The Trip
A TYPICAL TRIP TO THE CLINIC
You will start your adventure early Friday morning at one of the smaller airports around the metropolitan Phoenix area. That is where you will meet your pilot and fellow travelers for the trip to the clinic in a private plane. In most cases, you will fly to Guaymas, Mexico to refuel, then fly across the Sea of Cortez. Overnight accommodations are usually at the Hotel Serenidad, in the town of Mulege, BCS. Room reservations will be emailed to the hotel by the Trip Coordinator. The telephone number at Hotel Serenidad is 011-52-615-153-0530.
You may wish to leave this number with family or friends who may want to contact you over the weekend. If you are assigned a roommate, room expenses will be shared with your roommate. Major credit cards are accepted at the hotel. The rooms are approximately $70 per night.
Those who opt to go on the plane that flies directly to López Mateos, where our primary clinic is located, will need to bring Mexican pesos to pay for the lodging and breakfast at El Camarón Feliz Hotel, which will cost approximately $50 per night. After the clinic, you will fly to the beautiful fishing town of Loreto on the East coast of Baja California. It is also helpful to have pesos for the taxi ride from the airport to a hotel in Loreto for the second night of your trip.
The current weather for cities en route to the Baja and near our overnight destination are on the home page. The clinic in Lopez Mateos is located on the Pacific Ocean and usually provides a cool breeze. Please travel light. Bring cool clothing for warm days and extra layers for colder days or nights. Dress is casual, but should be proper for local customs/culture. Cost sharing for flights to and from the clinic will vary and will be between $200 and $300 dollars which includes your entrance visa and exit tax. Be prepared to reimburse the pilot.
Departure times from the hotel on Sunday are at the discretion of the pilot of the aircraft. Please be prompt when you are given times to meet the aircraft (both leaving the U.S. and returning on Sunday). Be sure to pack lightly for the trip. Most pilots limit maximum baggage weight for each passenger to 10 pounds. Soft-sided luggage works best and saves wear and tear on the airplane during loading and unloading. If you don’t own soft-sided luggage, try grocery bags. They work!
Ask your pilot if he or she has any restrictions on eating and drinking in the aircraft. Aircraft owners are very proud of their airplanes and appreciate the courtesy of their passengers. Be sure to clean up after yourself upon arrival back home.
Take your camera so you can capture memories. And, if you have good digital pictures, please send them to the webmaster for printing on this web site. Have a wonderful trip and enjoy the experience of Mexico and of helping others. You are very much appreciated!
Important Notices:
In order to obtain the best exchange rate, pay hotel and restaurant bills with a credit card. You can pay with dollars but the exchange rate will not be in your favor.
The only proof of citizenship allowed for travel to Mexico and returning to the U.S. will be a valid passport. It is crucial that you bring your passport with you and have it available for inspection by the authorities during entry to and exit from Mexico.
Masks and COVID vaccinations are highly recommended but not required.