Sonora Bus Travel 101 – A September Weekend in Sonora

Please note: Due to hot weather and other factors, we have decided to reschedule this trip for a later date. If you would like to receive notification when we reschedule it, please contact us, and we will let you know.

Tucson to Hermosillo for the weekend

So, you have always wanted to visit Mexico, but have not gone south of the border because you …

do not want to travel alone
do not know anything about traveling to Sonora
are not sure how safe it is to travel to Mexico
do not speak the language, and / or
(insert excuse here)?

Or, maybe you are a seasoned Mexico traveler, but would like to expand your travel options by learning about Mexico bus travel.

Well, we may have a solution for you.

Join me and an informal group of travelers who take the bus from Tucson to Hermosillo on a Friday morning to spend the weekend in Hermosillo, with the option of taking a Sunday trip to the sacred lands of Sonora’s Seri Indians, and return to Arizona on Monday. Sound interesting?

Other than transportation to Hermosillo, this will be totally unstructured, so if you want to explore Hermosillo with the group that’s great, or if you would prefer to head out on your own, that’s fine too.

I will give you a list of places within walking distance you may want to visit, and we will still stay in touch over the weekend to make sure everybody is okay.

I plan to stay at the historic Hotel Suites Kino in downtown Hermosillo, which is a short walk from Plaza Centenario, Plaza Zaragoza, the Hermosillo Cathedral, the Sonora Government Palace and other interesting places in the area. The Kino has standard rooms and one- or two-bed suites.

You can reserve a room at the Hotel Suites Kino on their website or on any of the popular lodging websites, like Booking.com.

We will leave Tucson mid-morning on Friday, September 22 on a TAP Royal bus and arrive in Hermosillo in late afternoon. After getting to the hotel, you can go out on your own or hang out with me. I plan to walk to a local restaurant, and maybe take a taxi to the Cerro de Campana to watch the sun set over the city.

On Saturday, I plan to take the Hermosillo tourism Trolebus to see some of the sights of the city. After that, I will walk around to see more of the downtown Hermosillo area, including a cool little shop where you can buy unique gifts made by Sonoran artisans.

On Sunday, I will be joining a group to visit the sacred lands of the Seri Indians for the day on an eco-cultural trip. The cost is $40 and includes transportation from Hermosillo. If you are interested in coming along, let me know and I will make the reservation for you.

Participants on the Sunday trip will visit Punta Chueca and Isla Tiburon, where there will be opportunities to kayak and hike, as well as meet with Seris, watch them sing and dance traditional songs and dances, purchase their unique crafts and get your face painted in a traditional Seri pattern.

What you will learn

I will assume that you are a new Sonora bus traveler – but if you are not, that is fine too. You will also learn some basic tips for traveling to, and in, Sonora, such as:

How to get your FMM tourist card online
What to pack for a trip to Sonora
Crossing the border on a bus
Taking a Mexican taxi
How to get pesos and use an ATM
What you can bring back across the border to the U.S.
Checking in to a Mexican hotel
Tips for staying safe when you are out and about
Restaurant and street food options and customs
Purchasing a bus ticket at a Mexican bus station and online

I will also include some “cheat sheets” with vocabulary and tips to help you travel independently in Sonora.

Trip Costs

The cost is $85, which includes the price of your ticket from Tucson to Hermosillo. Other than that, you will be responsible for your lodging, meals, tips, purchases, return trip to Tucson and any other costs you incur while on the trip.

I will be staying at the Hotel Suites Kino, but there are also other hotels in the general area (within walking distance), like the Hotel Ibis, the Hotel Colonial and the Hampton Inn by Hilton.

If you would like to go on the day trip to the land of the Comcaac – Seri, the cost is $40 per person. I can make the reservation for you, payment is due when we depart on Sunday.

I will help make arrangements for your trip back, the best time would be an early Monday morning Tufesa bus or a shuttle. Or, you may choose to extend your stay – it’s up to you.

Questions? Comments? Please contact us.