BAJA: Whale Watching Journey and Snorkeling with Sea Lions
Watching the majestic whales breaching the surface of the water and waving their tails before diving back down to the depths is an unforgettable experience. Encounters with gray whales that actually seek interaction with humans and observation of world's largest animals, the blue whales.
Location
Duration
Price
Baja California
9 days
2800 $
Available dates
25.1. - 1.2 2024
About this Trip
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Guests: max 8 people
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Duration: 9 days
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Boat: small boat
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Number of full days on the boat: 5
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Food: breakfast, lunch, and snacks included
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Conditions: outside temperature: 25°C , water temperature: 20°C
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Skill requirement: none, suitable for children
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Pick up location: La Paz airport
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Accommodation: Hotels La Paz, Magdalena Bay, and Loreto
We will start our expedition with a full day on a boat in the waters of the Sea of Cortez. The water here changes its color from charming shades of clear turquoise to deep ocean blue. Here, we will have a chance to encounter pods of dolphins, we will swim in a big sea lion colony and snorkel with their playful cubs.
Then we will travel up north through the state of Baja California to the waters of the Pacific ocean, to the world of whales and wildness.
Magdalena Bay is a place where hundreds of gray whales return to their traditional breeding and birthing grounds. They travel from Alaska's Bering Sea and their journey is the longest mammal migration on Earth. This is the place they choose to birth and raise their calves. Gray whales are known for their friendliness. It is not unusual that they approach the boat and ask you to gently rub their large heads. It is a thrill to see that the whale chose you to play and interact with. Here, it feels like it’s not us who are on the expedition for the whale watching, but that the whales come to watch us.
Our next destination, Loreto, is a true whale paradise. The warm winter waters bring eight different species to the Islands of Loreto, including orca, humpback, gray, and blue whales. This is actually one of the few places in the world where you can spot blue whales, the largest animals on the planet. You will never forget witnessing the immense size and the long, slender body of these majestic animals.
Our mission is to protect the underwater world, educate people of all generations and explore the treasures the ocean hides in its depths. Our conservation activities are our top priority and we fund them through expeditions like this, and if you join us, you will help us move our vision one step further.
Note: This is a whale-watching expedition, we don’t swim with the whales. (And if that’s what you are looking for, check our Tonga expedition.
Wildlife Highlights
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Encounters with wild dolphins
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Swimming in a big colony of sea lions with their playful cubs
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Friendly encounters with grey whales and their calves
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Whale watching: orcas, humpbacks, gray whales, fin whales, sei whales, sperm whales
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Encounters with the biggest animal on our planet, the blue whale
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Watching rare species of birds
ITINERARY:
Day 1
La Paz - Meeting, briefing, and accommodation
We will pick you up at the airport and take you to your hotel in La Paz. In the afternoon, you will get a brief introduction to the adventures that await you in the next days. The expedition will start the next morning.
• Accommodation: hotel, La Paz
Day 2
La Paz – Sea of Cortez
La Paz is a city located on the shore of the Sea of Cortez. We will spend the day on the boat, swim in a large colony of sea lions, and play with their curious cubs. We will enjoy lunch on a white sand beach in a beautiful blue lagoon and on our way back to the marina, we will observe rare birds and other animals that we meet in this area full of marine life.
• Accommodation: hotel, La Paz
Day 3
Balandra Bay and a desert full of cactai
On this day we will make our trip to Magdalena Bay. On our way, we will visit the beautiful Balandra bay with white sand beach and crystal clear turquoise water. The bay is surrounded by small beaches and we will explore them on kayaks. The drive to Magdalena Bay takes around three hours through the desert full of huge cacti that is Baja famous for. Many of these giants are over 100 years old.
• Accommodation: hotel, Magdalena Bay
Days 4 – 5
Magdalena Bay – Gray whales
In the morning we will drive north to Magdalena Bay, where each year the gray whales migrate to. Locals say that the first friendly grey whale encounter here happened in 1970 when a local fisherman was alone in his boat when a gray whale approached it. It took him some time to look over the side of the boat to see a very large eye staring at him. Summoning his courage, he reached out to touch the whale and to his surprise found it responding to his hand.
You will have a chance to encounter single female whales looking to mate, pregnant grey whale females, and mothers with their calves. The encounters are on the whale’s terms, they come slowly and gently to the boat and ask for attention. The whales hang around the watching boats, wanting to be touched and played with. The mothers even push their young towards the boat to get some rubs as well. It’s worth mentioning that Magdalena is a huge bay and whale watching is carefully regulated here, so it’s just you and the whales coming out to see you.
In the evening, we will drive to our next whale destination – Loreto.
• Accommodation: 1st night hotel, Magdalena Bay, 2nd night hotel, Loreto
Days 6
Magdalena Bay and transfer to Loreto
After the adventure of the last few days, we will enjoy our last moments on the beach in the beautiful Magdalena Bay. We'll take a boat ride to the beach where thousands of "sand dollars" - the skeleton of a sea urchin - wash up each day, walk the sand dunes and enjoy scenic views of the pristine Baja California coastline. In the afternoon, we'll head to the Loreto Islands for more wildlife adventure.
Accommodation: hotel, Loreto
Day 7- 8
Loreto – Blue whales and whale watching paradise
Loreto Bay National Park is an ideal place where various species of whales come and give birth to their calves. You will have a chance to encounter humpback whales, orcas, gray whales, fin whales, sei whales, sperm whales, and the biggest animals that ever existed on our planet, the blue whales. Watching these ocean giants in their natural habitat is an experience that gives a true feeling of connection to mother nature.
• Accommodation: hotel, Loreto
Day 9
End of the expedition, transfer to the airport or your accommodation in La Paz.
