A place to disconnect from the city and be amazed by the natural environment and the vestiges of our ancestors.
If you search on Google Maps for “Las Manitas,” you will find the exact location north of San José del Cabo.
When you arrive at the ranch, you will be greeted by some scary dogs. However, they couldn’t be more noble. We nicknamed two of them Firulais and Solovino. The former accompanied us throughout our stay at the fabulous thousand-star hotel.
The giant rock is called Las Manitas and on it is where you will find cave paintings with handprints of different sizes and long lines. Some of the marks are approximately seven feet high. How did they manage to paint up to this height? Would they use the popular a camanchi technique? These are just two of the questions I like to ask to foster curiosity and spark imagination.
It is interesting to think that the Pericues (also known as Edues or Coras) spent so much time under that same rock and that you can enjoy the water of the same stream at your feet, and rest with your friends in the shade of the same huge zalates. They all existed in harmony within the same environment.
Nothing compares to enjoying a day beside a stream, camping in close contact with nature and contemplating a night full of stars. If you go on a new moon, you will be able to distinguish the Milky Way. If you camp during a full moon, you will be able to contemplate your illuminated surroundings. Both opportunities are amazing and even more so with a camera and a tripod.
It is quite a feat to make a fire. I dare you to try it with the sparks created by striking rocks together. I have not yet learned how to do it, but one day I will. Meanwhile, I will continue to help myself with the always effective matches. The key to starting a good fire is to light a bed of small leaves or dry grass, then add pieces of wood, small to large.
Personally, I do not know many types of trees and some I chose gave off too much smoke. It was such as a cartoon scene. Wherever we moved, the smoke followed us. Everything about the adventure was interesting and that included certain long leg spiders that were apparently not poisonous but approached the tent. We allowed them to hang around as much as they wanted … of course, outside the tent! As my new saying goes, the cautious man does not end up in the hospital…
Our camp was full of amazing gifts from nature. Spotify would like to have a playlist to help people sleep as pleasant as the song of the little toads and the background of water flowing between the rocks.
Every adventure also has its surprises, and a surprising night was given to us by our faithful and inseparable friend Firulais who insisted on taking his work as our fierce guardian to the next level. He waited for us to be installed inside the tent ready for sleep and then he started barking! He didn’t stop until almost three in the morning when he fell asleep. Even then he continued growling and barking in his dreams. Tremendous Firulais. At this point, he made us laugh out loud!
Finally, there was peace and we managed to sleep for a couple of hours.
This amazing site is becoming more and more popular. If you decide to visit, remember to set a good example and keep it free of garbage. And why not give back to the environment while you explore by having an extra bag on hand to leave the place even cleaner than when you arrived.
