2 days · 1 night
Noche de Estrellas
A night of camping under the clearest sky in north-west Mexico.
From $4,999 MXNSee experience
Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico · since 2017
Experiences in the Sonoran Desert
Camping trips and expeditions from Hermosillo to the El Pinacate and Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Innovation AwardMexican Tourism Product 2024
Travelers' Choice 2026Tripadvisor · three years running
241 expeditionsof two days to El Pinacate
CONANP permitto operate inside the reserve
Experiences
Three ways to live the desert
All of them leave from Hermosillo and include at least one night of camping, because what you come to see is the night sky.
2 days · 1 night
Dunas con la Luna
Climbing to the top of the dunes just as the sun goes down, and walking back by the full moon.
From $4,999 MXNSee experience
4 days · 3 nights
Sonora Salvaje
Desert, sea and stars. Three protected natural areas, one Mexican state.
From $12,999 MXNSee experience
Coming from abroad with a day to spare? We also run day trips to Tiburón Island and San Carlos, and private trips.
Stars or moon?
The same desert, in opposite phases of the moon
| Noche de Estrellas | Dunas con la Luna | Sonora Salvaje | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration | 2 days, 1 night | 2 days, 1 night | 4 days, 3 nights |
| The star of the trip | ⭐ New moon and the Milky Way | 🌕 Sunset and full moon on the dunes | ⭐ or 🌕 depending on the date |
| Stargazing talk and telescope | Yes | No | No |
| Pick-up | Hermosillo, Santa Ana, Caborca, Sonoyta | Hermosillo, Santa Ana, Caborca, Puerto Peñasco | Hermosillo only |
| Sleeping gear | Bring or rent | Bring or rent | Included |
| Reserve entrance | $650 MXN in cash (foreign visitors) | $650 MXN in cash (foreign visitors) | Included |
| From | $4,999 MXN | $4,999 MXN | $12,999 MXN |
Our tours are guided in Spanish only: at the moment we do not run tours in English. Before you book, make sure you are comfortable following a trip in Spanish.
Calendar
Upcoming departures
- 2–3 October 2026Fri – SatFew places leftHold a place
- 21–24 October 2026Wed – Sat
- 29 October – 1 November 2026Thu – SunSonora Salvaje⭐ Starry Nights version
- 4–7 November 2026Wed – SatSonora Salvaje⭐ Starry Nights version
- 6–7 November 2026Fri – SatAvailableHold a place
- 12–15 November 2026Thu – Sun
- 14–15 November 2026Sat – SunNoche de EstrellasMeteor showerAvailableHold a place
- 24–25 November 2026Tue – WedDunas con la LunaSupermoonAvailableHold a place
Who we are
It did not start as a company. It started as a journey.
A first step into the desert, full of doubt and full of wonder, that slowly became a life’s work. Zule and Manlio founded Pinacate Tours in 2017 in Hermosillo, and they have never stopped going back.
241 two-day expeditions. More than a thousand travellers in 2025 alone. Every kilometre of this route we travelled before you did, and we are still travelling it.
We are a small Mexican company. Meet the team and how we work
How to book
Booking is simple
- 01
Message us on WhatsApp
At +52 662 464 6648, to confirm your date and that you want to book. Bookings are handled only this way.
- 02
Fill in the form
We send you a short form for your details and those of anyone travelling with you.
- 03
Ask for your payment link
We send you a Mercado Pago link to pay by card. It is the only payment method for travellers from abroad.
- 04
Hold your place
Noche de Estrellas and Dunas con la Luna: Bookings made up to 30 September 2026: $500 MXN per person. New bookings from 1 October 2026: $1,000 MXN per person. It depends on when you book, not on the year of the trip. Sonora Salvaje: Bookings made up to 30 September 2026: $1,500 MXN per person. New bookings from 1 October 2026: $2,000 MXN per person. It depends on when you book, not on the year of the trip.
- 05
Receive your confirmation
Your electronic receipt with a reference number arrives within 48 working hours. Between 2 and 5 days before the trip we message you on WhatsApp with the exact time, the meeting point and the final details.
You have 48 hours to make your payment; if the trip is 7 days away or less, 12 hours. After that the booking is released and the place offered to someone else. We reply from Sonora, Mexico (UTC−7, no daylight saving), eight to nine hours behind most of Europe: write at any time and we answer during our day.
Message us on WhatsAppFAQ
Before you come
What is El Pinacate and where is it?
The El Pinacate and Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve is a protected natural area in north-west Sonora, Mexico, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It spans the municipalities of Puerto Peñasco, Plutarco Elías Calles and San Luis Río Colorado, and brings together volcanic craters, lava fields and the largest field of moving dunes in North America. From Hermosillo to Sonoyta is about five hours of direct driving.
Which tour suits me: Noche de Estrellas, Dunas con la Luna or Sonora Salvaje?
Noche de Estrellas (2 days) departs at new moon and is for seeing the Milky Way, with a stargazing talk and a telescope. Dunas con la Luna (2 days) departs at full moon: the central moment is the sunset from the top of the dunes and the walk back by moonlight. Sonora Salvaje (4 days) crosses three protected areas — Tiburón Island, the Upper Gulf salt flats and El Pinacate — with accommodation, gear and entrance fees included.
What language are the tours guided in?
Our tours are guided in Spanish only: at the moment we do not run tours in English. Before you book, make sure you are comfortable following a trip in Spanish.
How do I book?
On WhatsApp at +52 662 464 6648, our only booking channel. We send you a short form and the payment details, and you hold your place with a deposit per person. The rest is paid 5 days before the trip on the two-day tours and 10 days before on Sonora Salvaje.
How do I pay from outside Mexico?
By card, through a Mercado Pago payment link we send you on WhatsApp. It is the only payment method for travellers from abroad. Prices are in Mexican pesos (MXN) and your bank converts at its own rate.
Are there day trips to El Pinacate?
No. All three El Pinacate experiences include at least one night of camping, because what people come to see is the night sky. From Hermosillo we do offer day trips to Tiburón Island and San Carlos, as well as private trips: ask us on WhatsApp.
The desert is waiting
Message us and we will help you choose the date and the experience that suit you.
Message us on WhatsAppPlan your trip