Plan your trip
Before you choose your date
The weather each month, what happens if it changes, how much walking there is and how to get here. Everything we usually answer on WhatsApp, on one page.
El Pinacate
Weather by month
| Month | By day (max) | Before dawn (min) | Dune hike* |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 22 °C | 5 °C | Goes ahead |
| February | 23 °C | 6 °C | Goes ahead |
| March | 26 °C | 8 °C | Goes ahead |
| April | 30 °C | 11 °C | Depends on the forecast |
| May | 34 °C | 15 °C | Not done |
| June | 39 °C | 20 °C | Not done |
| July | 40 °C | 24 °C | No trips |
| August | 39 °C | 24 °C | Not done |
| September | 37 °C | 21 °C | Not done |
| October | 32 °C | 15 °C | Depends on the forecast |
| November | 26 °C | 9 °C | Goes ahead |
| December | 21 °C | 5 °C | Goes ahead |
Historical average at the Organ Pipe Cactus, Arizona, 1991–2026 weather station (NOAA), the nearest with a long record; not a forecast, and in the open desert the small hours can be a few degrees colder. Sonora Salvaje also sleeps on the coast, where nights are milder: each departure page shows the typical temperature for every night. We do not run trips in July: the desert heat does not allow it.
* The dune hike on Noche de Estrellas and Sonora Salvaje. Dunas con la Luna walks in the late afternoon, once the heat has dropped, and its trail is walked from September to May.
If the weather changes
- Heat. The dune hike (Noche de Estrellas and Sonora Salvaje) goes ahead from November to March. In October and April it depends on the forecast: above 30 °C it does not. From May to September it is not done, and there is no replacement activity: in that heat no outdoor activity is safe. The rest of the itinerary goes ahead.
- Clouds. The trip goes ahead just the same. Seeing the Milky Way or the moonrise depends on a clear sky, and there is no way of knowing that before we are there.
- Sea (Sonora Salvaje). If the sea does not allow the crossing to Tiburón Island, the day takes place at Campo Filomena, facing the island, and the welcome songs still happen. The activity is replaced, so there is no partial refund.
- Strong wind or rain. Before the trip, the team shares the expected conditions and the instructions for your date. The coordinator may change the order of the day; the team will confirm any change with you.
- If we cannot depart. If we cancel because the minimum group size is not reached, or due to adverse weather, safety risks, the closure of natural areas or force majeure, you choose: a full refund, less expenses not attributable to the company, or rescheduling the trip. Refunds are processed within 5 working days. If the refund is for a payment made by card, in interest-free instalments or at OXXO (Mercado Pago), we absorb the processing fee. The full conditions are in our terms and conditions (points 1.7 and 3); the Spanish original is the version that applies.
Fitness level
All three trips are intermediate: for an average person they are tiring, especially the sand; for someone who hikes regularly, they are easy. You do not need to be an experienced camper.
| The longest walk | Also | Level | Age | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noche de Estrellas | Dunes: 5 km there and back on sand, 2.5 to 3 hours (November to March) | Climb up Cono Mayo before sunrise, about 20 minutes | Intermediate | No minimum age |
| Dunas con la Luna | Top of the dunes: 5 km there and back, 3 to 4 hours, with the last stretch uphill on sand | Walk back after dark, with a lamp and moonlight | Intermediate | No minimum age; the hike from age 6 |
| Sonora Salvaje | Dunes: 5 km there and back, 2.5 to 3 hours (November to March) | Four days at expedition pace: Cono Mayo, the boat to Tiburón Island and three nights in different places | Intermediate | From age 6 |
If you have any medical condition, let us know when you book: some activities require good physical condition and, for the safety of the group, we may suggest which parts of the trip suit you.
Getting here
- Every trip leaves from Hermosillo at 6:00 AM, from Plaza Emiliana de Zubeldia. Arrive the night before: no flight on the same day gets you there in time.
- By air. Hermosillo has an international airport (HMO). Book your flight once we have confirmed your place. We can help you arrange your hotel in Hermosillo and your flight, and if you book the hotel through us we collect you.
- From Puerto Peñasco. Dunas con la Luna picks up at Plaza del Camarón at 12:30 PM. On Noche de Estrellas, a pick-up in Peñasco is a detour and is only offered for groups of more than 4: ask before you book. Sonora Salvaje leaves from Hermosillo only.
- From Arizona. Noche de Estrellas picks up in Sonoyta (Vip Market, 12:30 PM) and Dunas con la Luna in Puerto Peñasco, the points closest to the border. Getting to the pick-up point is up to you; the team will confirm the point and the time when you book.
- Other pick-up points along the way: Santa Ana and Caborca, at the same rate. Times are on each trip page.