Discover & Explore Sayulita With Nayarit Uncovered Tours
With so many amazing places to explore in Sayulita and the surrounding Nayarit area, it’s easy to find something fun, new, and exciting to do or see, whether you’re visiting the area for the first time, or a local resident who’s been here for years. Nayarit Uncovered Tours is the best place to go to discover, or better said, uncover, your next amazing adventure that you will never forget! Jorge Moreno, owner of Nayarit Uncovered Tours, explains more about what Nayarit Uncovered Tours has to offer.
Hi Jorge! First, can you give readers a brief background of who you are & what brought you to Sayulita?
My name is Jorge Moreno, and I am originally from Tepic, Nayarit. I moved to Sayulita in September of 2009. Before I moved to Sayulita I owned a restaurant in Tepic that I had to close due to the 2009 influenza outbreak. At that point I wasn’t sure what I was going to do next; I was thinking of moving to the U.S.A., (where I lived before as well), or of applying to move to Canada. I had also applied online for a job in Sayulita as a bartender at a nice resort, which I ended up taking, and I ended up working there for 7 years.
Why did you decide to start the business Nayarit Uncovered Tours? What was your passion or inspiration behind this choice?
Once I arrived here in Sayulita, I quickly fell in love and started exploring the area. While working as a bartender, I had many patrons ask me where the best places are to go explore, and what places they should check out that are not “tourist traps”. I noticed that there were basically no other companies offering the type of tours that I would often tell my patrons to discover, (which I offer), such as to show more “hidden spots”– the real beauty of Nayarit. It’s so easy to take a taxi from Puerto Vallarta to visit Sayulita, but that only gives you a glimpse of what Nayarit has to offer. At some point I was told, “if you love what you do, you don’t have to work a day in your life.” This rings so true with me because I have always loved to explore, and I love showing travellers the real Nayarit. In August of 2016, I decided to officially start Nayarit Uncovered Tours.
What services or tours does Nayarit Uncovered Tours offer, and what can guests expect when they book a tour through your company?
My guests actually came up with the name “Nayarit Uncovered”! When I first started the business, I didn’t have a name for my company, so I started asking my guests for ideas. I would often explain at the beginning of a tour that I was looking for a business name, and that I need some help. I told my guests to think about it while they experienced their entire tour, and to let me know after. Thus, this is how “Nayarit Uncovered” came to fruition; I couldn’t love the name more because it’s exactly what we offer– off the beaten path types of tours to more hidden, secluded, or exclusive places around Nayarit. Our guests can expect to see places in Nayarit they would normally not be able to find or discover on their own, whether it be beaches, hikes, waterfalls, scenic spots in nature, or historical landmarks. All of our tours are private, and normally range from 1-6 guests; we want to keep the experience of our tours intimate and personal. We can take up to 22 guests on a tour, but our favorite number for a tour is 4 people.
Guests should expect to have lots of fun! Expect to do what you want to do. Expect to not be in a big rush. Expect to do the unexpected. Expect to enjoy the real Nayarit– the real snacks, the real fruit, the real food. Also, expect lots of awesome photos to capture your fun memories and experiences, which I will send free of charge.
What tour tends to be the most popular?
Out of all tours we offer, the most popular is the Alta Vista Petroglyphs. It is a beautiful place with a lot of history of an ancient civilization. Even having done so much research about this spot, I still always leave that place with more questions, and I can’t wait to come back. If you are familiar with “ley lines” crossings, that is a vortex. If you can feel the vibrations & the energy, we can take you there. There are also carvings in the rocks of motherships– the same type of carvings can be seen in Ireland and other places. There are so many theories about these rock carvings, and they keep people interested and memorized; I have my own personal theories about them too!
Can you tell readers about your other job/role on the reality TV show “The Bachelor in Paradise”? What has that experience been like?
7 years ago, the reality TV show, “Bachelor in Paradise” came to Mexico. Their first season was filmed in Tulum and then they moved to Sayulita. They started filming at the hotel where I was formerly working as a bartender. At first I was not allowed to speak with any of the cast members, but the cast members kept coming up and talking to me. The next thing you know, there are cameras set up at the bar, and I became known as “Jorge the bartender”, or “Jorge in Paradise!” I had my role in Bachelor in Paradise for 2 years, and by the 3rd year in Sayulita I was no longer bartending, as I had started Nayarit Uncovered, and was taking guests on tours. One of the producers of the show came up with the first name of “Jorge’s Tours” because I would take couples from the show on tour dates to cool spots that I liked to share. This also helped me market ideas for Nayarit Uncovered Tours.
Is there anything else you’d like readers to know about Nayarit Uncovered Tours?
An average tour for 2 guests, for example will begin by picking you up wherever you are, including pick up from Puerto Vallarta, and at the time you decide. We first take you out for breakfast either in Sayulita or in San Pancho, and during that time we discuss all the different options we offer for tours, the distance for driving, for hiking, etc. I will show photos and videos of our various destinations. This gives me an idea of what my guests are more interested in doing and seeing, and then we decide from there. Over the past 7 years I have hired an archeologist, a geologist, and even a shaman to guide us on tours! I love taking guests to the petroglyphs! After that if our guests want to see a crocodile sanctuary, I will take them there. Want to jump into a waterfall first? No problem! Want to see a hidden beach? A cool town up the coast? Hot springs? We can take you to three different hot springs! We take you where you want to go! Our tours are generally a total of 8 hours, and we include not only breakfast, but also drinks, fruit and snacks, and all entrance fees for any places we will explore. Nayarit Uncovered Tours has also expanded in the Puerto Vallarta area with my new sidekick Rene Urbina taking guests in that area on tour.
I get a lot of inspiration from people who come to visit Mexico; I want to show them the best of what my country has to offer. Mexico is the ultimate paradise. The travellers who visit Sayulita and this area are generally very laid-back, but also want to explore. I get to meet people from all around the world and share my country and culture with them, and that is my absolute passion!
To learn more about Nayarit Uncovered Tours or to contact Jorge to book your tour, please visit his Sayulita Life Web Page.
*Written by: Aanya Sheikh-Taheri
