Best of Baja: Whale Watching & Sea Kayaking
On this “best of” journey we’ll bring you to both spectacular coasts of Baja including the beautiful Espiritu Santo Island in the Sea of Cortez and remote, wild shores of Magdalena Bay on the Pacific Coast.
In Magdalena Bay you’ll observe gray whales up close from locally operated skiffs as they frolic in the bay or from right in front of our luxury base camp over looking the bay. Other opportunities for exploring this unique area include paddling through mangrove estuaries among the rich bird life and beach combing along the coastline of this remote Pacific Barrier Island.
2023 Price: $1695 pp for 8 nights
Price Includes:
- 4 nights hotel stays
- 6 nights at two different luxury base camps including tents, cots, pads, & pillows
- All meals as noted on the itinerary
- Expert naturalist guide & kayak instruction provided
- Purified drinking water & evening cocktails at camp
- Transportation to camps
- National Park Fees
- Motorized skiffs, captains, guides, and crew/cooks
- Community camp equipment including kayaks and associated equipment, tents
Price Does Not Include:
Airfare, meals on travel days to and from Baja or in town, beer, wine or soft drinks (there will be an option to purchase these and we will provide coolers with ice for storing them at camp), personal gear such as sleeping bags, snorkel gear, wet suits (available for rent) and guide gratuities.
Single accommodation fee: $250 single hotel and canvas walk-in tent – Limit 2 per trip.* Shared hotel and single canvas walk-in tent $125 / shared hotel and single small crawl in tent $50 / Single hotel and single crawl-in tent $200.
* No previous kayaking experience is necessary, as we will be teaching all of the skills needed to paddle in this area. Our base camp is gorgeous and sunset watching will be a lifetime memory!
This tour will be a time of discovery and fun in the unique environments of the Sea of Cortez and Magdalena Bay. Each day you can choose from a variety of activities like paddling, hiking, whale watching, and snorkling to help build your appetite for a delicious dinner and relaxed evening. Our naturalist will provide interesting talks on the local flora and fauna of the area, and the resident coyotes may even serenade us as the stars blaze above. This is the experience of a lifetime!
Tour Difficulty
- Rating: Easy – Moderate. We provide instruction in both double and single kayaks throughout the trip.
- Approximate paddling distance per day: 1-8 miles
Tour Highlights
- Multi-activity emphasis
- Snorkeling with friendly sea lions & whale sharks (weather permitting)
- Whale Watching
- Kayaking in Mangrove Estuaries
- Dune Hiking
- Fishing
- Great for families!
“I could not have asked for a better trip. I have been grinning for days since my return. Thank you for a great memory.”
Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive La Paz, overnight Hotel Posada LunaSol. Enjoy exploring this lovely seaside city. Our hotel reception can recommend things to do and places to eat.
Day 2
After breakfast at our poolside cafe, depart for Espiritu Santo Island (ESI) with a possible snorkel with whale sharks (weather permitting) en-route to camp. Arrive for lunch at our beautiful beach base camp. Kayak and camp orientation and afternoon paddle. Overnight ESI camp. B/L/D
Day 3 – 4
Enjoy activities at our ESI camp including paddling below volcanic cliffs, snorkeling with friendly sea lions and among tropical fish, hiking through canyons below towering cactus and possibly trying your hand at fishing. All this while enjoying evening cocktails and delicious meals prepared with fresh ingredients by our crew. B/L/D
Day 5
Depart ESI after breakfast for possible whale shark snorkeling en-route back to La Paz. Arrive La Paz mid-day and check into our hotel. Enjoy a nap and/or stroll along the Malecon of this lovely seaside town and some excellent dining for lunch and dinner at restaurants of your choice (we can provide suggestions). Overnight hotel in La Paz. B
Day 6
Breakfast at our hotel then board the vans to depart for Lopez Mateos on the Pacific Coast of Baja (4 hours including 2 stops). Upon arrival at the lovely embarcadero enjoy a delicious lunch of fish and shrimp tacos seaside before boarding the boats to head into Magdalena Bay. En-route to camp you’ll have your first encounters with the magnificent gray whales of Mag Bay. We will whale watch for around 2 hours and arrive at our luxury whale camp on the shores of Magdalena Bay late afternoon to settle in and enjoy happy hour and scrumptious dinner. Overnight whale camp. B/L/D
Day 7
Enjoy activities from our luxury whale camp including whale watching from motorized skiffs offered both morning and afternoon, sea kayaking, fishing or bird watching in the nearby mangroves or beach combing along the coastline of this remote island. B/L/D
Day 8
Enjoy early morning coffee and continental breakfast and prepare your gear to leave camp. Around 10 a hearty brunch will be served prior to leaving camp at 10:30 for whale watching. This approximately 2 hour whale watch session will return you to Lopez Mateos where you’ll board the vans for the return ride back to La Paz. Arrive and check into our hotel at about 5-5:30pm, enjoy dinner at one of the many fine establishments of your choice in La Paz.B,brunch,snacks
Day 9
Although we do our best to adhere to the above itinerary, it is subject to change for reasons beyond our control including wildlife unpredictability, weather and port closures. Upon the chance the port is closed and we can not get a group to the island on departure day we will provide a land based activity for this day. Snorkeling with whale sharks is completely weather dependent (calm seas are necessary) and wildlife predictability so this activity will depend on the weather and presence of sharks on the days and time we have scheduled to do this.