Considering a guest ranch vacation to a ranch in Mexico - like Top50 ranch Los Banos? With the country being a source of constant bombardment in news outlets throughout the US, as well as the rest of the world, it is completely natural to want to ask about security when considering horse riding holidays in this part of the world.
Is it safe to visit Mexico?
Here's the reality. Yes, Mexico is home to drug-related violence. However, crimes are clustered around a few "hot spots" and, fortunately for Los Banos Ranch, being situated in the Sonora region means the Mexico guest ranch has escaped the grasp of violence that engulfs these areas. Mexico is roughly the size of Western Europe, and being located hundreds of miles from any potential hot spot, Los Banos Ranch is no less safe a place to take western ranch vacation than any US state.
In reality, Mexico is a very large country and, naturally, violence is neither all-encompassing nor black and white. In states such as California, New York, Arizona or Illinois, for example, violence and crime are prevalent in their major urban centers - however you would not think twice about travelling to these states. Similarly, it would be unfair to blanket an entire nation over three or four "hot spots".
With 100 million citizens, most of whom live in peace, Mexico has over one million US citizens who now call Mexico home - in addition, of course, to the hundreds of thousands of Canadian and European ex-pats residing there. Most of the country remains the beautiful, secure nation it always has been. As an example of Mexico's safety, just this summer the country played host to the Under-17 FIFA World Cup, as well as the Pan-Am Games.
Ranch vacations to Rancho Los Banos
Says Los Banos' Founder and President, Manuel Valenzuela: "We have full confidence in the safety of our guests and the security in the region as well as the ranch. Most of our past guests, now friends, can and will attest to how safe they felt both on the way to the ranch and once they were there. Sonora, and our northeast region in particular, remains one of Mexico's safest areas. Indeed, Arizona has more homicides per year than Sonora, so in that sense we are very lucky. Fuurthermore, it cannot be emphasized enough that US media outlets don't always offer a fair and accurate portrayal of the vast majority of Mexico; much of what is going on in the country has been sensationalized."
Guests staying at Los Banos Ranch will not see another person during their stay other than guests and employees of the ranch. Says Manuel: "We are bordered by mountains, deserts, canyons and neighboring ranches, offering a remote wilderness unmolested by strangers or uninvited guests. The vast majority of the people in this region are salt-of-the-earth folks, working to make a living - peaceful and family-oriented. We really do feel that you will be safer in our region, and at the ranch in particular, than in some US states. To us, the threat of violence in the region and inside the ranch is non-existent - a non-factor, just as it has been for decades. Lack of security is a non-issue."
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