people have been told if they booked a room the animals could be in the room (not true), and other misinfo.

Yes, the ferry is expensive, but driving up the mainland costs quite a bit in tolls. Baja roads are toll-free except for around Ensenada. The drive up Baja through the desert can be breathtakingly beautiful, whereas the route to Nogales I find incredibly boring. The pavement is mostly 2 lane blacktop, but when I did the trip last year the roads were in great shape except for one stretch about halfway up, lots of big potholes. Gas stations in Baja can be few and far between- no Pemexs and Oxos every 3 blocks like on the mainland, so you need to gas up whenever possible. There are quite a few military checkpoints, but as a woman traveling alone, they were easy and friendly. The roads are also not swarming with Federal and state police or transitos.

Anyone making this trip should make sure to make a reservation at Jardines Baja- a beautiful tropical oasis hotel about 2 hours south of Ensenada. The restaurant next door, run by the same family, is excellent as well. They have a good website-check it out.

Crossing at Tecate was a 15 minute wait, as compared to hours at Tijuana and the drive from Ensenada to Tecate through wine country was lovely.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you must travel to ensenada...the ferry is your best route. You can reserve a cabin and it takes 24 hours from mazatlan to la paz.

From la paz...make sure you fill up your tank and have plenty of drinks and snacks.

I did the route a long time ago and while the views of the coast where amazing....the over desert area was boring.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...