Desert Sports — Local services in Manuel Benavides

Avoid at all costs. We were told to go to the wrong meeting spot so we missed our trip. When no one showed up for an hour, we called the company who blamed us and then were told to go to the actual spot, where there would be a guide waiting for us. No guide waiting, just a van with a canoe on a trailer. After 2 hours, the company cancelled our trip and refused to give us a refund of our deposit, and they had already charged us for the whole trip! We tried to discuss it with the office staff and they refused to help, said we should just "calm down and enjoy the day", and would not refund the money. They hung up the phone on us 3 times. When we finally reached the owner 4 days later, he was also rude and unhelpful, refusing to refund the money until we mailed back our receipt! We had to call our credit card company to block the charges and report them to the BBB. We cannot review how the trip went, since we did not get to go, but the canoe that was left behind on "our" trip looked old and of poor quality. Just an...

My buddy and I just spent a week in Big Bend, and we used Desert Sports for mountain bike rentals as well as a half-day canoe tour. Mike (the owner) outfitted us with top-spec bikes, and he spent a lot of time with us beforehand to make sure everything was properly sized and adjusted, and that we were well-prepared for the ride. A great experience all around! Then two days later we met Billy for a canoe tour down the Rio Grande. Billy was AWESOME! He also took his time with us beforehand, making sure we understood the ins and outs of what we could expect out of the adventure. Then once we were underway he was both an excellent guide as well as a great teacher. We came away with a better understanding of the flora and fauna in and around the river, and he also provided a good deal of historical context of the people and geological events that have shaped the modern Rio Grande. A truly amazing guide, and a...

I cannot say enough how much me and my group enjoyed everyone we worked with from Desert Sports. The owner, Crystal, Annie, Mark and everyone else was such a help! They were quick to respond by email and phone calls no matter how many times I bugged them with a question :) They took great care of us, helping every step of the way for our canoe trip down the Rio grande in Boquillas canyon. These people genuinely care about their job and customers, and want every single person to experience the beauty in Big Bend no matter what route you take! You feel like you are at home with these people once you step foot in the doors and know you are being taken care of with honesty! Everytime I go back to Big Bend, or just pass through Terlingua, I will definitely make a stop here to see these great people again!!!! Dont even contemplate going with a different outfitter, THESE PEOPLE ARE...