AAVE's Summer Surf Camp in Mexico

Day 1:
You will be met upon arrival at the airport gate by your experienced AAVE expedition leaders. After the arrival of all the trip members, we will head up to the beautiful beach town of Sayulita, and check our gear, to assure that we are prepared for the diverse, demanding and remote regions we explore. During orientation we get to know each other and learn what to expect in the days ahead. Our daily routine, jobs and safety rules are explained and the process of growing together as a group begins.

Day 2:
Get ready for surfing! Our instructor will go over the basics of surfing and enjoy our first surf session in the water. We work on learning the basics of paddling, popping-up, wave reading, positioning etc. Get ready for more fun stuff in the afternoon, when go explore the neighboring beaches on horseback (optional).

Day 3:
We enjoy our second surf session early in the morning, then enjoy a late breakfast, followed by loading up the van to head south to our second surf stop. The beach is called "Boca de Iguanas", a long beach with fine sand, beautiful sunsets and an excellent, uncrowded, consistent and warm surf. We set up camp here and spend the night surrounded by coconut trees.

Day 4:
This morning we enjoy our morning surf session at our new surf break and everyone is getting the hang of it by now. After surfing for a few hours we head for lunch and some relaxation. In the afternoon, we take a trip to the neighboring town of Barra de Navidad, where we explore the streets and interact with the wonderful local people. On the western side of town, we go on a Banana Boat ride which takes us into a beautiful saltwater lagoon and out into the ocean.

Day 5:
Again our morning surf session we enjoy a late breakfast feast and an afternoon filled with activities. We have some time to play either frisbee, volleyball or soccer at the beach. We also enjoy an afternoon visit to the Chamela-Cuixmala Biosphere reserve, only 40 minutes away. Here we learn the importance of this unique ecosystem which hosts incredible wildlife, such as bromelias, endemic birds, and even jaguars.

Day 7:
We wake up, pick up camp and start our way down, what took us 3 hours on the way up - should be no more than 1 and a half hours on the way down! Once we get into town, we are in for a good lunch, a well deserved shower and an afternoon of more activities. We head towards the incredible un-explainable rocks of Tapalpa's Valley, known by everyone around as "las piedrotas" - a unique place surrounded by incredible beauty.

Day 8:
Farm day!! Our last day up in the mountains in Mexican colonial towns, we make the most out of our time, spending the morning on a real Mexican farm. We help with the regular tasks, like milking cows, carrying corn, and helping prepare cheese or jam. Then we head towards the beautiful beaches of El Faro and La Llorona. White sanded beaches, with warm blue water. Camping here is a great oceanside experience.

Day 9:
Depending on the conditions, we head to different beaches to catch the best waves for our ability level. This area offers great surf for all levels, authentic Mexican indigenous culture and mind-blowing white sand beaches. We spend the afternoon interacting with the locals, visiting schools and donating the books that we brought to provide for the indigenous schools in the area.

Day 10:
Another morning of surfari on the beaches surrounding our campground, followed by lunch and afternoon tubing on the beautiful Ostula River. This float trip takes us through papaya and banana plantations all the way back to the ocean, where we will be picked up by our van.

Day 11:
We load the van early so that we can start today's drive. We head north towards our Turtle Conservation Project. Halfway through the trip we stop for a swim and lunch and explore waterfalls. Later on we stop at scenic sand dunes where we can try dune surfing! We get to our camp destination before sunset.

Day 12:
Today we go out on an open ocean boat trip in search of turtles in their natural environment. We will be able to observe and touch turtles in the ocean while we snorkel by them. Then we head back to the beach and have lunch. The afternoon is great time to enjoy the pools, trampolines and volleyball court at the campsite. During the night we will patrol for our turtle conservancy project.

Day 13:
We are up early to do our final camp clean-up before heading north. We will arrive to our accommodation North of Puerto Vallerta and after a well-deserved shower we will head into Puerto Vallerta for one last night with souvenir shopping and sightseeing in town. We finish the day with our final dinner as a group.

Day 14:
Today begins with an early breakfast and drive to the airport to drop of the trip members, AAVE Trip Leaders will help participants through check-in and co-ordinate you heading home!

Price Includes:
Two CPR and First Aid certified AAVE Trip Leaders, local WildMex guide throughout; all ground costs, all ground transportation including airport pickup and drop-off; all camping and camping gear (except sleeping bags, sleep mats and mess kits); all activities and gear listed in the above itinerary; all meals; local gratuities to wait-staff and maid-staff for included meals and hotels (days 1 and 13).

Price Doesn't Include:
Flights to/from Puerto Vallarta; immigration card ($18 USD); optional gratuities, extra snacks, souvenirs, phone calls.

This itinerary is a sample outline of the program highlights. It is not a precise description. Changes made before or during the trip will only be made in the interest of safety or a more successful trip. This diverse itinerary is our framework for a summer of exhilaration and adventure. Get your mind and body set. Activities are planned using years of experience with your highest expectations in mind.

We appreciate the importance of this decision and want you to be as informed as possible! Please phone 303.526.0806 or email us at info@aave.com with questions, to receive 2009 references or to make a reservation.

We look forward to having you join us!