By Betty Hurd
Sonoran Rovers Tours
offers an experience like no other, an overland adventure behind the wheel of a classic Land Rover Defender. What makes this tour even more unique is the flexibility of your role. You can drive or be driven – it all depends on your experience and comfort level. If you seek a thrilling expedition from a new perspective, there is no better guide than Marcus Whitaker – the owner of Sonoran Rovers Tours– and his adept team to take you on this journey to remember.
On a 2-lane road just south of the border, a caravan makes its way down to the Rio Sonora Valley. In the lead is Marcus, an Englishman with an affinity for Land Rovers, camping, and desert exploration. Squeezed beside him is an amateur photographer and a conservationist. Behind them is local guide Stevan De La Rosa, along with three visiting Albuquerqueans en route to a town they’ve never heard of before.
This is the Sonoran Rovers adventure – an exploration of the wild public lands of the Sonoran Desert region. The only requirements are a love for adventure and an open mind. This is not a fancy vacation with 5-star accommodations. It’s a journey to a remote destination via Land Rover. This trip offers a brand-new perspective of Sonora, Mexico, one that is raw and real. The ride can be bumpy, even a bit precarious at times, but it is entirely beautiful.
We began the journey in Tucson, the artsy Southern Arizona city home to the University of Arizona Wildcats. Less than two hours south, our caravan camped a night in the Mule Mountains surrounding the ex-mining town of Bisbee. Under a field of brilliant stars, we set up camp and shared homemade soup, then bundled up and slept until sunrise.
The following morning, we woke up slowly and enjoyed coffee with a view – the town of Bisbee to the south and the rolling Mule Mountains stretching in every other direction. After allowing ourselves to warm up with the rising sun, we packed up and hit the road.
The border town of Náco was less than an hour’s drive from our campsite. We crossed with ease, breezing through the vehicle inspection and patiently awaiting our visitor’s visas at the office beside the inspection site. After these technicalities were complete, we continued on our way south.
First on our itinerary was a roadside lunch prepared by Lupita, a woman with an infectious smile and a killer ability to cook. We chowed down on the best chile con carne I have ever had (no exaggeration), beans, vegetables, green corn tamales, and paper-thin tortillas. I can honestly say I have never enjoyed better flavors. Everything was cooked from scratch. From the home-grown beans to the free-range cattle, all ingredients were taken from the land.
With full bellies, we continued on to Arizpe to see the Templo de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, a Jesuit church built in the mid-1700s. The building’s stunning architecture certainly stood out in the old town, an unexpected change of scenery after driving through miles of wilderness.
Continuing on to Stevan’s home in Banámichi, we drove through small towns, rolling hills, and jagged mountains, all characteristic of the Rio Sonora Valley. The scenes were absolutely gorgeous, a vision of Mexico untouched by tourists.
When we arrived at Stevan’s property just after dark, all three rovers breezed up a steep riverbank, over piles of dried wood, and through a field of overgrown foliage. These impressive vehicles, unfazed by such obstacles, safely took us to camp. The journey to this humble home was thrilling and scenic.
Stevan and his wife, Lucia, cooked pizza in their wood-fired oven, all with local products and organic ingredients. I can safely say I have never had better homemade pizza. As their spirited 3-year-old Samuel curiously poked around our group, we shared stories and got to know one another. Before bed, we all enjoyed a hot wash in Stevan’s craftily designed outdoor shower.
As I prepared to sleep in my rooftop tent, I noticed the stars here were even more brilliant than they were outside of Bisbee. That was saying something. I opened the vented flaps on the ceiling of my tent and fell asleep under the shining glow of the heavens.
Before setting out the next morning, we enjoyed Stevan’s homemade chorizo and egg burritos. He proceeded to give the group a tour of his homestead. Our host explained how he and his young family lived off the land, without electricity or running water. They literally built their home with their own hands, crafting adobe bricks from mud and straw. It was incredibly humbling to experience a way of life so different from our own, devoid of the technologies we rely on for seemingly everything.
After Stevan’s tour, we packed up and started day three. This was perhaps the most remote journey, traveling through mountain passes and dirt roads just south of Banámichi. Stevan was given special permission to enter this land, owned by a rancher with thousands of acres in his possession.
We hardly saw another soul as the rovers crawled their way up and down rocky paths and babbling brooks. The sheer beauty of this area was breathtaking. Yellow wildflowers bloomed every which way, shimmering across the mountains with a fiery glow. Butterflies fluttered around our vehicles as we made our way to the summit.
After a few hours of picturesque driving, we reached our campsite. The scene was unreal. The spot boasted mountain views all around, the distant valley below green from the nurturing Rio Sonora. We feasted on tostadas, played a game of Scatter (a Scandinavian camping game), and told stories around the fire before calling it a night.
The following morning, we awoke to a sunrise like no other. It was bittersweet packing up camp for the last time. Our last night would be spent at a boutique hotel in Banámichi. With a final gaze at the sprawling views, we made our way back to civilization. Naturally, the journey was much faster on the way down.
I had never driven a stick shift before this trip. I didn’t intend to try my hand at it on a mountainside in Mexico in a 30-year-old Land Rover, but life is full of surprises, right? Marcus put me in the right-side driver’s seat. He taught me how to drive right then and there, leading the group down the road back to Banámichi with an occasional stall. It was an incredible feeling to learn how to drive such an amazing vehicle with a pro by my side. That’s how the Sonoran Rovers guides are – they want everyone to get the most out of this experience.
At the end of the dirt road, we made our way to La Posada, our home for the night beside the town square. We explored the property and took in the view of the Parroquia De Nuestra Señora De Loreto, the gorgeous Jesuit mission constructed in the 1600s.
After checking in at the hotel, we quickly set our things down in our rooms and piled into Marcus’s rover to attend a Bacanora tasting with a local distiller. Beto was generous enough to give us all a few sips of his newest batch, a crystal clear, mezcal-like liquor that he distilled right there on his property. It packed a punch! Some of us purchased bottles to bring back to the states. It was incredibly intriguing to learn about the art of making Bacanora.
After the tasting, we returned to the hotel to unwind. La Posada is about as charming as it gets. Under zigzagging string lights illuminating colorful walls and mismatched chairs on a cobblestoned patio, the group clinked glasses to a great three nights of camping. We took the evening to relax in our very comfortable hotel rooms, each uniquely designed with cultural decor.
When dinnertime rolled around, we feasted on gourmet tacos, enchiladas, and cheese soup. Margaritas washed it all down, of course. Carmen, the hotel manager, made sure every step of the service was perfect. She made us feel like part of the family, a recurring theme from the people of the Rio Sonora Valley.
Most notable was the chiltepin flan, the greatest dessert I have ever tasted. The chefs incorporated local chiltepins into this classic Mexican recipe. The spice was apparent, but not too overwhelming, and it was the perfect way to complete a fantastic meal.
We called it a night after stuffing ourselves with yet another glorious meal. After three nights on the road, we were tired and ready for a cozy night’s sleep in a plush bed. We bid goodnight to each other and the sweet La Posada staff.
On our final morning, we enjoyed breakfast in the downstairs restaurant, included in our stay at the hotel. We chose from a wide variety of machaca, carne asada, chorizo, and more along with eggs, cooked as we liked. I ordered the machaca and, once again, it was one of the best meals I’ve ever had. The food on this trip was unbelievable!
Before setting out to return to Arizona, we all gathered in the square outside of La Posada to reflect on our journey. The main sentiment was an appreciation for how less is more. We didn’t need fancy accommodations or resort-style meals to make us happy. We slept beneath the stars and rose with the sun. What we ate came from the land, nourished by organic ingredients from our very surroundings.
We learned how the Rio Sonora gives life to the people of the valley, and how they respect the river and land as their providers. It was a humbling lesson to see how people can in fact survive without shopping centers and fast-food establishments. The lifestyle is wholesome, simple yet more than enough to sustain a happy existence.
That is what sets Sonoran Rovers tours apart from the rest. They’re not just about exploring the land in a stylish Land Rover Defender. They’re about seeing the world from a new perspective and understanding what truly matters in this life – human connection, respect for the land, and appreciation for the little things. Less truly is more.
