We can usually tell who read the tour details before showing up. They’re the ones in old sneakers and a faded T-shirt, with a plastic bag of clean clothes and their driver’s license already in hand. The ones who didn’t are wearing white linen and flip-flops, and looking worried.
The Sierra Madre isn’t hard on people, but it’s hard on clothes. Here’s exactly what to wear, what to bring, and how to get to your pickup point without stress.
Getting Ready for Your Off-Road Day, From Your Closet to the Pickup Point
Start With Your Feet
Closed-toe shoes are mandatory on every ATV and RZR tour. Sandals, huaraches and flip-flops aren’t allowed, and for good reason: your feet sit close to the footrests and the trail, and loose footwear can slip off on a bump. Sneakers or old trail shoes are perfect. Pick a pair you won’t mind retiring, because between dust and mud they’ll come back a different color. Pack a spare pair for the ride home.
Clothes You Won’t Miss
Think light, breathable and expendable. Dark or earth-toned clothing hides the dirt better than anything white or pastel. Long shorts or lightweight pants work well, and if you’re doing a combo with zip lines, avoid very short shorts, since the harness straps rub against bare skin.
A long-sleeve shirt with UV protection is the most underrated piece of gear for this tour. It keeps the sun and dust off your arms and saves you from reapplying sunscreen every half hour. Skip the hat while riding, since you’ll be wearing a helmet, but bring one for the time at the park after the ride.
What the Tour Gives You
At check-in your guide hands out the safety gear: a helmet and goggles. In the dry season you’ll also get a bandana to pull over your nose and mouth. You don’t need to buy any special off-road gear before your trip.
The park has free lockers, large restrooms and changing rooms, and many of our bases have showers, so you can leave the mountain looking a lot cleaner than you did on the trail.
Dressing for the Season
| Dry season (November to May) | Rainy season (June to October) | |
|---|---|---|
| Trail conditions | Firm, dusty dirt roads | Mud, puddles and wet rocks |
| What you’ll feel | Sun and dust; temperatures from about 21 to 30 °C (70 to 86 °F) in November | Humidity and afternoon showers |
| Best clothes | UV long sleeve, dark shorts or light pants | Quick-dry fabrics; nothing cotton-heavy |
| Must pack | Sunscreen, lip balm, a full change of clothes | Full change of clothes, spare shoes, a plastic bag for wet gear |
| Provided at check-in | Helmet, goggles, bandana | Helmet, goggles |
In the dry season, the person in front of you kicks up a dust cloud you’ll ride through. In the rainy season, you won’t stay dry, period. Some guests think that’s the best part.
What Goes in Your Day Bag
Keep it small. Here’s what earns a spot:
- Your driver’s license, the physical card. It must be valid, and a license from your home country is fine. We don’t accept photos of a license on your phone or learner’s permits. If the driver forgets the license, they can’t drive and the tour can’t be refunded.
- A credit card in the main driver’s name. The collision insurance is paid at the registration area: 20 USD per RZR or 10 USD per ATV, non-refundable, covering an estimated 500 USD in damage to the unit. It only goes on a credit card belonging to the main driver.
- Some cash in pesos for tips, photos, souvenirs, food and drinks at the park. Tips, food and photos aren’t included in the tour price.
- Sunscreen and insect repellent. The mountain has mosquitoes, more so after the rains.
- A change of clothes and shoes, ideally in a plastic bag.
- A GoPro, only if you have a helmet or chest mount. Handheld cameras and phones out in the open aren’t allowed while riding.
What to Leave at the Hotel
Regular cameras and video cameras, anything you’d hate to see covered in dust, and open shoes. Jewelry and expensive sunglasses don’t belong on a trail either. If you bring something valuable, it goes straight into a locker.
Driver and Passenger Requirements
Before you book, run your group through this quick check:
- Drivers must be 18 or older with a valid physical license.
- ATV passengers must be at least 8 years old. RZR passengers can be 6.
- Weight limits: 110 kg (242 lb) for a single ATV, 220 kg (484 lb) for a double ATV, 400 kg (880 lb) per RZR.
- Guests with asthma, heart conditions or back problems, and pregnant guests, can’t take part. Nobody rides under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
If a six- or seven-year-old is coming along, book an RZR. They can’t ride on an ATV, but they can sit buckled into a four-seat RZR.
Choosing Your Pickup Point
Our mountain tours don’t include hotel pickup. Instead, there are four pickup points spread across the bay so nobody has to cross the whole city at dawn. When you book, you pick the one closest to you and add your hotel name to the form.
| Pickup point | Address | Most convenient if you’re staying in | Approximate ride to the park |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zona Romántica | Insurgentes 379, Emiliano Zapata | Zona Romántica, the Malecón area, Old Town | About 40 minutes |
| Las Glorias | Plaza Villas Vallarta, José Clemente Orozco Local H2A, Zona Hotelera Norte | The central Hotel Zone | About 40 minutes |
| Playa de Oro | Playa de Oro 126 F, Zona Hotelera Norte | The northern Hotel Zone, Marina Vallarta | About 40 minutes |
| Nuevo Vallarta | Av. México 570, Las Jarretaderas, Nayarit | Nuevo Vallarta, Flamingos, Bucerías | About 1 hour |
The RZR + Jorullo Bridge tour departs at 9:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Plan to reach your pickup point a little early, with your license and card ready, so registration at the park goes fast. A taxi or rideshare from most hotels to the nearest point is short, and our team can confirm the best one for your hotel over WhatsApp at +52 322 399 9927.
Why Bilingual Guides Matter on This Tour
Every group goes out with a fully bilingual guide. On a mountain trail, that isn’t a nice extra: it’s the safety briefing you actually understand, the warning about a washed-out patch that reaches you in time, and someone who can tell you the story of the ejido farmers who built the Jorullo Bridge while you catch your breath on the other side.
With your shoes sorted, your license in your wallet and a change of clothes in a bag, the hard part is done. Check the open departures for your dates, choose the pickup point closest to your hotel and book your ATV or RZR tour directly.
